What Does the Bible Mean?

God, I Know what you said, but what do You Mean?
The First Challenge to God's Words...

In Eden, the Deceiver began his mischief by raising the question of
the "interpretation" of God's words.
"Did God Mean THAT?"

Because Scripture's first lesson on temptation is
embedded in the creation account,
it particularly warns readers of these words that:

the Words of The Master Communicator Alone
can achieve their divine task —to reveal the Truth!

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth:
it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isa. 55:11)

Dare we claim to improve on the Perfect Communicator's choice of words?
If the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, authoritative, sufficient Word of God "written by men who were guided by God's spirit" then can we "simplify" or "make clearer" the words chosen by the Great Communicator? After all our Creator invented all human communication, —gave us the power to understand and taught us how we should speak. Didin't He say, "Let your Yea mean Yea and your Nay mean Nay?" His eternal words will stand forever and someday be the words by which we will be judged. While we may "explain" Bible passages using extra-biblical terms and examples, none will improve on what God has said —all of fallen man's "interpretations" are flawed, less than truth and are dangerous. The best "interpretation" is in the Bible.

God did not conceal His truth in numerical codes, or complex language structures, or in allegory —that would show favoritism to one or another small group of "Brights." Elitist's claims always beg the question, "Why does God mislead the masses when He says He wants to be known by everyone.?"

 

To know the truth (what actually happened)
we must honor...

The Plain Meaning of Scripture
dot
1. Is NOT the Wooden Literal Meaning
Taking every word in the Bible literally would be blind rebellion. As the world's best literature, the Bible is full of all kinds of non-literal language. Metaphors, similies, figures of speech, parables, visions, poetry and proverbs. Each of these methods were selected by the Master Communicator because it is better than an entirely literal Bible to reveal perfect truth. Our first task is to submit to His powerful use of language, not to overrule it in any way. Furthermore the plain meaning does not mean simple —the Bible is always profound.

2. Believes that the Bible Is What It Claims to be —God's Words
"No prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation,
for no prophecy was ever made an act of human will,
but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." 2Pet.1:20,21

3. Honors The Greatest Communicator

Treat His words as if He Says What He Means and Means What He Says.
After all He taught, "Let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay."

4. Seeks ONLY the Author's Meaning

Never The Reader's Meaning
Always come to Scripture as a learner, never an expert. If the reader decides the meaning of words then the Author's meaning, right or wrong, can never reach the intended destination: the reader's mind.

5. Presupposes Common Word and Sentence Meanings
When the tempter used God's own words to test Jesus,
Jesus' simple "It is written" ended all negotiation. (Mat.4).
The prophets stopped semantic debate with,"Thus Saith the Lord."
Truth is in the words—never in the interpretation.
6. Follows the Universal Rules for Non-literal Language
The Bible is full of non-literal language governed by universal rules that guide the reader to the Author's meaning, never his own.
Mythology is treated as myth because that is what it claims to be.
Scripture claims to be an inerrant record of history —past, present and future.
It begins with, "In the beginning..." It does not begin with "Once upon a time..."
7. Draws Only Deeper Meaning Consistent with ALL of Scripture
Every historical event in Scripture has spiritual implications. History is the framework on which the Bible teaches spiritual truth. In this way we learn to apply spiritual principles back to our real life history.
Any secondary meaning will not contradict the plain meaning of the text. Inerrancy is horizontal —consistency between passages, and vertical —consistency between levels of meaning.

8. Tests for Doctrinal HARMONY

The Plain Meaning of Scripture does not hang for its life on semantics.
dot
We must also "Prove All Things" by

"comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

dot
testing every so-called 'interpretation' for doctrinal harmony.