“If ye then have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.” 1 Corinthians 6:4
There is much to be said in favor of a “layman’s understanding” of the Bible. Once a person has been born again, they enjoy the privileges of spiritual discernment: “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:12. From then on, it is a matter of desiring the sincere milk of the Word that one may grow thereby–reading the Bible, hearing the Word, and trusting it for what it says.
I was saved September 1954, have been in a Bible teaching New Testament Church ever since, and full-time in the ministry since 1968, teaching and preaching God’s Word. Yet I find many articles written about the Bible that contain expositions that I have to say, “Where did that come from–I never saw that in the reading of the scriptures.”
I have always found the truth of God’s Word to be self-evident in the way the Bible reads. “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” 2 Peter 1:19-20. We all depend on light to reveal what is, and then we act upon what we see. If you turned your garage light on and there sat a new car, you would not have to call a mechanical engineer to explain to you what you are looking at. So, when you read your Bible, accept and believe what it says. Beware of anyone who discourages you from doing this, and rather leads you to believe that you need someone of “higher understanding” to interpret the scriptures unto you.
Rather than turn to what men have to say about the Bible, we need to look into the Bible to see what it says about what men are saying: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:11.
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20. Faith only exists where God’s Word is being accepted as God delivered it–“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17
SHARING
