What I have learned over the last few months, in preaching from the Bible, verse by verse and word by word, people will listen to the interpretation of the text. And what I have discovered that they agree in general with what the text is saying. Example: I Thessalonians 1 address several topics within themselves creates debate, but within the text there is little debate.
An example: "Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God." 1 Thess 1:4 (KJV) Here in the text you have the doctrine of Election. I like to call this doctrine the Doctrines of Grace. The means whereby a unbeliever becomes a believer in Jesus Christ.
Secondly: "For our gospel came.." 1 Thess 1:5 (KJV) Here we see the Doctrine of the Gospel. And I was able to take that word "gospel" and describe what the Gospel is. Far too often we only teach the basis of the gospel and we leave out the meat of the gospel truth.
Thirdly: "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:"
Baptist do not generally use the term "elders", yet within this passage of Scripture Paul is clear about the term "elder." And within this verse, I was able again to share the principle of Eldership in the church.
Fourthly: "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; "1 Peter 5:1-2 (KJV)
Here again we were able to interpret the text "Feed the flock of God." We were able to bring out the meaning:
- Feed -- Greek, "Tend as a shepherd," by discipline and doctrine. Lead, feed, heed: by prayer, exhortation, government, and example. The dignity is marked by the term "elder"; the duties of the office, to tend or oversee, by "bishop." Peter has in mind Christ's injunction to him, "Feed (tend) My sheep . . . Feed (pasture) My lambs" John 21:16). He invites the elders to share with him the same duty (compare Acts 20:28) . The flock is Christ's. —Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
- The word "Feed" could be translated "Shepherd". Shepherd the members of the church.
- Thus within the context of the passage of Scripture we were able to bring out the role of the Elder, Shepherd, Elder, Pastor, Preacher. All the terms describe the same person who has leadership over Christ's people in the local church.
What I have been able to learn, the people in the church love learning the Word of God. They really like to get to the meat of the Word, they have had a lot of milk, which is good, but now its time for some solid food.
Whereas in our independent Baaaaptist..Churches, it is often taught that we only need to read the Bible, that is the king james version, and a dictionary. And often its the 1611 that they often say we need to read. Which is of course rather impossible to do so.
We have had it planted into our minds for a number of years, that the only words we should use is the kjv words, because they are the only real words of the Word of God. I am not going to suggest that the kjv is not a good translation, because it is one the best translations. I would trust the text in all doctrines. What I have suggested is that words do change over 400 years.
And this we discovered in our sermon on Sunday Evening from Philippians
- "in the bowels of Jesus Christ" Philippians 1:8 "Christ Jesus" is the order in the oldest manuscripts. My yearning love (so the Greek implies) to you is not merely from natural affection, but from devotedness to Christ Jesus.— Whereas we used "tender affections" of Jesus Christ. Here then we were able to change the word "bowels" and give the meaning of the text.
So then when I read from the kjv, and then I give the meaning of the words, the word itself will be different. Example: Feed my flock, to Shepherd my sheep. You have not hurt the Word of God by doing so.
WHEREAS WHEN PREACHERS ONLY USE APPLICATION IN THEIR SERMON, THE DON'T NEED TO GIVE AN INTERPRETATION OF THE TEXT. AND OFTEN WHAT THEY ARE SAY, IS NOT THE INTERPRETATION OF THE TEXT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
Yet if they were to give the real meaning of the verses they were in, they would have to discover the interpretation of the words and they would be surprise what they really mean by what they say in the context of the verse and chapter they are reading from.
THUS WHEN I INTERPRETED THE TEXT, AND DON'T USE LABELS, THEY ARE IN AGREEMENT THAT IS WHAT THE TEXT IS REALLY SAYING. Whereas if I were to label the topic or the teaching, they would not be ready to agree even before I taught.
SO I DON'T USE THE TERMS CALVINIST AND ARMINIAN BEFORE I TEACH. Well not yet anyway. Because most people have already made up their minds what they think those terms mean anyway.
