40 Days in the Word Week 6

40 Days in the Word - Interpreting a Bible Passage

Message by:
Pastor Terry Carwford
Covenant Church
Shepherdstown, WV

Romans 8:31-38
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

SOME BASIC RULES OF BIBLE INTERPRETATION

1. Consider the historical context: WHO is being spoken to? WHY?

   
   Romans 1:1, 11-13
   Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God… 11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.




2. Let the Scripture interpret the Scripture.




3. Read from the text, not into the text.

   
   Too often we come to the Bible with our own pre-conceived ideas. If we do that, we’ll eventually fall into the trap of trying to make the Scriptures say what we want them to say instead of drawing out from them what the author—and God—intended. The technical word for this error is eisegesis—reading into the text. What we want to do is the opposite, called exegesis, which means drawing out from the text what the author intended to communicate.




4. Look for the most obvious meaning.

Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Conclusion:

Through Jesus, God has a loving and eternal plan for us.

I am not exempt from pain and trouble.

The boundless love of Christ gives us ultimate victory.

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Pre-planned, called, justified and glorified - Jesus and us.

For more information, please visit: Covenant Church

40 Days in the Word Devotions