Happy New Year!

Greetings and Happy New Year to all. There will not be much today as were getting ready to bring in the New Year.

Until next time, God bless,

Understanding The Bible and Figures of Speech

Everyone needs help and instruction in reading and understanding the Bible, These next few posts are going to deal with understanding Figures of speech.

What is a Figure of Speech?

A departure from the normal rules of grammar or word usage. Examples:

“breadth and length and depth and height”
“The mountains will sing.”


What is the purpose of figures of speech?

To give special emphasis.

To call attention to the point.

To add force or power to an expression. Which sentence is more memorable? “A burglar snuck into my house.” OR “A burglar slipped into my house like a cat stalking prey.”


Why are figures of speech in the Bible?

Figures of speech are universal to human communication. Every language, including the biblical languages, has them.

God used figures of speech to call attention to a point in the scriptures.


Why it is important to understand figures of speech in the Bible?

To get to the correct interpretation of Scripture.

Serious misinterpretations of Scripture come from:

Calling something figurative that is literal. For example, the 6 days of Creation in Genesis 1 are literal 24-hour periods. But many who want to believe Creation couldn’t have happened that quickly say they are figurative.

Calling something literal that is figurative. For example, John 8:58, “Before Abraham was, I am” is used to support that Jesus is eternal and pre-existed Abraham. Really, it is the figure of speech heterosis or switching of word forms (here, verb tense). It emphasizes the certainty of Jesus’ coming.

It is not honest biblical interpretation to call something figurative simply because you don’t understand it or don’t want to believe it.

The words in God’s Word are perfect. God has a reason for everything He says – where He says it; when He says it; to whom He says it; and how He says it.

Figures of speech in the Bible are precise and exact, not haphazard.


How do we know when the words should be taken literally or figuratively?

The Bible should be understood literally whenever possible.

But when a statement appears to be contrary to our experience, or to known fact, or to the general teaching of truth, then we can expect that a figure of speech is present.

If a word or words are truly a figure of speech, then that figure can be named and described. It will have a specific identifiable purpose.

Denominations #2

Greetings to everyone reading this and my hope is that I can clear up common misconceptions people have when trying to understand Gods word, and if you do not own a King James version of the Bible, go get one.

Remember, all the different denominations we have today are because of Man interpreting the Bible instead of letting the Bible interpret itself.

Think about it; Peter said the Bible is of no private interpretation. So then there are just a few things you need to understand in order to clear up problem versus in the Bible.
I will describe two things today. One is that many versus are to be read and understood just as they are stated for example: In the Law of Moses it is written, Thou shalt not steal. It doesn't say you can steal if you are poor or needing, it doesn't say if someone is not looking, it simply says do not ever steal, period.
A problem verse that might be hard to understand might be: Thou shalt not kill. I could go on about this verse but I'll keep it short. You have to know the Old testament was written for our learning, so keeping that in mind if you look all through the Old Testament you'll see that living Godly lives meant that you did not murder anyone or rape anyone or commit any other brutal crimes against Man, for if you did, if there were three eyewitnesses, according to the will of God, you would be put to death. Because God does not want people to live in fear.
So, Thou shalt not kill should be understood as Thou shalt not murder, which would then mean that the death penalty according to Gods word is a Godly thing. If you interpret the verse as "to kill" meaning no killing for any reason at all, that means you have privately interpreted the bible instead of letting God tell you exactly what he means.

Until next time, God bless,

Denominations

Welcome to God's Place where Gods word and will are going to be revealed to you in light of what God says, not what a particular denomination says ( of which there are to many to list here ) about God's word.

The reason that there are so many different denominations of Christianity is because of the different interpretations of God's word. Because of the way the bible is written this is completely understandable. But I am here now to clear this all up once and for all. There should not be any division among us Christians at all, it is very clearly against the will of God.

Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

There it is, clear as crystal, just as it is stated, no if ands or buts about it. But why do we continue with all the different denominations believing in different things?

Well I'm going to give you one, and it stems from this one passage in the new testament that is as clear as can be in what it says, but not to clear in how we come to the exact meaning.

2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

This is the very first absolute thing you must know about the bible, there are no ands ifs or buts about it.
Well then what the heck does the that mean? Well I'm going to tell you right off, that verse says exactly what it means. No Pope, priest, pastor, reverend or bible study group, I don't care how large can not by there own intellect interpret the bible in any way, period.

Well if it is of no private interpretation than how are we to interpret what we do not understand?

Well the reason Peter wrote that is because he wanted you to know first and foremost: That the bible interprets itself through keys and signposts within itself. Through careful study you can by understanding cultural idioms, Greek language and by eliminating the few problem verses that contradict same verses on certain subjects you can come to the truth that Christ whats you to know. Remember, the truth shall set you free, not having questions and doubt.

For example: If there are 30 versus that clearly state that when you die you are dead awaiting Resurrection and there are 2 versus saying that somehow your soul is alive in heaven awaiting your family and friends, you can be sure those last 2 versus were translators additions in error and should be omitted.

There is plenty more on this to go into detail of which I will write about another time.

Until then, May God be with you,