Hermeneutics: Interpreting Scripture

Yes, we must assume/believe that as Earthlings speaking English the translations and Earth sciences are sufficiently accurate for them to serve God's desire for everyone to learn the truth.

Postscript Regarding Prescript

In the quest for greater Christian unity I requested that we identify the Scripture from which our interpretations of GW spring, which prompted me to clarify my own Top Ten in the following logical order.

1. Formerly/at first I was without hope of salvation from meaninglessness and death. (EPH 3:12b)

2. So I sought salvation and found God. (MT 7:7, HB 11:6b)

3. The loving God who wants all souls to learn the truth about how to be saved. (1TM 2:3-4, JN 3:16)

4. Which is to believe that Jesus is Christ, whose death atoned for humanity’s sins. (1TM 2:5-6)

5. As taught in all inspired Scripture interpreted in light of this Gospel of salvation. (2TM 3:15)

6. Such interpretation of GW also teaches how to be godly after being saved. (2TM 3:16-17)

7. Which doctrine Jesus summarized as loving God, oneself and everyone else. (MT 22:37-40)

8. And which moral maturity Paul termed as the fruit of the Holy Spirit. (GL 5:13-23)

9. That requires persevering in saving faith and learning God’s Word. (MT 4:4, 10:22)

10. So that we will grant the prayer of Jesus for us to be one in our witness. (JN 17:20-23)

What are YOUR Top 10 Scripture passages?

I have been participating on CC for about a month now and have three frustrations. First, the challenge of communicating clearly and completely but concisely. Second, attempting to win arguments rather than learn truth. Third, the need for but lack of essential or sufficient agreement on GRFS. Fourth, your turn/frustrations?

I'm good.

https://youtube.com/shorts/rjrkNhqRuCQ?si=06sSEp6Rpzc_-GVm

I'm good.

thanks it is well with my Soul too, thanks to God not me or anyone else

My goal in this thread is to discuss how we can answer Christ's prayer for spiritual unity among his followers that is found in John 17:20-23.
It seems to me that a lot of chat by Christians tends to ignore Jesus' concern, but for those who share it the question is how to achieve it, and the answer involves agreeing on one interpretation of Scripture.

Thus, I would like to begin by sharing a way of interpreting Scripture that is based on the instruction of Paul in 1THS 5:21 to “Test everything. Hold on to the good.” As I have been seeking ultimate truth and testing what I have learned, I have come to value two NT teachings as key points from which to triangulate or use to guide my interpretation of the Bible, especially problematic statements, but before I share them I would like to ask y'all to tell which two most guide your thinking and chatting.

Thanks and love in Christ (LIC)

Trying to find agreement on one interpretation is the absolutely wrong way to go to produce the unity Christ spoke about.

1 Timothy 1:5-7
King James Version (KJV)Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.


Romans 8:29
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

A Biblical and Logical Hermeneutic

My hermeneutic or parameters for interpreting the Bible begins with the instruction of Paul (1THS 5:21) to “Test everything. Hold on to the good”, which I call "truthseeking". A truthseeker wants to know the truth, and is guided by the question: What is most true or closest to the truth? The basis for discerning truth is subjective logic that is made as objective as possible by learning from other truthseekers, preferably via dialogue when possible, such as on CC.

As a result of seeking ultimate truth, I have come to value two NT teachings as key points from which to triangulate or use to guide my interpretation of the Bible, especially problematic statements:

First, God loves and wants to save everyone (1TM 2:3-4); Christ died to show God’s love and the possible salvation of all (RM 5:6-8) including His enemies (ungodly, atheist, anti-Christ).

Second, God is just (2THS 1:6a, cf. RM 3:25-26 & 9:14, DT 32:4, PS 36:6, LK 11:42, RV 15:3). Explanations of God’s Word should not impugn God’s justice and love for all people (JL 2:13, JN 3:16). I find this hermeneutic affirmed in the OT (PS 145:17): “The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.” Triangulate from God’s love & justness.

This principle leads me to conclude that even the wrath of God is an expression of His love and justice. The writer of Hebrews (12:4-11) indicates that divine wrath is intended as discipline or for the purpose of teaching people to repent of their hatefulness and faithlessness (PR 3:12, IS 33:14-15 RV 3:19). If a righteous explanation cannot be found for a passage of Scripture purporting to describe God’s will, then it should be considered as historical or descriptive of what people perceived rather than as pedagogical or prescriptive of God’s nature. Unrighteous rage should not be attributed to God; that would be blasphemous!

The justice of God is a source of comfort and joy to those who have decided to accept His loving Lordship, but it is experienced as judgment or wrath by those who rebel against Him (IS 13:13, RM 1:18, RV 19:11). The fire that warms (purifies) also burns (punishes). Stating God’s requirement for salvation negatively: a person would do well (be wise) not to reject Him in order not to experience the miserable but just consequence (JN 3:17-18). Just consequences teach good behavior.

Agree, but technically you cannot triangulate from only two points.

GWH = "Just consequences teach good behaviour"?

Disagree = "What Saith The Scripture?":

Amen.

What Is Triangulation? Triangulation is a method for calculating a position that relies on a known distance between two measuring apparatuses and the measured angles from those two points to an object. This works using the angle-side-angle triangle congruency theorem to the find the location of an object.

(Glad we agree :^)

I also agree with your explanation of triangulation. However, I don't understand how triangulating myself to God's love and God's justice allow me to know if I am at the correct point on the kerygma spectrum. By triangulating myself with two points a known distance apart I can ascertain my exact position relative to those two points, but I cannot determine whether I am in the right position relative to those two points, so as to be settled on the perfect interpretation of the kerygma. Rather than triangulation, the image you are looking for may be alignment. Maybe if my position on the kerygma aligns with both God's revelation concerning His universal love and His revelation of His justice, I am likely on the right track.