Re "There is a purpose for (Herm)": Yes, which is to harmonize all WOFs so that GW is unified.
A biblical hermeneutic or parameters for interpreting the Bible might well begin with the instruction of Paul (1THS 5:21) to “Test everything/every WOF. Hold on to the good.” A truthseeker is guided by the question: What is most true or closest to the truth, especially the Truth of God’s Word? The method for discerning truth employs subjective logic that is made as objective as possible by learning from Scriptural and other truthseekers. As a result of seeking ultimate truth, I have come to value
two NT teachings as key WOF from which to triangulate or use to guide an interpretation of the Bible, especially problematic statements.
First,
God loves and wants to save everyone. Seven Scriptures teaching divine omnilove include: 1John 4:7-12, Rom. 5:8, Matt. 5:44&48, Gal. 5:6&14, Eph. 3:17b-19, Eph. 5:2 and 1Tim. 2:3-4, which might be deemed the “7 pearls”. Christ died to show God’s love and the possible salvation of all (Rom. 5:6-8) including His enemies (ungodly, atheist, anti-Christ).
Second,
God is just (2Thes. 1:6a, cf. Rom. 3:25-26 & 9:14, Deut. 32:4, Psa. 36:6, Luke 11:42, Rev. 15:3). Explanations of God’s Word should not impugn God’s justice and love for all people (Joel 2:13, John 3:16). This parameter is affirmed in the OT (Psa. 145:17): “The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.”
Even the wrath of God is an expression of His love and justice. The writer of Hebrews (Heb. 12:4-11) indicates that divine wrath is intended as discipline for the purpose of teaching people to repent of their hatefulness and faithlessness (Pro. 3:12, IS 33:14-15 Rev. 3:19). If a righteous explanation cannot be found for a passage of Scripture purporting to describe God’s will (such as Josh. 6:17-24, 8:2&24 & 10:28-40, 11:6-23), then it should be considered as historical or descriptive of what people perceived rather than as pedagogical or prescriptive of God’s nature.
WOF: Unrighteous rage should not be attributed to God.
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 (Isa. 13:13, Rom. 1:18, Rev. 19:11). The fire that warms (purifies) also burns (punishes). Stating God’s requirement/WOF for salvation negatively: a person would do well (be wise) not to reject Him in order not to experience the miserable but just consequence (John 3:17-18). Just consequences teach good behavior.
Another important element/WOF in this Bible-based hermeneutic is that
everyone lives by fallible faith/belief/opinion and sufficient knowledge of evidence rather than by absolute certainty or proof or coercion (2Cor. 5:7), so humility is needed. A logical train of thought leads an unbiased truthseeker to have a propensity to believe in an all-loving God, who is not tricky and does not hide the way to heaven (Heb. 11:6, Acts 13:10). Humanity’s understanding of God evolved or progressed through the millenniums, so that
the OT was superseded by the NT, which is the apex of divine revelation (Heb. 7:18, 8:13, 9:15).
This hermeneutic seeks to harmonize disparate Scriptures/WOF as taught by Paul (in 1Thes. 5:21), exemplified by Jesus (in Matt. 4:6-7) and illustrated by the transparent overlays of bodily systems found in some books on anatomy. Considering both sides of an issue or doctrine is called dialectical theology. An interpreter should want to include all true assertions in the picture of reality without making a “Procrustean Body” by cutting off or ignoring parts that do not seem to fit, because the correct understanding must be self-consistent or else God would be tricky
. The whole truth combines parts without sawing!
The Bible/WOF says God’s Spirit is love and truth (1John 4:8 & 5:6), which means all love (agape, Rom. 6:5-8) in all people is God’s operation, and all truth in all cultures is God’s revelation. Thus, becoming a Christian theist does not mean rejecting what is good and true in one’s pre-Christian experience or culture. When considering two different understandings (thesis A versus antithesis B), the truth may not be either one or the other but rather the proper harmonization of the two. (Both A and B = synthesis C.)
The Bible/WOF teaches (Gen. 1:3, John 1:1-3) that
both the world and inspired words are expressions of God’s Word/Logos, and thus scientific and spiritual truths must be compatible or else God would be tricky. So, while belief that God is love and Jesus is Lord is based upon the biblical revelation, some knowledge also is gleaned from the natural sciences and common sense. While this interpretation of reality is influenced by the Bible, it also utilizes God-given logical thinking where the Bible seems silent, hoping to be guided by the Spirit of Truth/WOF (John 14:17).
Logic is the way every sane soul has access to the supreme Mind or Logos/WOF (1Cor. 2:11-16). Right reasoning is the glue that binds all individual truths together in one WOF. Logic provides the rationale for believing that the history of humanity is not a farce, and it sustains the hope of experiencing love and joy in a future heavenly existence. The beauty of this hermeneutic is the harmonization of whatever is good and true. However, I realize that—just as frequently happens when a person shares favorite musical or scenic beauty with someone else—it may not move your soul like mine (Matt. 11:16-17).
The explanation of
how the infinite and holy God communicates with finite and fallible humans affirms two phenomena: accommodation and distanciation. It appears that God accommodated His revelation so that it corresponded with the evolutionary stages of human moral and intellectual development, imparting His Spirit/Word by means of words, both literal and allegorical or metaphorical (John 16:25&29, cf. MT 7:24-27, 16:6-12, etc.), and both explicit (MT 5:21) and implicit (RM 13:3-4). God’s Word is revealed by creation (RM 1:20), by incarnation (JN 1:14) and by inspiration (2TM 3:15-17).
Although perfect interpretation and unity regarding WOF may not be attainable by fallible souls, systematic study of Scripture can broaden understanding such as the doctrine of salvation as follows:
God saves sinners who repent (
1Tim. 2:3-4,
Matt. 4:17).
Repentance means accepting Jesus as Messiah and Lord (
Acts 16:30-31,
Col. 2:6).
God enables all sinners to repent, seek salvation and find the LJC (
1Tim. 2:3-5,
Heb. 11:6).
God’s enabling is resistible so souls may choose instead to serve Satan (
Matt. 13:14-15,
John 8:42-44).
God’s enabling of volition (
Deut. 30:19) may be called seeking grace (
Eph. 2:8).
Souls who choose to reject God/Christ are justly condemned (
Rom. 1:20,
2:5-11).
Accepting God’s grace by faith is not a meritorious work (
Rom. 3:21-28,
Eph. 2:8-9).
Even loving works motivated by God’s HS manifest faith rather than merit (
Eph. 2:10), because there is no qualitative difference between faith that accepts God’s saving grace at conversion and faith that accepts God’s working grace while walking/living (
John 6:29,
2Cor. 5:7,
Rom. 1:17), but only a quantitative difference as each additional moment passes. The only contradiction comes from those who are spiritually blind (
Matt. 13:15,
2Cor. 4:4,
John 9:41).
LIC
