(12/31/2015) By Faith, Not By Interpretation?

Today, points are shared responding to a question on explaining and apologizing for things written in the Bible.  While the holy writings provide information that is important for shared communication and exchange among Christian believers, intimate relationship with divinity as children of GOD, disciples of Jesus Christ, or trusted servants only begins and continues through faith.  We are not saved by expressions from our mind or self-will, even such deliberate “works” as believing, dialog, memorizing verses, and study.  Faith is an aspect of the full divine makeup, and is inseparable from other spirit substance such as awe, holiness, longsuffering, love, peace, wisdom, and wrath against sin.  Just as the Spirit imparted from GOD to a believer is intended for their growth, maturity, and sanctification, rather than to equip them for perpetual battle and conflict, the Bible has been provided as an unchanging source for guidance and instruction, and is not provided for repeated argument, debate, and quarrels generated by education, or logic and reason.  Consider the following from the Scriptures, and the further responses below:  1st John 5:  5-7, King James Version (KJV):  5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?  6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.  7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost:  and these three are one.  Also, Galatians 3:  22-27, KJV:  22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.  23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.  24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  Acts 20:  32. KJV:  32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.  2nd Timothy 3:  16-17, KJV:  16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.  The fighter at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Henry” (Level 2 with 254 points, a member since November 26, 2015) posted the following:


Not sure if I’m interpreting the bible, or just making excuses for it?

My parents raised me to be an apologist and I can name dozens of dark verses. These verses include God stoning someone for picking up sticks on a Sunday, Lot sending his virgin daughters to be gang raped, and Jeptha sacrificing his daughter because he promised to. However, my parents always told me to come up with some kind of explanation for it. Is this morally possible?


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.  (Ephesians 2:  1-9, KJV)


THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  A GOD of Judgment (12/01/2015); To Study the Book of Judges (09/09/2015);  Justified for Attacking The Bible? (06/28/2015); The Words Are Spirit? (06/03/2015); The Scriptures and Perfection? (10/27/2014); All Who Read Convert? (10/10/2014); Not Told in Advance? (10/11/2014); The Point of Experiences in the Spirit? (07/07/2014)


“Henry”, the holy writings provide a divine point of view for examining life experience among created beings and living creatures, and displays divinity using thousands of lives and thousands of events over the course of thousands of years.  While the sacred record includes some accounts that have been used as secular history, through Jesus Christ the Scriptures are recognized as revealing divine operations, sacred practices, and eternal purposes.  Most Christian believers begin their new life in Christ having little correct sacred knowledge regarding prophecy, rebirth, sanctification, and spirit (we also say, breath, life essence, word).  Their focus is often their own immediate condition and continuing experience as carnal, finite, material, and social.  Believers are to embrace permanent changes on multiple levels that are to be in agreement with unseen aspects of the universe.  The believer must put aside the finite tools of intellect, logic, philosophy, science, and technology.  They must take up tools for recognizing and applying the authority and power of their own endowment of spirit from GOD.  Thus, through the operations of divinity, water baptism establishes the death and burial of ones inborn spirit.  Trusting GOD, the believer is born again from divine DNA, so to speak, and must “grow up again.”  The believer is to be a vessel for inseparable spirit matter from the makeup of Deity.  Included are awe (some say, fear of the Lord, reverence), faith, holiness, joy, longsuffering, wisdom, and wrath against sin.  The mature disciples of Jesus Christ are forward-looking for they operate focused upon praises, proclamations, promises, purpose, testimonies, and visions that express sacred law, and divine will.  Those born again will encounter “growing pains,” and must mature upon the earth becoming perfected for eternal life in terms of balance, completeness, and stability.  Consider again the following verses from the Bible:

(1.)  John 3:  6-8, King James Version (KJV):  6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth:  so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

(2.)  John 5:  24-29, KJV:  24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.  25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God:  and they that hear shall live.  26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;  27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.  28 Marvel not at this:  for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,  29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

(3.)  2nd Peter 1:  19-21, KJV:  19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:  20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:  but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

There are many other verses here that should be carefully considered, correctly understood, and brought to bear against error.  (For example, (4.)  John 1:  10-14, KJV:  10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.  11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC