Someone once told me that they had a problem with certain pastors who preach and say that there is only one way to Heaven and only one interpretation of the Bible, and any other view would result in eternal damnation; Hell. Tonight as I was reading John Piper's Don't Waste Your Life, the gravity of that remark hit me. In Piper's book, he says:
"If there is only one life to live in this world, and if it is not to be wasted, nothing seemed more important to me than finding out what God really meant in the Bible, since he inspired men to write it. If that was up for grabs, then no one could tell which life is worthy and which life is wasted" (page 24).
On the next page (25) he speaks of E.D. Hirsch's book, Validity in Interpretation, in which he writes:
"Yes, he argued, there does exist an original meaning that a writer had in his mind when he wrote. And yes, valid interpretation seeks that intention in the text and gives good reasons for claiming to see it."
If there is an orginal meaning meant by an author, how is it possible to say that the Bible has more than one interpretation?
There is one way to Heaven and that is through the blood of Christ - Jesus is the way, the truth and the life; we must get to the point of understanding this, repent of our wretched, sinful selves (which is an ongoing process) and walk by faith in Him.
John 3
"If there is only one life to live in this world, and if it is not to be wasted, nothing seemed more important to me than finding out what God really meant in the Bible, since he inspired men to write it. If that was up for grabs, then no one could tell which life is worthy and which life is wasted" (page 24).
On the next page (25) he speaks of E.D. Hirsch's book, Validity in Interpretation, in which he writes:
"Yes, he argued, there does exist an original meaning that a writer had in his mind when he wrote. And yes, valid interpretation seeks that intention in the text and gives good reasons for claiming to see it."
If there is an orginal meaning meant by an author, how is it possible to say that the Bible has more than one interpretation?
There is one way to Heaven and that is through the blood of Christ - Jesus is the way, the truth and the life; we must get to the point of understanding this, repent of our wretched, sinful selves (which is an ongoing process) and walk by faith in Him.
John 3
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these things that you do unless God is with him." 3Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" 5Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
9Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" 10Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15and whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
"16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."
9Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" 10Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15and whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
"16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."
We are saved through Christ, and whoever believes in him may have eternal life...we must believe in Christ, in his works and in his message - but how do you fully believe in a message that means different things to different people? You can't. One message, one meaning. If the message had more than one meaning; meant something different to each person, then it could not be true. A specific fruit cannot be both an apple and an orange, it is one or the other. A specific message cannot mean both yes and no, cannot be both solid and liquid. It has one message, one truth. Believe in Christ who is God in the flesh and lived a perfect life and died the death meant for each of us, repent of your sins, glorify God with your life.
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