Savage Street Church of Christ

11_04_2018_Hermeneutics_09_DonRuhl

11_04_2018_Hermeneutics_10_DonRuhl

Hermeneutics

Ninth Principle

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • October 28, AD 2018

We Have to Reason to Understand Scripture

1. What is the final authority?
   1. It is the word of God.
   2. Does that exclude reasoning to understand what God says?
      1. Isa 1.18
      2. 2Co 10.3–5
      3. Eph 5.17
      4. Many biblical examples show people reasoning:
         1. Dan 4.34–37
         2. Mark 12.35–37
         3. Acts 17.2–4
2. Is this human reasoning against or in place of God’s word?
   1. How can we know the truth without reasoning?
   2. What is belief?
      1. Is it not something we have concluded from our investigation of evidence?
      2. Why did God create us with the ability to reason?
         

Hermeneutics

Tenth Principle

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • November 4, AD 2018

Acknowledge That Some Things Are Hard to Understand

1. Freedom to Understand Scripture for Oneself Can Be Abused
   1. 2Pe 3.14–18
      1. What does Peter imply in verse 16 we need to understand Scripture?
         1. We need to be taught.
         2. We need to be stable.
      2. Why are these two things critical?
         1. They will keep us from twisting Scripture to our own destruction.
         2. Without being taught, we have not developed the skills for interpretation.
         3. Without a stable mind and life, we may be tempted to pervert Scripture to justify a sinful life.
   2. We cannot simply draw any conclusion we so desire.
      1. Rom 14.22
      2. Jam 3.1
2. What We Need to Understand Difficult Passages
   1. Humility
   2. Willingness to learn from others
   3. Caution