Is there a right of private interpretation of scripture?

I have been making disciples for almost 35 years now. Many of them are leaders in churches, pastors, and missionaries today. Some of them work in parachurch organizations and others work regular jobs. I just do not find it wise to engage in criticism of the world I am trying to reach.

Does Mohler think the convention in which he is a leader is so stupid that anyone would follow that man who claims to be an impostor? I do know for a fact that when I had troubles in a church where the leaders invited the Mormon bishop to come and teach that not one SBC leader helped me to take a stance and solve the problem in that church I found out later that the problem existed for about 25 years. The only people who stood with me were a church member and a local pentecostal pastor. When I contacted one of the leaders involved in the conservative resurgence he was of no help. He commented that there were bad churches and I should have asked better questions. Yet the SBC continued to accept their CP money.

Where were the leaders of the SBC at Houston Baptist University when the weekly horoscope was published each week in the school newspaper? When I contacted the president in person at the time, he told me there was nothing he could do because the paper was written and done by the students. Who are we kidding to think that we can just roll along with business as usual and ignore the obvious dirt in our own home first? I find that sort of nonsense and lack of boldness disgusting. I would certainly think God would find that disgusting. Do we not have people to day who wil take a stand for righteousness and holiness? If so where are they?

Mohler spent an entire blog on picking the log out of someone else's eye. I do agree with what he wrote but would have never written it myself if I know there is pedophilia in my own home for which I am responsible. How can we cast judgment on another outside where we have no control and then do nothing in our own home first where we do have control? How many times have you heard Billy Graham criticize those he is trying to reach?

I believe Mohler showed a lack of wisdom when he spent time on criticizing another person who is not a part of the SBC. The SBC has many problems of its won. When was the last time he proposed a solution to that?

Are we not to judge our own house first? Did Mohler do that?

 

I have been having trouble with posting tonight

 

Zenus...

Doesnt surprise me one bit. There were some people from Highview who witnessed to me back almost 30 years ago (early 80's) and were influential in my being born again. :thumbs:

:godisgood:

 

Seeing as how you asked. I have been making disciples for almost 35 years now. Many of them are leaders in churches, pastors, and missionaries today. Some of them work in parachurch organizations and others work regular jobs. I just do not find it wise to engage in criticism of the world I am trying to reach.

Does Mohler think the convention in which he is a leader is so stupid that anyone would follow that man who claims to be an impostor? I do know for a fact that when I had troubles in a church where the leaders invited the Mormon bishop to come and teach that not one SBC leader helped me to take a stance and solve the problem in that church I found out later that the problem existed for about 25 years. The only people who stood with me were a church member and a local pentecostal pastor. When I contacted one of the leaders involved in the conservative resurgence he was of no help. He commented that there were bad churches and I should have asked better questions. Yet the SBC continued to accept their CP money.

Where were the leaders of the SBC at Houston Baptist University when the weekly horoscope was published each week in the school newspaper? When I contacted the president in person at the time, he told me there was nothing he could do because the paper was written and done by the students. Who are we kidding to think that we can just roll along with business as usual and ignore the obvious dirt in our own home first? I find that sort of nonsense and lack of boldness disgusting. I would certainly think God would find that disgusting. Do we not have people today who will take a stand for righteousness and holiness? If so where are they?

Mohler spent an entire blog on picking the log out of someone else's eye. I do agree with what he wrote but would have never written it myself if I know there is pedophilia in my own home for which I am responsible. How can we cast judgment on another outside where we have no control and then do nothing in our own home first where we do have control? How many times have you heard Billy Graham criticize those he is trying to reach?

I believe Mohler showed a lack of wisdom when he spent time on criticizing another person who is not a part of the SBC. The SBC has many problems of its won. When was the last time he proposed a solution to that?

Are we not to judge our own house first? Did Mohler do that?

 

Everyone? Could you give about three or four accurate examples?

 

Private Interpretation

If you believe that the Scripture is the divinely-inspired Word of God, then private interpretation of the Bible becomes difficult. The main debates typically center on whether a particular passage is literal, or allegorical. A good example is Genesis 1. Many people take it literally, which to them means a six-thousand year old Earth with no evolution, no Big Bang, and no Pangea. Others consider Genesis 1 a framework where the ancients, trying to interpret what God was showing them, wrote what they saw in terms they could understand, leaving the door open for a 13.7 billion year old universe, but making the point that God was the originator and orchestrator of creation.

I believe issues like that won't likely be resolved until we can ask God ourselves what really happened. I hold a certain position on Genesis 1, but I don't consider it picking and choosing what I believe is what God meant, but rather I believe the entirety of the Bible but think that the passage may mean something different from someone else.

Hermeneutics, like the previous posters have stated, is a formalized way to attempt to determine the level of literalism in various Scriptures, using the context of the passage, the entire Bible, and knowledge of the author and times. However, as deep as that field is, many areas are still "open" or unanswered.

Now, certain passages are certainly literal. Things that deal with our interactions with God, morality, Paul's letters, and so on, are literal, whether one likes them or not. There's no compromising on that in my mind. I would venture most of the Bible, short of Revelation, certain prophecies and Genesis, is literal (a conservative view).

So there is limited room for private interpretation if you believe the entire Bible--very limited. Of course, if you question the inerrancy of Scripture, its authorship or authority, then you've got bigger problems then whether you can interpret it privately. If it's only partially true, you can make it mean whatever you want.

Then, of course, there's what the Bible is silent about, or Moses-era laws that were fulfilled with Jesus Christ, such as Paul's example of eating meat in Romans. Those areas are open to interpretation, but even then, the Bible tells us the Holy Spirit leads us to what to believe, and we shouldn't violate that or lead others to violate that.

In short, the Bible should be interpreted as the Word of God, and if you aren't sure, ask your pastor, or ask the Holy Spirit.

 

What is your source of this information?

A man will never be able to lead as many people to Christ as those he disciples and they do as well. Otherwise Jesus would have not sought to teach His disciples how to make disciples and commanded that His follower make disciples.

For example if one person at the age of 18 leads another to Christ and disciples him for two years there are two at the end of two years. If he does this with one person every two years and those he reaches do the same thing with another every two years until the man is 78 then at age of 78 there will have been 1,073,741,824 people reached. If that same man reaches one person every three years and each person he reaches, reaches another every three years until he is 77 then he will have reached 1,048,576 people by the age of 78.

 

Could you explain what you mean?

 

I should have typed "does NOT like"instead - changes the meaning completely - sorry about that.

Mohler was on the committee that revised the BFM 2000 where the individual emphasis was changed to reflect a more corporate emphasis

 

gb, the problem with your criticism of Mohler's discipling is that you do not know how many disciples he has made. You have no business sitting in judgement of him the way you are. That is the objective truth.

 

Well then he could not criticize the SBC and its leaders as well as bragg about how much better he is than everyone else. He would have nothing else to post about.

 

double post, not on my home computer.

 

not very christian to call people stupid, is this how people disciple anyone, calling others stupid, I seriously doubt the claims of people like this, who need to pump themselves up calling others stupid.

 

There is No right to private interpretation of scripture. "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 2 Peter 1:20, KJV

 

The meaning of this verse is for one person (like the pope) to have his private personal interpretation, and then force that interpretation upon an entire organization (like the RCC). Otherwise it would contradict the rest of the Bible and its admonitions to us to "study to show ourselves approved unto God..." We will not all come to the same conclusions. That is obvious. But for one man to force his interpretation upon many is wrong. Many cults do the same. Their "private" interpretation is the only interpretation allowable. It takes away from the priesthood of the believer. It denies soul liberty.

 

The first Baptist distinctive is:
The Bible is our final authority in all matters pertaining to faith and doctrine.
There is no authority higher than that. It is sad that some people do not "rightly divide the word of truth." We must stand on the Word of truth." We must know what we believe, and why we believe it.
Soul liberty is the right for ALL to believe what they believe to be right whether that person is from a cult, a liberal church, an atheist, or a conservative Baptist. It doesn't matter. He has the right to believe what he believes to be true (whether you believe it to be wrong--doesn't matter). Baptists have historically stood for this fundamental truth throughout the ages.
This has nothing to do with hermeneutics, the science of interpreting the Bible, a completely different subject.

Mohler has a right to his opinions, a right to his beliefs.

"Private interpretation"
2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
--This is speaking of one person having authority to impose his beliefs on another group of people such as a cult does, or the RCC does, and leaves the believer with no opportunity to study the Bible on his own. This would go contrary to all the Scripture that commands us to search the Scripture. It would take away from the priesthood of the believer. It contradicts what soul liberty is all about.

 

Is it possible for you to respond to post #45 or do you just make empty statements?

 

I agree. If I were a Southern Baptist I would be embarrassed and insulted to think that one of the leaders would need to warn the convention I was a part of about an Episcopalian pastor who is not a believer.

I would question the purpose of why a Southern Baptist leader would post such a criticism of someone who is not in the convention nor a threat to the convention especially when they know they know that there are troubles in their own convention.

 

I agree. You said it well. Too many lone rangers who started out well have followed another gospel and become leaders of a cult.