Is it safe to interpret the Bible by myself?
This is something that come to my mind recently. And I thought I should write my thoughts about it.
Bible interpretation is something that is a MUST to do if you want to understand Jesus' words. Now... how should we interpret it? What if I interpret wrongly?
What makes it worst is that some Bible parts are to be interpreted literally, and some are not.
There are groups of Christians who rely completely on their church leaders for a correct interpretation of the Bible. So they won't try to interpret God's words by themselves. Well, that is the safest way to interpret the Bible. However, I have a different opinion.
The following is my personal opinion and thoughts.
Interpreting the Bible requires the reader to be in tune with the Holy Spirit. This is like a modern day magic. I think many Christians do not realise that getting an interpretation of the Bible is magic! You read and you don't understand. Then, you pray, and Vwaa lah! You suddenly understand the words and can actually feel this positivity in your heart, feeling affirmed that "yes! I understood the mystery".
I feel that if you avoid trying to interpret the Bible by yourself, boy oh boy! You are missing a whole interesting, wonderful, supernatural, addictive, out of this world experience! You won't experience what is it like to hear from God! You are missing a lot, really a lot!
So, if you are thinking "I want to hear from God too! I want to start reading the Bible and interpret it myself, but how should I do it?"
I have a few important, crucial tips.
1. Pray before reading the Bible. Ask God for :
- Guidance
- Wisdom, to understand His words as how it is supposed to be
understood.
- Protection, from the evil ones who will definitely try to whisper wrong
teachings to you.
2. Always share and check with fellow believers.
- By now, you MUST know that having a community of fellow believers
is VERY IMPORTANT. There is no such thing as "It is ok, I can pray
at home". Christianity are meant to be journeyed together with other
believers. Not alone.
Now that you read the Bible, you "heard" something from the Holy Spirit, but you are not sure whether you are hearing it right. I want to tell you, if you are feeling this way, you are "feeling" correctly. Always check that "voice" against the Bible. Ok, I know you must be like "Huh?" What I am trying to say is God's words will never ever contradict with His words at another part of the Holy Book.
I read a book by Bill Hybels, titled, The Power of A Whisper. He actually shares guidelines, on how to check whether what you are hearing is from the Lord. He mentioned that the "voice" should not contradict what He already taught in the Bible. He compiled a list of 5 "FILTERS" to test every whisper one might received. If a whisper fails to make it through even 1 of these 5, you have to question whether the whisper is really from God or not.
FILTER #1 : IS THE PROMPTING TRULY FROM GOD
What is being said in the whisper has to align with God character and His attribute. Ask God whether this voice is really from Him. Move on to Filter #2 to make sure.
FILTER #2 : IS IT SCRIPTURAL?
One thing you can ask yourself is "Will Jesus do this?". Bill Hybels strongly believe in Galatians 5:16-26 when it comes to checking whether the "voice" is scriptural. He told his readers to check every prompting you receive against the thematic teachings of scripture.
FILTER #3 : IS IT WISE?
This is the "general-wisdom test". Jesus told us to be wise at all times (Matthew 10:16). We are born with human wisdom, so we are required to use it. Not all "signs" are signs from God. "This must be a sign from God". Well, sometimes it is not. "God's direction rarely violates the wisdom test", Bill said.
FILTER #4 : IS IT IN TUNE WITH YOUR OWN CHARACTER?
This is what Bill called, "the wiring test". The voice that you hear, rarely ask you to do something out of your character, academic background, or vocations. For example, a person who is a successful stockbroker, listened to Planetshakers and is deeply moved by their songs and their passion for reaching out to people with their music. And he felt that God wants him to quit his job and follow his new-found passion. Most likely, God won't ask you to do something like that. You do not have any background of music, do not have talent and never even sing in the bathroom. Bill Hybels caution people against running headlong into a field that is totally foreign to their wiring patterns, their education, their expertise and their experience in life. Bill said that "It's not that God can't endorse a dramatic 180-degree turn. It's just that typically when he does so, it gets affirmed in a variety of different ways."
FILTER #5 : WHAT DO THE PEOPLE YOU MOST TRUST THINK ABOUT IT?
Based on Proverbs 11:14 : Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
Find 2 or 3 veteran Christ-followers who know you well and are further down the spiritual path than you are, explain your situation, share with them the voice and prompting that you received. Humbly ask them whether the prompting is indeed possibly from God.
According to Bill Hybels, if the prompting or voice, fails 1 of the test, just 1, it might not be God's voice at all. And you need to pray some more.
Bible interpretation is something that is a MUST to do if you want to understand Jesus' words. Now... how should we interpret it? What if I interpret wrongly?
What makes it worst is that some Bible parts are to be interpreted literally, and some are not.
There are groups of Christians who rely completely on their church leaders for a correct interpretation of the Bible. So they won't try to interpret God's words by themselves. Well, that is the safest way to interpret the Bible. However, I have a different opinion.
The following is my personal opinion and thoughts.
Interpreting the Bible requires the reader to be in tune with the Holy Spirit. This is like a modern day magic. I think many Christians do not realise that getting an interpretation of the Bible is magic! You read and you don't understand. Then, you pray, and Vwaa lah! You suddenly understand the words and can actually feel this positivity in your heart, feeling affirmed that "yes! I understood the mystery".
I feel that if you avoid trying to interpret the Bible by yourself, boy oh boy! You are missing a whole interesting, wonderful, supernatural, addictive, out of this world experience! You won't experience what is it like to hear from God! You are missing a lot, really a lot!
So, if you are thinking "I want to hear from God too! I want to start reading the Bible and interpret it myself, but how should I do it?"
I have a few important, crucial tips.
1. Pray before reading the Bible. Ask God for :
- Guidance
- Wisdom, to understand His words as how it is supposed to be
understood.
- Protection, from the evil ones who will definitely try to whisper wrong
teachings to you.
2. Always share and check with fellow believers.
- By now, you MUST know that having a community of fellow believers
is VERY IMPORTANT. There is no such thing as "It is ok, I can pray
at home". Christianity are meant to be journeyed together with other
believers. Not alone.
Now that you read the Bible, you "heard" something from the Holy Spirit, but you are not sure whether you are hearing it right. I want to tell you, if you are feeling this way, you are "feeling" correctly. Always check that "voice" against the Bible. Ok, I know you must be like "Huh?" What I am trying to say is God's words will never ever contradict with His words at another part of the Holy Book.
I read a book by Bill Hybels, titled, The Power of A Whisper. He actually shares guidelines, on how to check whether what you are hearing is from the Lord. He mentioned that the "voice" should not contradict what He already taught in the Bible. He compiled a list of 5 "FILTERS" to test every whisper one might received. If a whisper fails to make it through even 1 of these 5, you have to question whether the whisper is really from God or not.
FILTER #1 : IS THE PROMPTING TRULY FROM GOD
What is being said in the whisper has to align with God character and His attribute. Ask God whether this voice is really from Him. Move on to Filter #2 to make sure.
FILTER #2 : IS IT SCRIPTURAL?
One thing you can ask yourself is "Will Jesus do this?". Bill Hybels strongly believe in Galatians 5:16-26 when it comes to checking whether the "voice" is scriptural. He told his readers to check every prompting you receive against the thematic teachings of scripture.
FILTER #3 : IS IT WISE?
This is the "general-wisdom test". Jesus told us to be wise at all times (Matthew 10:16). We are born with human wisdom, so we are required to use it. Not all "signs" are signs from God. "This must be a sign from God". Well, sometimes it is not. "God's direction rarely violates the wisdom test", Bill said.
FILTER #4 : IS IT IN TUNE WITH YOUR OWN CHARACTER?
This is what Bill called, "the wiring test". The voice that you hear, rarely ask you to do something out of your character, academic background, or vocations. For example, a person who is a successful stockbroker, listened to Planetshakers and is deeply moved by their songs and their passion for reaching out to people with their music. And he felt that God wants him to quit his job and follow his new-found passion. Most likely, God won't ask you to do something like that. You do not have any background of music, do not have talent and never even sing in the bathroom. Bill Hybels caution people against running headlong into a field that is totally foreign to their wiring patterns, their education, their expertise and their experience in life. Bill said that "It's not that God can't endorse a dramatic 180-degree turn. It's just that typically when he does so, it gets affirmed in a variety of different ways."
FILTER #5 : WHAT DO THE PEOPLE YOU MOST TRUST THINK ABOUT IT?
Based on Proverbs 11:14 : Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
Find 2 or 3 veteran Christ-followers who know you well and are further down the spiritual path than you are, explain your situation, share with them the voice and prompting that you received. Humbly ask them whether the prompting is indeed possibly from God.
According to Bill Hybels, if the prompting or voice, fails 1 of the test, just 1, it might not be God's voice at all. And you need to pray some more.
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