BSM.2.4.1
Interpret to Find Out How to Live
Introduction
This principle comes from a direct statement of Jesus Christ found in John 7:17. If we truly want to "know" God’s Word, then we must be willing to "do" His Word. This principle encompasses the necessity of intellectual honesty in the study of God’s Word. We must seek to set aside our bias and our preconceived ideas and honestly seek illumination from the Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:14). Applying this principle involves personal soul searching, for example, to evaluate the purity of our motives (2 Cor 13:5).
It is easy for us to hold personal bias, or form unwarranted opinions, and then go searching for a Biblical proof of them. However, that approach can "prove" almost anything, because it makes us blind to passages that could lead in other directions, or to passages that urge us to seek balance.
For example, one might look at King David’s actions concerning Bathsheba, the wife of one of his most loyal warriors (2 Sam 11). Some people might try to use that passage to prove that it is acceptable for a person in power to commit murder and adultery. One simply needs to read the next chapter and compare it with the "Ten Commandments" (Ex 20:1-17) to determine that murder and adultery are not an acceptable lifestyle to our God. David was retained as king because of God’s grace displayed toward David’s repentance (Ps 51).
Proper application of God’s Word has to come from proper interpretation. There may be many applications, but there is only one correct interpretation of any particular verse. For example, 1 Timothy 3:1-7 gives the qualifications for an "overseer" in the church. The interpretation concerns real requirements for one who is to hold that position. The application considers that the "overseer" should not be a "new convert," and that the listed qualifications represent qualities of maturity, which should be the objective for all men in the church, especially its leaders.
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