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The Bible – the Scriptures (writings), the Holy Scriptures… What God Spoke
The Word (logos) of God………………………………………………. What God Communicates
The Word (rhema) of God (revelation)…………………………… What God Reveals to Me
(rhema indicates what is directly spoken to someone)
In order for what God spoke to be understood correctly, present day interpretation by the spirit of God (Christ) is always required, whether directly via revelation to an individual, or via someone in whom the spirit is working.
Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (II Timothy 2:15)
This word “study” does not mean an academic book study, not at all! It should more accurately be translated, “Apply yourself diligently” to show yourself approved unto God. That can be the main thrust of every person’s life (as in Romans 12:1-3). Each believer’s life can be an embodiment of the fearless exploration of the spiritual, seeking to put to the test and fruitfully express the will of God which He reveals within each individual by revelation.
Everyone who believes anything about the Bible “divides” it, like the above verse says, but not very many divide it to the point of “truth.” Until it is thus divided, it is only “God spoke,” and not “God is speaking.” (Christ is the spirit of truth, and that, in a nutshell is the purpose of all true Biblical research, to arrive at the revelation of the Christ within). Most who research the Bible have a set of beliefs, and the understanding of what they research simply reaffirms what they already believe (or at best adjusts it slightly).
Every way of man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord ponders (weighs in a balance) the hearts. (Proverbs 21:2)
Many is the time I’ve seen researchers of the Bible simply interpret what they read in support of what they believe. If it doesn’t read like what they think it ought to, they decide it’s a figure of speech. If an understanding goes in a direction other than what they’ve previously accepted, then they decide it was being said sarcastically, or ironically. They are shown a verse which contradicts what they believe, and they ignore it and go to the 3 verses which they’ve always used to prove what they believe. They trust in their understanding of the Bible, and interpret what they read in light of that understanding.
Was Jesus a Bible researcher? Did He compare texts? What about the apostle Paul? (I’m sure he did search the holy writings). What is the ministry of “Biblical Researcher?” (And can you show me that in the Bible?). I myself do a lot of searching of the Bible. Sometimes I’m looking for an intimate time with God, for inspiration, for strengthening. Sometimes it’s to either disprove, confirm, or otherwise help clarify some idea which I’ve gotten into my head either by reading what someone else has written or by revelation from God.
I believe that if it’s true today it can be found in and taught by the Bible. By finding it in the Bible, to the end that I could teach it from the Bible, I know I’m more apt to be seeing things God’s way; but I also know that just about anything can be taught by using the Bible, and often is. I know that the devil himself knows the Scripture, having quoted it to Jesus during his 40 days of temptation in the wilderness; and, of course, he twists its truths into deceitful lies which steal from, destroy and kill us.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5, 6)
The truth of the above verses applies not only to our understanding of situations and events in our life and the world around us, but also to our understanding of Scripture, of what God spoke. I hope this doesn’t shock you. Having an understanding of the holy writings does not necessarily mean its a true understanding, or that it will bring you into closer relationship with God and His truth.
Who (God) has also made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.
(II Corinthians 3:6)
If we are not to trust in our understanding of the Bible, then there must be something more absolute that we are to trust in. There is! We are to trust in the Lord. Today our Lord is Jesus (in the Old Testament it was God Himself – Yahweh), and we are in direct contact with him via his spirit within us, which is called Christ. I’ve been taught many keys of Biblical interpretation whereby I can allow the Bible to interpret itself to my understanding, but the most important key regarding accurate Biblical interpretation was never given to me by a man, but by God Himself. He did it by way of the spiritual revelation of the Christ within me.
But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His. (Romans 8:9)
The mind of Christ has the only completely true understanding of the Bible. In order to trust in the Lord, we believers are going to have to grow up into Christ, into having his mind, until his thinking becomes our thinking. Revelation is the only way this spiritual growth happens.
For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? (a quote from the Old Testament, which is answered by the following) But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:16)
Until we grow in spiritual maturity enough to be able to relate to and stand in Christ on our own, as well as stand against the devil on our own, Jesus has given “gift” ministries to and for the church, which is his (spiritual) body. Paul is perhaps our best example of a minister of the new testament, and this is what he had to say:
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you. (Galatians 4:19)
Paul was an apostle and a prophet, at least. Those are two of the “gift” ministries which Jesus Christ has given to the church to help bring believers into the spiritual maturity of thinking like and walking in Christ on their own, as “adults” in Christ.
And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. Till we all come into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge (epignosis) of the son of God, unto a fully mature man, unto the measure of the adultness of the fullness of Christ;
(Ephesians 4:11, 13)
Notice it doesn’t say he gave us “bible researchers.” Being a Biblical researcher, at its best, only serves to support the gift which is at work within the minister who is serving the body of Christ. That is, an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, a pastor and a teacher today will most assuredly search the Bible to affirm, confirm and otherwise better understand what God is revealing within, but a person’s research of the Bible can never takes the place of the working of Christ within. Research of the Bible in order to obtain Christ is the objective.
A man can teach the Bible very well, and yet, lacking Christ’s revelation, instruction and inspiration, that Bible teaching will not accomplish God’s intent.
So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth; it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)
That word which goes forth out of God’s mouth today is His logos, and it produces revelation, understanding and wisdom (all included in rhema) and faith to live by in the heart of a man or woman. That rhema is then shared with others by the inspiration of the spirit of Christ within, becoming the logos of God.
Forasmuch as you are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ toward God (Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves (as regards being a minister); but our sufficiency (to minister) is of God). Who also made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. (II Corinthians 3:3-6)
Nowhere is written that God (or Christ) made anyone able ministers of Biblical research, and yet some people promote their Biblical research more than they promote Christ. They promote their understanding of the Bible over their experience of Christ. (Many promote other things also over Christ; like their denomination’s tenets and dogmas, their books, their churches, their missionary training or work, their Christian music and religious services, their good works, etc. but this study specifically concerns Bible research).
Today the true gospel is that which has been revealed of the Christ within an individual by the spirit of God.
But I make known (verb form of gnosko) to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not from man. For I neither received it from man, neither was I taught it, but by (a) revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:11, 12)
I wasn’t sure whether this “revelation of Jesus Christ” meant it came from him or that the revelation was of him, until the following two scriptures came into my understanding.
But when it pleased God… to reveal His son in me, that I might preach him (the revealed son within) among the heathen… (Galatians 1:15a, 16a)
Now to Him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and (which is) the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery… (Romans 16:25a)
The true gospel is a revelation of Christ. It originates with God and comes to us via the revelation of Christ, not via Biblical research. Though that revelation can certainly come while searching or researching the Bible, never confuse the two. Biblical research without the revelation of Christ never goes beyond man’s understanding, which we are not to trust in. Only the revelation of the Christ within gives a man the ability to “trust in the Lord with all your heart” and “in all your ways acknowledge him.” How can you trust in someone or something you haven’t experienced, that you don’t know personally? You can’t. You can only say you do, but saying you do doesn’t make it so.
That word “acknowledge” him from Proverbs 3:6 carries the same meaning as the Greek words gnosko and epignosko (know by experience and know intimately by experience), which, as regards things of the spirit, can only occur by revelation. Any learning of Christ from a book, including the Bible, if it is not accompanied by revelation, is simply oida knowing, which means knowing about something, rather than knowing by personal experience. Following are a few verses which indicate how we are to know Christ. (Gnosis and epignosis are the nouns of which gnosko and epignosko are the verbs)
Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge (gnosis) of Christ Jesus my Lord… (Philippians 3:8a)
That the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge (epignosis) of him;
(Ephesians 1:17)… and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge (epignosis) of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge (epignosis) of God. (Colossians 1:9b, 10)
Jesus initially learned about the things of God from the written word, what we now know as the Old Testament, but what he preached and taught as the Christ was most definitely what he received from His Father by the revelation of the spirit with which he was filled.
For he (John the Baptist is speaking of Jesus) whom God has sent (apostello) speaks the words (rhema – what he heard) of God; for God gives not the spirit by measure unto him.
(John 3:34)I have many things to say and to judge of you, but He who sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard from Him.
(John 8:26)
I look at reading and researching the Bible like this: It gets my neck facing in the right general direction, so that when God speaks to me I don’t get whiplash turning to face Him as I respond to His voice. The Bible is one of my most precious possessions. In fact, I am in the process of wearing out my 4th “guaranteed for life” Bible. But even more precious than the Bible is the spirit of the Christ within me. As I look at my Bible and what is written within as a signpost to point me in the direction of Christ; as I seek that spirit which inspired its writings, I am thus better positioned to see its words fit together and spring to life, full of the wisdom and the presence of God. That is the true role and purpose of all Biblical research, to bring us unto the revelation of Christ, the rhema of God.
And Jesus answered him (the devil), saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word (rhema) of God. (Luke 4:4)
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Related Studies
If you enjoyed how this study challenged your thinking and opened up your understanding of Christ, click on one of the related studies below:
The Subjectivity of Truth
How Christ is Building His Church
The True Purpose of Christ’s Ministers ….. Ephesians 4:11-24
To Walk Worthy of God
What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and How to Preach It.
My Gospel
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