Linggo, Hulyo 26, 2020

UNDERSTANDING THE INTERPRETATION OF THE HOLY BIBLE

       Interpreting a word or deed out of a given phenomenon using reason is the most critical function of a judge, an investigator, or even to a normal day to day existing human being.  Interpretation is  a proof of our being sentient in the world of language. A word spoken or an act done needs to be rightly interpreted by everyone for smooth interpersonal relations.    

       Moreso, interpretation has become the crux of all matters of disagreements on the existence of God among all believers putting into the fore the question on, Who is God? Additionally, the perception on God as almighty strengthened the stand of the atheists that they will only believe that God is true unless they see an amputee grow its lost part by the power of God. Also, the thoughts of a God who is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent has become the very measure of a God that they imagine of.  Can anyone really measure God by human knowledge, much less, human imagination?    

       Needless to say, interpretation is one of the source of problems of human consciousness.  Just this morning my wife Manel picked up a box of my newly bought Taclight flashlight online.  She told me to throw the box to the bin.  In reaction, I said, why throw  the box when the flashlight is inside the box? She replied, I just saw your flashlight hanging beside the refrigerator. Realizing she had the wrong assumption and interpretation lest she throw away my small personal investment I told her that I took the flashlight from the refrigerator and placed it back into the box.  One can just imagine what a wrong assumption and interpretation can do.  Seeing a thing and giving an interpretation out of an assumed fact could spell destruction and a great difference of the truth which is a matter of the present.  

       Translating this experience into the spiritual, many among the present day scholars and churches have adapted many ways of interpreting the holy scriptures.  Each way, however, have their own flaws and weaknesses and by virtue of bias some prefer to adopt one method over the other.  

       What is being exposed here are the ways of interpreting the scriptures by exegesis, eisegesis, metagesis and hermeneutics.   Exegesis is the manner of interpreting a written piece based on the author's perspective.  Eisegesis is otherwise called by some as "poor exegesis" because it is coming from the perspective of the reader.  Hermeneutics is a way of interpreting a script using the inputs of history, tradition, culture, language, sociology, and other factors surrounding the writing of the text while metagesis is the other than usual technique.   

       In whatever manner the scripture is being interpreted today one has to bear in mind that these are all private interpretations. What is not private, however, is interpreting the scriptures by the Spirit.  The Spirit has the mind, character, and quality of being absolute, objective, subjective, ideal and real.

       As opposed to the ways introduced by the scholars nowadays especially those in the Bible colleges and universities the Spirit has a peculiar but relevant, suitable, and applicable way of positing and knowing the truth.

       Remember all these that: the world knows not God; the world hates God and His people; and the world is filled with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life;  Remember also that many will be deceive in these last days where many are called but few are chosen.  Where will all these lead us to?  

       Definitely, the reading the Bible needs a process to be able to attain unto knowledge like evaluating the words written which is inspired of God, analyzing the words and deeds of the men of God and God himself in mind, manner, works and ways, and interpreting it by Spirit.

       Surely, depending on the mindset of any individual one may take an optimist or a pessimist view.  In the Spirit, however, neither of these views are important in taking into account the interpretation of a word or deed.  What matters most is the Spirit, hence, not subject to the laws and methods and constructs of men like the methods of interpretation on things, words and deeds.

       Remember, the mind and ways of God is never the same as the mind and ways of man. His thoughts are higher than a man's thoughts and his ways are higher than a man's ways. 

       What the whole world miss to know and understand is that the ancient interpreters of the laws of God in the Bible are prophets who have the Spirit of God in them.  Huldah the prophetess was staying in the college as the main interpreter of the written laws of God.  Today, the world interpret the scriptures by the wisdom of men from the theological colleges and universities using doctrines and not by the Spirit of God.  The world use human constructs and doctrines to interpret the Word of God. How did this happen?

       Clearly, the Spirit has become irrelevant to this world and they use the constructs of men to measure and interpret the works, ways, mind, and manner of God.  How can the mind of the Spirit be the same as the mind of man knowing that what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination with God and a thing lighter than vanity.  

Psalms 62:9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

       This is the reason why God has intended to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh because no one man can ever know the interpretation of a thing without knowing the present purpose, will, intent, time, judgment and counsel of God and without his holy Spirit.   

       How pathetic is the world today.  All churches are trying to interpret their translated scriptures, that is, by their own bible versions, as if the original texts were written by men without the inspiration of the Spirit of God. Completely the Spirit is not a factor in the equation of interpretation of men today.  The prophet has become mad and the spiritual man a fool to them. Truly, they have erred not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God.

       The Spiritual interpretation has the following qualities, among others:  it can discern the thoughts and intents of the hearts of men; it can weigh the path, actions and spirits; and it can create a man into the image of God being conformed and transformed into his likeness; it can make a man humble; it can make a man obedient; it can make a man fear God and keep the commandments; it can make a man holy and perfect; it corroborates the voice of the Lord; and it makes a man do the work of the ministry, the edifying of the church and the perfecting of the saints.

       The fruit of human constructs like the interpretation of the scriptures is always competition, division, debate, envy and hate.  They do more harm than good.  They fuel the resolve of the atheists to continue rejecting God the Spirit.   By interpretation men have become an enemy of God than being a friend of God having not the faith which comes by hearing the Word of God and not by reading. 

       Imagine a brother by a mother who profess to be a Christian calling his own brother a cultist and evil?  This happen to me last July 16, 2020 when my brother Abel, eldest, sent me through messenger saying that I am blind and trapped by the devil. How the devil did he know I was trapped unless he is the devil himself! 

       As if those were not enough, he sent me another message  in July 17, 2020 saying he dreamed of me.  In his dream, he saw me as a small child about 10 years old being with him  and that my house was burning. He added, that he was so sorry because he cannot give his help to douse the fire.  Then, he proceeded  to interpret his dream against me, saying, my whole family is in danger of hell fire.  How can a 10 year old child own a house? And so, I replied he better be careful of his interpretation because the house is clearly his own house!

       Imagine how the spirits of men can build a fire of  animosity with a blood brother. Surely, interpretation, vision, and dreams play a very important part in the life of a man walking and living in the Spirit, and by the Spirit, all things result to love, joy, and peace where no sorrow is added to it.  The Spirit creates no gap but why would Abel do so at all?

Ecclesiastes 5:7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

Ezekiel 13:7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?

Ecclesiastes 5:3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

        This mindset is sick.  Abel is so vituperatively rabid against the interpretation of other men and churches ramming his belief and dogma from head flow to throat having learned men's constructs like exegesis, eisegesis, and metagesis.  

       On the contrary, and being hypocrite, he would wantonly unconscious destroy his own conviction on the interpretation of the scripture by using a dream if only to push his agenda on others.  If the scriptures will not work, so to speak, here is my dream dude! If the scriptures will not succeed in making someone believe my words here is my vision. Know, however, that there are vain dreams and visions.  Abel is a presumptuous false prophet.  Who is saying there are no prophets nowadays? I say, there are many false prophets today in the churches and the colleges, therefore, be wary and try their spirits whether they are of God.

Jeremiah 23:16 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.   

Lamentations 2:14 Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.   
       
       How can anyone know the Spirit of God? Behold, God is known by his people whom he foreknow and predestinate and ordained and glorified for the ministry.  He is known by the historical accounts in the continuum of testimonies in the  ages both ancient and present.  Conversely, the holy scriptures enable us to compare spiritual with the spiritual.  Meaning, his works, ways, mind and manner are intelligible to them who seek him with all their heart, with all their soul, with all their mind and with all their might.  

       Nevertheless, the scriptures can only prepare a man in mind and in heart for God to come.  The Man of God is the one who will perfect and make everyone holy who comes to God for the service of God.  

       The Man of God is the Spirit. The Spirit is the interpreter and the interpretation is in the Spirit.  There are infinite number of spirits and some remain a mystery waiting for their time to be revealed. The Spirit is not the private interpretation. A  man's spirit interpreting the Bible is the private interpretation.  Discern the spirits and know your own spirit to differentiate it from the Spirit of God so knowing which is private and which is not.  

       Clearly, the vail that blind and cloud the minds of men are the written scriptures which they believe is the life that they should live unmindful of the active plan of creation, and faith, and the mystery of God.  The lack of knowledge of the scriptures and power of God stem from the absence of the man who has the Spirit of God. 


       Clearly, the historical religious conflicts between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants, the Muslims and the Christians, the Muslims and the Buddhists, and the Jews and the Christians, to name a few, are examples of the fruit of private interpretation but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance with patience.    

        As an addendum, billions of people believe in the Holy Bible very few, however, know and understand the contents because they are hedged by their methods of interpretation which are human constructs.  A bigger number still, do not even have the drive to read the scriptures. This exposition may offend or this may pose a challenge to many but this is exactly the reason of this writing that many  might come to understand the Spirit and the law and the interpretation.


       The Bible is a contradiction of the laws making the interpretation a critical issue. To cite an example, the law of circumcision is in conflict with the law of Sabbath.  Moreover, the law of Moses is even contradicted by his decrees farther down his ministry as demonstrated in the Ten Commandments which prohibits Israel of idols but Moses made the brazen serpent named Nehushtan. Additionally, Moses lead his people to war and kill nations despite the law against killing people.  In another time, the prophet Jeremiah changed the laws of the Rechabites by making them drink wine.  Boaz also made Ruth dip her bread on a vinegar but married her.  In another time, the prophet Hosea was commanded to marry a whore and subsequently also took an adulteress by a command _ twice did Hosea do an abominable act before Israel.  Jesus also broke laws being a nazarite breaking bread with wine and drinking wine, hence, called a winebibber.  The priests also ate blood against the law concerning Israel.  

       Interpreting the Bible in chunks, in context, by chapters and by verse using exegesis, eisegesis, metagesis, and hermeneutics alone makes the way of interpreting the Bible devilish because this will unwittingly push people into interpreting the scriptures in a truncated knowledge or in part. Thus, the knowledge is in part and not a perfect one.  Some do not even know which law and doctrine to adopt whether of Moses, or Jesus, or the apostles (James, John and Peter), or Paul.  Precisely, this is the reason why denominations multiply.  

       The knowledge is divided into pieces and no one is able to integrate it with the Spirit of understanding and with the sound mind emphasizing the importance and relevance of the Spirit in the interpretation.  So, also comes the importance of the prophet or the man of God with the Spirit of God in the interpretation of the things of God.

       The reason why conflicts occur in the laws or words is because God is a Spirit and the Spirit itself is the law.  The Spirit is the creator when sent into the world or when sent to a man. The laws are just the constructs of the Spirit and the same Spirit can change or destroy that law.  The Spirit declares the things that are right in their right context and purpose and time. Let it be known, therefore, that the law is not the Spirit.  

       The Holy Bible is written by men, hence, the  errors and inaccuracies of the figures and names.  The narration of the stories written in the books reveal the pressure and threats to people like Stephen who was stoned to death, hence, the erroneous account on his actual statement or witness which was faithfully transcribed by the author.  

       Now, there is no other legitimate way of interpreting the word of God or another authority of the Law but the Spirit and by the Spirit.  The Spirit reveals and declares things and not interpret. In the strict sense, it is even inappropriate to talk of interpretation when talking  about the present because God is a God of the living and not of the dead.  His laws are expressed in a voice and not in  written words.

       Going back farther into history, Moses never used a bible to declare his laws but by the Spirit even as Jesus did not use the scrolls to fulfill his ministry and testimony.  Everything was revealed and commanded by the Spirit paved and prepared by a man like John the baptist for Jesus.

       This is the reason why the scriptures are being consulted to a man with the holy Spirit of God for interpretation and application because the scriptures must coincide and synchronize with the present narrative of God like Moses' in his time and Jesus' in his time. Know the differences of their stories_ Moses was to kill nations and Jesus was to be killed as the propitiation of the sins of the lost sheep of the house of Israel, so to speak.     
       

         

         

Huwebes, Hulyo 23, 2020

UNDERSTANDING THE PLAN OF GOD

       The Plan of God will never be known unless God himself will reveal it to his servants.  By servants, these are the chosen few among those He and called who goes through the trials, afflictions, tribulations, oppression, persecution and adversities being sanctified unto holiness and is born of water and spirit into the kingdom.

       The Plan of God is prophesied, revealed and decreed by the Spirit of God and not by men's spirits or by carnal men who knows nothing about the story which God has built in heaven for the present narrative of His ministry and edification by His new name. 


       The faulty inferences, interpretation, and imagination of men professing to be spiritual based on what is already known and written in the Bible is leading many into perdition.


        They being ignorant or unmindful of the works, ways, mind, and manner of God have taught and ministered the words and not the Spirit which is by the voice of the Lord.


       The reason why most churches and religion and kingdoms are, so called, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men is because they are  using the words written in the Vedas, Quran or in the Bible.  These are the  words that are revealed to men in the past and not by the voice which is from God by the prophets in the present.  They should know that the words written signifies the absence of the Spirit while the voice signifies the presence of the Spirit.


       Simply put, these men are living in the past in trying to relive the past and in refusing to live in the present moment which is continually changing unto the world that which is to come, that is, in the Spirit_ the otherwise known as the new heaven and the new Earth.


       The plan of God is revealed from generation to generation and from faith to faith and from glory to glory, hence, the plan of God is peculiar in purpose, will, intent, judgment and counsel every time he visits his people.

       There was a plan when God the Spirit by the hand of Moses intended to take out his people from the fiery furnace of affliction in Egypt in accordance with His promise to Abraham.  There was also a plan by the same Spirit by the hand of Joshua to replace the inhabitants of the land of Canaan being abominable. There was also a plan by the same Spirit for Jesus to die on the cross making himself the living sacrifice to save the lost sheep of Israel. There was also a plan by the same Spirit by the hand of the apostle Paul to save the gentiles by the gospel of the uncircumcision.  Today, many churches and religions and kingdoms miss the plan and the present truth of the SPIRIT which is by a voice which is in creation and service.  The small picture of the plan is to save a people, a nation, or a generation in his name and the big picture of the plan is to create a people belonging to Him to populate the coming new heaven and new earth and serve him. 


       Now, salvation is a plan of God to man and not a plan of man to man, therefore, any man who usurps the authority for salvation is both a robber of the glory of God and is selfish for the gift or reward for God is all and in all, saying, it is not by might nor by power but by my Spirit.  In another place it says, unless God build the house they labor in vain that build it: unless God keep the city that watchman taketh but in vain. Salvation is an intermediate plan of God to man for the ultimate goal of creating a man in order to serve him in the New heaven and new earth. Yea, service is the sure prophecy and testimony which is the ultimate goal.  


       Now, if the people that will be going to the new heaven and the new earth  are going to be saved by the spirit of grace, and of mercy and of the power of God it can only be surmised that the new heaven and new earth will yet be a place inhabited by a people who will need to be subjected to creation to become holy and perfect.  So creation is eternal just as service to God is eternal.


       Now, how did it come to mind that man can know God? Surely, because they refer it to the words that are written which they misinterpret according to their own lusty soul coveting for a reward or a prize or a promise (salvation) not even knowing what they are asking.  


       Salvation is a motivation from God and never the goal that man may continue in the plan for him to be created in his image which is according to the gospel and finally be born into the kingdom of water and of the spirit and be born of God to serve God like Jesus and those who serve God in the ancient times.


       Let it be known also that salvation is not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of God.  In the words of Paul he set it this way, "for by grace (a spirit from God) are ye saved through faith (a spirit from God) and not of yourselves it is a gift of God and not of works lest any man should boast.


       How did it ever come to mind that man will not work the work of God_ when the Bible is saying, be a doer of the work? Surely, this generation is teaching a lie for not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God.


       Surely, this generation will need a prophet to tell them the truth and to rightly divide the word of truth.  The work to do is not the work of a man by his own spirit but by the Spirit of God, hence, it is not of works (of the spirit and might and power of man) lest any should boast.


       How will thoughts add up and come to terms with the sound spirit regarding salvation when David of old said that, "Unless God build the house they labor in vain that build it, and unless God keep the city the watchman taketh but in vain".  In another place, another witness claim saying, it is not in a man to direct his steps".  Again, in another place it said, there are many devices in the heart of a man but the counsel of the Lord it shall stand."  


       Thus, as God is a Spirit and his ways and thoughts are not of men as it is higher than the thoughts and ways of man it is clear that no man can ever boast.  In fact, if a man is filled with the fullness of God's spirit because of favor it makes him humble before God!   


       Now, it is the Spirit that works in a man which is from  God to do the works of God,  therefore, man has no right to grab or rob the credit and the glory which is of God.


       Now, at the first glance, the interpretation of the whole Christiandom [sic] seem sound indicating that salvation is not of works: but, zooming out of the small picture unto the big picture one can clearly see that by the Spirit of God man has to be a doer of the work of the ministry, the edifying of the church and the perfecting of the saints.  Thus, comes in the big picture of the plan for creation and service of man to God by the Spirit of God. 


       Now, creation is a continuum of destruction, rooting out and pulling down, and planting and building.  It is no great wonder why Satan is a key player in creation.  He is given the authority to kill, to steal, and to destroy, and to tempt once permitted by God like in the case of Job and with Jesus at the wilderness after he went through 40 days fasting.


       Satan is largely misconstrued as the being who would enslave a soul towards hell.  The truth is the opposite.  Satan is given the authority to try and to test the children of God whether their spirituality is solidly founded on the Spirit and not on the rewards or lust for material things or for own desires.


       The role of Satan is clear since the beginning as he tempted Adam and Eve on the soundness of their faith in God at the Garden of Eden. Satan also suggested to God to try the spirit that is in Job just as every man is told not to believe every spirit but to try every spirit whether they are of God.  See the dialogue between Satan and God about Job below. 


Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?


Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?


Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.


Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 


       Satan is a purifier with the fire to ensure that there is no string attached to the spirit of obedience of man in God. So Satan came burning with fire from heaven and stole the cattles of Job using the Sabeans and the Chaldeans,  killed his sons and daughters at one time, and destroyed all his possessions even his very own body but in all those events Job did not sin. 

       As Satan is renowned to be the deceiver and is possessing individuals with his demons but all these are for the glory of God for in all these ways the name of God is honored and glorified before men.  Satan is compliant to all of the words of God when being commanded.  Satan is actually a servant of God just as the holy angels are, hence, the kingdom of God is not divided.  This is a pill which is very hard to swallow. 





Psalms 119:91 They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.

       And so, it is time to rethink and correct all of the perceptions about Satan.  Satan is not an enemy of God. Satan is the enemy of the World and its spirit  and Satan is also the enemy of the spirit of man.  Hence, it was aptly said, that the adversary of man the devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour
.  


       Man has been deceived by his own pride and lust which prevents him to zero-in to his own weakness, mistakes, and flaws as the root of all the matters happening in him.  Man, like Adam and Eve, will always point fingers at Satan.  


       Having a defense mechanism with the wrong mindset, belief, and doctrine kept a man from progressing in the spirit.  All spirits are God's servants except the spirit of man which is subject to creation and the spirit of the world which know not God and hates God rejecting the knowledge of God.  Now, it is clear why man is commanded not to love the world neither the things that are in the world.


       Creation is the work of God whose servants are the holy and the profane angels with switching roles that appear abominable and unacceptable (Michael and his angels vs Satan and his angels) to man.


       Creation is eternal and it always regenerates things like the new heaven and the new earth. Note, that the angels are not worthy to dwell in the new heaven and the new earth whereof we speak as this is meant for those who will be created in the image of God and have served Him here on earth having overcome the world.



   Hebrews 2:5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

       Now, it must be understood that the plan of God to mankind is manifold within the continuum of creation.  The plan in creation involves the pouring out of the spirit unto man that he may be created in the gospel of God. Keep, therefore, yourself unspotted in this world.