Why Interpretation is so Important.

I see it all the time.

I get on social media and one person is calling a public figure a godly person while someone else is calling the same person ungodly.

Sometimes it is a prominent pastor, or political figure or actor etc

And then it gets ugly.

People start back and forth defending their position and someone else who shares the views jumps in and adds fuel to the fire and at the end everyone walks away mad.

Why? How can people be that sure one way or the other?

Well it starts with how we read Scripture and how we interpret the Scriptures

Now most Christians agree that their are issues that are negotiable and non-negotiable when it comes to certain doctrines or beliefs and can overlook differences over what we call non essential beliefs (If you want to know more about those you could start HERE) but what most people don’t realize is that those “nonessential” doctrines really change how people approach life in this world.

Then it happens

Down the long trail of extrapolation two individuals find their positions in conflict with each other, ready to tear each other to pieces and they don’t even know why.

A great example is the interpretation of the end times and the Millennial reign. Read over this CHART comparing the four major Millennium positions.

Anything stand out?

What do you think would happen if person A, a good church going individual, with a faith built on a Pre-Mil foundation became a politician and started debating person B, also a good church going individual but with a Post Mil foundation, about how much support to give to Israel?

Uh-oh

Suddenly, what we claimed was “non-essential” to us is very very essential.Now do not get me wrong please I am not saying that we cannot fellowship with people who don’t share the same views of non-essential doctrine as we do. What I am saying is that we must all be careful when throwing out accusations against the spiritual condition of someone based on their positions on things that we don’t agree with them on.

Interpretation is THAT important. And I wager that most of us don’t truly understand our own beliefs and couldn’t defend them if we tried.

Maybe instead of starting with arguing over issues that are born from the foundation of our beliefs we should engage in conversations that help us to understand where the conclusions are coming from.

We can argue politics all day, and honestly we can argue Biblical interpretation even longer, but politics will never change someone’s heart nor will it determine someone’s eternity.

But the Bible?

The Bible changes everything