The New Hermeneutic

The New Hermeneutic

2005033

Topic # 0154 (authority)

Introduction:

A. 2 Tim. 2:15 – accurately handling the word of truth.

1. By the very writing – Paul says there is a right way & wrong way to handle God’s word.

2. Expression accurately handling literally means to “cut straight.”

3. 2:15 – we must be diligent/use energy to study God’s word & apply it the correct way.

4. Hence, there is implied an incorrect way to handle God’s word.

B. Throughout this series – we have asked – what is your view of the Bible?

1. Do you view it as the inerrant & unchanging word of God?

2. Do you view it as being relevant for each generation?

3. Do you share the same view of it as the Thessalonians? 1 Thess 2:13-17

4. Do you believe in the necessity of speaking where the Bible speaks & being silent where the Bible is silent?

C. If we are going to be successful in our study of the Bible…

1. We must possess an open mind that wants to understand – Acts 17:11.

2. If we desire to understand – we will – John 7:17.

3. We can look to scripture & see God’s commands; examples of the apostles; and look at inferences in Scripture to see who God wishes to be worshipped; matters pertaining to salvation; and religious practice.

4. We commonly say that we appeal to bible authority in all matters of religion – Col. 3:17.

D. Would it surprise you that most people in today’s religious world do not hold to the same view as NT Christians do when it comes to respecting the all sufficiency of God’s word?

1. Because of this – some among us have been tempted to abandon our efforts to appeal to bible authority – in order to be in more agreement w/the mainstream religious world.

2. Claim that the standard of appealing to DC, AE, NI is old & outdated & that we must stay out of a theological rut.

3. These argue for a “new hermeneutic” or a new system of Bible study.

4. That is what we’ll be talking about today.

I. What are we talking about here & why is it important?

A. The new hermeneutic is a false philosophy that undermines the very authority of the Bible.

B. Hermeneutics is the procedure by which certain logical principles are applied to a document to understand the author’s original meaning.

1. We see in all around us.

2. Government – founding fathers – set up the judiciary which has been designed to practice legal hermeneutics – i.e., to interpret the law & constitution of the US.

C. Sacred hermeneutics is the science of bible interpretation.

1. Members of the Lord’s church have taught that C, E, NI are the 3 methods used to discern what is right & lawful in religion.

2. In looking at the Scriptures – Jesus used all 3 in teaching/explaining the Scriptures:

a) Command – Mk. 16:16

b) Approved Example – Mt. 12:5

c) Necessary Inference – Mt. 22:32-22

3. The new hermeneutic abandons such a method of interpretation. It says that such is outdated & needs to be replaced.

II. New Hermeneutics says there is a distinction between gospel & doctrine.

A. Differences in doctrine should not stand in the way of unity.

B. brethren now argue that certain fundamentals of faith are the only things we must agree upon: (the core gospel)

1. Existence of God; Lordship of Jesus.

2. The 1 church; the new birth; salvation through Jesus.

3. Genuine commitment to the will; way; and word of God.

4. Not all NH advocates agree on what exactly should make up this “core gospel.”

C. All other matters are doctrinal things that do not have to be stressed for fellowship to take place. E.g.,

1. instrumental music

2. Premillennial views on the 2^nd coming.

3. Work & role of the HS….so on so forth…

D. Promoters of the NH believe the ancient forms in which the Christian system was expressed are not obligatory today. We may alter certain aspects of the gospel format in order to conform to the cultural motif of our day.

1. Substitute Coke for FOV in LS if no one offended.

E. Scripture makes no distinction between gospel & doctrine.

1. Rom 6:17-18 – Paul gives credit to doctrine for emancipating sinners. (doctrine NKJV)

2. Rom 10:16 – commended those who obeyed the gospel.

3. Although these words are not synonymous – it is important to understand they are used interchangeably in scripture.

a) Rom. 1:6; 16:26 – the Romans had become obedient to the faith.

b) What was the faith?

c) 2 John 7-11 – the faith is the doctrine of Christ.

4. 1 Tim. 1:8-11 – doctrine & gospel used interchangeably.

a) The gospel was the standard by which unsound doctrine was to be identified.

F. But someone says... the gospel is to be preached to the lost & doctrine is to be taught to the saved…

1. Rom. 1:15-16 – Paul preached the gospel to Christians in Rome.

2. 1 Cor. 15:1-4 – the gospel – was also preached to the converted in the process.

III. New Hermeneutics says no doctrine can be made a test of fellowship that comes through logical reasoning.

A. In other words – throw out NI.

B. But… this thinking is inconsistent.

1. Their “core” gospel demands the existence of God. But this demands reason. (Rom. 1:20)

2. Being understood means they exercised their mind by the usage of logic. They perceived w/their mind that God is real.

C. It takes reasoning/logic/ NI to conclude that we are to apply what God said.

1. Mk. 16:16; John 12:48; Rev. 21:7-8

2. None of these verses personally written to us. But by reasoning – we know we are bound by these commands if we are to be pleasing to God.

D. God has commanded the usage of logic & reasoning:

1. Eph. 5:17 – understand.

2. Heb. 5:14 – having their senses trained.

3. Mt. 15:10 – HEAR and UNDERSTAND.

IV. New Hermeneutics says the epistles are not a pattern for all Christians.

A. Epistles are simply love letters for all Christians. Never a pattern for us. They are not a blueprint. They reject the idea that patterns are binding: Pattern theology has been our undoing. (Rubel Shelly)

B. Where did the epistles come from? Jhn 14:26; 16:13

1. Mt. 10:40 – Jesus gave His stamp of approval to everything the apostles would teach.

C. Epistles were intended for a wider audience than they were sent.

1. 1 Cor. 16:1 – the churches in Galatia…

2. 1 Cor. 4:17 – just as I teach everywhere in every church.

3. Col. 4:16

D. The FC Christians were expected to follow the teaching of the apostles. So should we:

1. Acts 2:42; 1 Thess 2:13; 2 Thess 2:15; 3:14

2. 2 Tim. 1:13; 3:10

3. 2 Pet. 3:2; Jude 17

E. If the epistles are not a pattern for us then…

1. Eph. 5:22-33 – husbands do not have to love their wives sacrificially.

2. Eph. 6:1-2 – children do not have to obey parents

3. Eph. 6:4 – parents under no obligation to raise children right.

4. 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1 – no guidelines for church leaders.

F. Are we really willing to go there?

Conclusion:

A. Our entire view of scripture influences everything we do in religion.

B. How do we treat God?

C. The way we treat God’s word shows how we treat God.

1. God has delivered His truth through the apostles & prophets.

2. God told us what has been said is understandable!

3. So the way I treat His message is the way I treat God.

D. Whatever God has said…we are to be judged by it. See Js. 4:10-12

1. 4:12 – we have no business making laws or executing laws.

2. 4:12 – one law giver – this is legislative authority. God has it all.

3. 4:12 – who able to save/destroy… this is administrative authority, God has all of it.

4. 4:12 – who are you to judge one another? This is judicial authority. God has all of it.

E. God is the one to whom we must look.

1. We are subject to Him because we will be judged by Him.

2. How we treat His words shows how we treat Him.

3. Remember…we’ll be judged by His word. John 12:48; 1 Thess. 2:13

F. Let us strive w/every fiber of our being to handle God’s word accurately!

G. God’s words contain words you must submit to if you wish to be saved. Have you been saved?

H. I N V I T A T I O N



The New Hermeneutic 2005033 Topic # 0154 (authority) Introduction: A. 2 Tim. 2:15 – accurately handling the word of truth. 1. By the very writing – Paul says there is a right way & wrong way to handle God’s word. 2. Expression accurately handling literally means to “cut straight.” 3. 2:15 – we must be diligent/use energy to study God’s word & apply it the correct way. 4. Hence, there is implied an incorrect way to handle God’s word. B. Throughout this series – we have asked – what is your view of the Bible? 1. Do you view it as the inerrant & unchanging word of God? 2. Do you view it as being relevant for each generation? 3. Do you share the same view of it as the Thessalonians? 1 Thess 2:13-17 4. Do you believe in the necessity of speaking where the Bible speaks & being silent where the Bible is silent? C. If we are going to be successful in our study of the Bible… 1. We must possess an open mind that wants to understand – Acts 17:11. 2. If we desire to understand – we will – John 7:17. 3. We can look to scripture & see God’s commands; examples of the apostles; and look at inferences in Scripture to see who God wishes to be worshipped; matters pertaining to salvation; and religious practice. 4. We commonly say that we appeal to bible authority in all matters of religion – Col. 3:17. D. Would it surprise you that most people in today’s religious world do not hold to the same view as NT Christians do when it comes to respecting the all sufficiency of God’s word? 1. Because of this – some among us have been tempted to abandon our efforts to appeal to bible authority – in order to be in more agreement w/the mainstream religious world. 2. Claim that the standard of appealing to DC, AE, NI is old & outdated & that we must stay out of a theological rut. 3. These argue for a “new hermeneutic” or a new system of Bible study. 4. That is what we’ll be talking about today. I. What are we talking about here & why is it important? A. The new hermeneutic is a false philosophy that undermines the very authority of the Bible. B. Hermeneutics is the procedure by which certain logical principles are applied to a document to understand the author’s original meaning. 1. We see in all around us. 2. Government – founding fathers – set up the judiciary which has been designed to practice legal hermeneutics – i.e., to interpret the law & constitution of the US. C. Sacred hermeneutics is the science of bible interpretation. 1. Members of the Lord’s church have taught that C, E, NI are the 3 methods used to discern what is right & lawful in religion. 2. In looking at the Scriptures – Jesus used all 3 in teaching/explaining the Scriptures: a) Command – Mk. 16:16 b) Approved Example – Mt. 12:5 c) Necessary Inference – Mt. 22:32-22 3. The new hermeneutic abandons such a method of interpretation. It says that such is outdated & needs to be replaced. II. New Hermeneutics says there is a distinction between gospel & doctrine. A. Differences in doctrine should not stand in the way of unity. B. brethren now argue that certain fundamentals of faith are the only things we must agree upon: (the core gospel) 1. Existence of God; Lordship of Jesus. 2. The 1 church; the new birth; salvation through Jesus. 3. Genuine commitment to the will; way; and word of God. 4. *Not all NH advocates agree on what exactly should make up this “core gospel.”* C. All other matters are doctrinal things that do not have to be stressed for fellowship to take place. E.g., 1. instrumental music 2. Premillennial views on the 2^nd coming. 3. Work & role of the HS….so on so forth… D. Promoters of the NH believe the ancient forms in which the Christian system was expressed are not obligatory today. We may alter certain aspects of the gospel format in order to conform to the cultural motif of our day. 1. Substitute Coke for FOV in LS if no one offended. E. Scripture makes no distinction between gospel & doctrine. 1. Rom 6:17-18 – Paul gives credit to doctrine for emancipating sinners. (doctrine NKJV) 2. Rom 10:16 – commended those who obeyed the gospel. 3. Although these words are not synonymous – it is important to understand they are used interchangeably in scripture. a) Rom. 1:6; 16:26 – the Romans had become obedient to the faith. b) What was the faith? c) 2 John 7-11 – the faith is the doctrine of Christ. 4. 1 Tim. 1:8-11 – doctrine & gospel used interchangeably. a) The gospel was the standard by which unsound doctrine was to be identified. F. But someone says... the gospel is to be preached to the lost & doctrine is to be taught to the saved… 1. Rom. 1:15-16 – Paul preached the gospel to Christians in Rome. 2. 1 Cor. 15:1-4 – the gospel – was also preached to the converted in the process. III. New Hermeneutics says no doctrine can be made a test of fellowship that comes through logical reasoning. A. In other words – throw out NI. B. But… this thinking is inconsistent. 1. Their “core” gospel demands the existence of God. But this demands reason. (Rom. 1:20) 2. Being understood means they exercised their mind by the usage of logic. They perceived w/their mind that God is real. C. It takes reasoning/logic/ NI to conclude that we are to apply what God said. 1. Mk. 16:16; John 12:48; Rev. 21:7-8 2. None of these verses personally written to us. But by reasoning – we know we are bound by these commands if we are to be pleasing to God. D. God has commanded the usage of logic & reasoning: 1. Eph. 5:17 – understand. 2. Heb. 5:14 – having their senses trained. 3. Mt. 15:10 – HEAR and UNDERSTAND. IV. New Hermeneutics says the epistles are not a pattern for all Christians. A. Epistles are simply love letters for all Christians. Never a pattern for us. They are not a blueprint. They reject the idea that patterns are binding: Pattern theology has been our undoing. (Rubel Shelly) B. Where did the epistles come from? Jhn 14:26; 16:13 1. Mt. 10:40 – Jesus gave His stamp of approval to everything the apostles would teach. C. Epistles were intended for a wider audience than they were sent. 1. 1 Cor. 16:1 – the churches in Galatia… 2. 1 Cor. 4:17 – just as I teach everywhere in every church. 3. Col. 4:16 D. The FC Christians were expected to follow the teaching of the apostles. So should we: 1. Acts 2:42; 1 Thess 2:13; 2 Thess 2:15; 3:14 2. 2 Tim. 1:13; 3:10 3. 2 Pet. 3:2; Jude 17 E. If the epistles are not a pattern for us then… 1. Eph. 5:22-33 – husbands do not have to love their wives sacrificially. 2. Eph. 6:1-2 – children do not have to obey parents 3. Eph. 6:4 – parents under no obligation to raise children right. 4. 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1 – no guidelines for church leaders. F. Are we really willing to go there? Conclusion: A. Our entire view of scripture influences everything we do in religion. B. How do we treat God? C. The way we treat God’s word shows how we treat God. 1. God has delivered His truth through the apostles & prophets. 2. God told us what has been said is understandable! 3. So the way I treat His message is the way I treat God. D. Whatever God has said…we are to be judged by it. See Js. 4:10-12 1. 4:12 – we have no business making laws or executing laws. 2. 4:12 – one law giver – this is legislative authority. God has it all. 3. 4:12 – who able to save/destroy… this is administrative authority, God has all of it. 4. 4:12 – who are you to judge one another? This is judicial authority. God has all of it. E. God is the one to whom we must look. 1. We are subject to Him because we will be judged by Him. 2. How we treat His words shows how we treat Him. 3. Remember…we’ll be judged by His word. John 12:48; 1 Thess. 2:13 F. Let us strive w/every fiber of our being to handle God’s word accurately! G. God’s words contain words you must submit to if you wish to be saved. Have you been saved? H. I N V I T A T I O N