Why All the Confusion?
Matt Costella
©FOUNDATION Magazine Editorial, Jan-Feb 2002
The question is often asked:
How can so many Christians read the same Bible and arrive at so many
different conclusions as to what the Bible is saying? Such seems to be
the case especially in relation to Biblical eschatology, or the study of
end-time events. Why do so many people believe the church will suffer
through the tribulation while so many others believe Christ will return
for the church before the tribulation? Why do so many people believe
Christ will one day physically return to earth to rule and reign for
one-thousand years while so many others believe that the Kingdom of God
is existing on earth at this very moment? The reason for these
discrepancies lies in one's interpretation of the Bible, not in
the teachings of the Bible itself. Therefore, any believer who genuinely
desires to know God's Word and God's will should realize the importance
of interpreting God's Word consistently and correctly.
A proper understanding of God's Word and His will for our lives is
based upon three prerequisites:
- first, a recognition of the absolute authority, inerrancy and
sufficiency of Scripture
- second, the application of a consistent and correct method of
interpretation of Scripture
- third, a humble, spiritual heart attitude that demonstrates a
willingness to team and be taught by God's Word as led by the
indwelling Holy Spirit.
The absence of any one of these three key ingredients inevitably
leads one down a path of misinterpretation or misapplication of the
Biblical text, and this, in turn, keeps the believer from truly knowing
the Word and will of God and His plan for the ages.
This issue of Foundation [Jan-Feb 2002] is devoted to
the topic of Biblical interpretation. We believe that God has given us
His Word to know and understand. Therefore, we believe the Bible must be
interpreted in its normal, literal, grammatical and historical sense.
The outcome of such an interpretation leads one to understand God's Word
dispensationally. When we compare Scripture with Scripture, consider the
context of a passage and understand God's Word in its normal, literal
sense, we find that God has worked with mankind throughout history in
different ways during different periods of time. We also discover that
man is accountable to God for that which God has revealed to him at that
point in time. Therefore, we find that a difference exists between
Israel and the church, between law and grace, between the rapture and
the Second Coming, between Scripture written to Israel and Scripture
written to the church (although all Scripture is written for the church,
1 Cor. 10:11; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
It is our prayer that this issue of Foundation will direct men
and women to Jesus Christ, not only to the point of salvation, but
beyond that—to the place of spiritual growth and understanding of God's
plan and purpose for mankind as revealed in His Word. "Unto Him (Jesus
Christ) be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,
world without end. Amen." (Eph 3:21).
