Hermeneutics; Letter & Spirit of Civil Laws

The point: Actively think about and apply principles for interpreting Scripture, especially when discerning literal versus figurative meaning.

Martin uses the analogy of saying a football player 'played like a tiger' or 'was a tiger' to illustrate how common figures of speech (simile, metaphor) are understood figuratively in everyday language, and how the same common sense should apply to biblical interpretation.

Alright? Number one is we look at the general context. Now, if we're reading in a passage that is obviously highly figurative, in which there are figures of speech, then, as we do in any other piece of literature, the Bible is the word of God in the language of men. Now, do we use figures of speech all the time?

11:55 - 12:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that God has an absolute right to regulate every detail of His people's lives, applying the principle of His sovereignty even when specific Old Covenant laws no longer apply literally.

Martin uses the Old Covenant law against rounding off beards to illustrate how specific literal commands to Israel do not apply directly to New Covenant believers, but the underlying principle of God's right to regulate every detail of His people's lives does.

See? Now, the meaning for the Jew in that situation was to be found in its strict literalism. But it had a greater significance for him as well, and God tells him what that significance is. He said, I've set you apart from all the people, and I want you to continually remember that you're different, that you're my people.

22:08 - 22:27 Read in full sermon

Driving home: He who builds his doctrine. On one passage of Scripture alone will soon find that he has no passage on which to build it.

Martin quotes Bishop Withcoat (or similar) saying, 'He who builds his doctrine on one passage of Scripture alone will soon find that he has no passage on which to build it,' to warn against isolating verses for interpretation.

If my conclusion from any given passage contradicts the overall teaching of the Bible, I'd better beware of it. Oh, Bishop Withcoat, I think it was, said this. He said, he who builds his doctrine. On one passage of Scripture alone will soon find that he has no passage on which to build it.

25:55 - 26:13 Read in full sermon

Driving home: He who builds his doctrine. On one passage of Scripture alone will soon find that he has no passage on which to build it.

Martin uses the Mormon doctrine of baptism for the dead, based on an 'obscure phrase' in 1 Corinthians 15, as an example of building a whole doctrine and practice on an isolated passage without parallel support, demonstrating risky hermeneutics.

Now, you see, this is what the Mormons do with their whole doctrine of baptism for the dead. You see, you can be baptized for those who are already dead and were not baptized into the Church of the Latter-day Saints, you see. And they build a whole doctrine and a whole practice on an obscure phrase from 1 Corinthians 15. Which has absolutely no parallel.

26:13 - 26:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not become discouraged by the complexity of hermeneutics; much of it is common sense and spiritual instinct, and the Holy Spirit will teach you.

Martin refers to 2 Peter 3, where an apostle (Peter) says of another apostle (Paul) that he wrote 'many things, some of which are hard to be understood,' to comfort believers that it's normal to encounter difficult passages and not understand everything.

God has promised that His Holy Spirit who dwells in us will be our teacher, and will enable us, as we read and meditate upon the Scriptures, not to understand everything. I always take great comfort in 2 Peter 3, where an apostle says of another apostle, he has written many things, some of which are hard to be understood. Don't be discouraged. Don't be discouraged.

28:21 - 28:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Be content to have unanswered questions and obscure passages, giving yourself to living in the light of what is clear and believing what is plain.

Martin shares his personal experience of having many unanswered questions, telling people who say they only have one question, 'Let's trade places,' to illustrate that even pastors don't understand everything and that humility is key.

When you come to a section of the Word of God and you say, I can't make the head or the tail or the ear or the foot out of that passage, when people come to me and say, Pastor, I've got one question. I say, let's trade places. I've often said that. I say, let's trade places.

28:44 - 29:00 Read in full sermon

The point: Be content to have unanswered questions and obscure passages, giving yourself to living in the light of what is clear and believing what is plain.

Martin quotes a wise man who said, 'God has left enough bones in his word that those who are determined to choke themselves will have material to do so,' to illustrate that those who approach Scripture with a critical or unstable heart will find reasons to stumble.

And one man has said, and wisely so, God has left enough bones in his word that those who are determined to choke themselves will have material to do so.

29:42 - 29:51 Read in full sermon

The point: Operate with practical obedience to all civil and governmental laws, even when disagreeing with their use, rendering tribute where it is due.

Martin uses the example of taxes being used for seemingly frivolous projects like 'examining the hibernating habits of the Japanese beetle' to illustrate that Christians are still obligated to pay tribute even when they disagree with government spending, based on Romans 13.

All right. Practical obedience to all the civil and governmental laws that impinge upon me in my circumstances. That means the law that governs the tax system as much as everything in me boils when I've got to send money that I know is going to be used for projects on examining the hibernating habits of the Japanese beetle and three quarters of a million dollars will be spent on that and then three million spent on a project examining some dimensionality of some other foolish...

43:29 - 44:06 Read in full sermon