Hermeneutics; Letter & Spirit of Civil Laws

Introduction to the Open Forum and Ground Rules

0:03 Mr. Garlington called me yesterday afternoon and indicated that the cold with which he has been wrestling for a number of days had reached a point in its influence on his larynx and other speech apparatus that would make it impossible for him to lead the class this morning. And in order to use the time to good profit, I volunteered my time to use the class period as I often do, or not often, but when I infrequently have the opportunity of leading the class, to lead it in the form of an open forum in which we discuss together from the scriptures matters of mutual interest and concern. For some of you, perhaps, this will be the first time. that you've been involved in this kind of a forum, let me just give you very briefly the ground rules. For any public gathering of God's people, there is one biblical directive that stands supreme above all others and must regulate everything that is done.

1:09 In 1 Corinthians chapter 14, it is succinctly expressed in these words, Let all things be done unto edification. Let all things be done unto edification. Let all things be done unto edification. Let all things be done unto edification.

1:26 And so the great ground rule, the overarching principle which regulates what we discuss, what we do not discuss, how long we discuss it, how we discuss it, is the great issue of mutual edification. And so questions that would be of general interest to the people of God, the discussion of which would result in the realization of this great concern, of our relationship with God, are being built up in the faith. Such questions are in order. If you want the exact reference, it's 1 Corinthians 14, 26c.

2:01 That's a rather long verse. You'd have to split it into A, B, C. Let all things be done unto edifying. And then the second ground rule is that the leader of the forum reserves the right to make judgment as to whether or not the question proposed would be unto general edification.

2:20 You may have a question. You may have an issue that's burning in your mind and spirit, and you just assume that it's a burning question to everyone else. But it may simply grow out of the unique chemistry of your own mind or the not-so-unique perversity of your own remaining corruption that such a question is such an issue to you, and I reserve the right to make a judgment as to whether or not the question would be of general edification. Then thirdly, just this word about how we address ourselves to it, I'm not here to judge you.

2:51 I'm not here as the answer man. I'm here as the catalyst to try to get you as a body of God's people to dig into the Scriptures both with respect to principles by which to approach any given question as well as the actual precepts and guidance of the Word of God. And so I'm not here as an answer man, but I'm here more to be the catalyst to help you as the Lord's people to gain, as it were, the tools of wrestling with your own questions, so don't be surprised if you ask a question if I respond by asking you a question or two or three or four, and from there we'll proceed. So let's ask God then to guide us as I have already sought the Lord's help in the earlier hours of the morning. You didn't know that the class would be held this way, so together let us ask the Lord's direction and guidance and blessing on our time together. Our Father, we thank you for seasons, such as these, when we can gather as your people in our mutual conviction that the Scriptures are the only as well as the sufficient rule of faith and of practice. And we pray that by the Holy Spirit you will direct our thoughts to the consideration of those matters that would build us up

4:14 not only in our understanding of your will, but in our ability to perform it by the strength and power of the Spirit. Amen. We pray for the help of the Holy Spirit in our time together. We remember Mr. Garlington in his physical need.

4:30 We thank you for his faithful labors on our behalf week after week. And we pray that in this day when he is forced to be silent, that you would be gracious to minister to his inner man. We pray as well for the many of our men, particularly those from the academy who are teaching and preaching this morning and tonight in various places, around the country. Lord, make great blessing rest upon your servants.

4:59 Meet with us now and build us up in our most holy faith. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. All right.

Distinguishing Questions of Scripture's Nature vs. Interpretation

5:10 Are there questions? If there are no questions, I have my own little subject to introduce. I always have one in the wings, so we don't stand here just looking at one another smiling pleasantly. All right.

5:21 Yes, Chuck? I have one.

5:26 The general and Howard Parr speaking of faith, holding to the scriptures, following them precisely, and so on. My favorite reference is taking the scriptures too literally, where you see that error that's been mentioned occasionally. I have a specific item which is in two references in that general regard. One is in the Gethsemane passage where we say Christ sweat as it were great drops of blood, and also that the Holy Spirit is sending as it were in the form of a dove.

6:08 Yes. Now, maybe it's a term of language or something. Joseph always, you know, Yeah. Yes.

6:15 Yeah. All right. Now, Mr. Davies has really asked us two questions.

6:23 Now, can you analyze? He said he's asked one question in general and then a specific application, but in reality he's asked two questions. Now, can you separate the two questions that he's asked us? What's the first question?

6:43 Yes. Paul? I'd say that's the second question. Question number two is,

6:53 how do we know when to take a passage literally or figuratively, which is a question concerning what? What's the broad field within which that question falls?

7:06 Hermeneutics, which is the, all right, it's a question of what principles ought to regulate our interpretation of the scriptures. There's the question. Ah, I wish the light were shining higher. Can you see?

7:22 Question number two is a question of how do we ascertain the precise meaning of any given passage in the word of God? So that has to do with our principles of interpreting the word of God. And when you hear people use the big word hermeneutics, that's all they're talking about. The proper principles to guide us in arriving at the proper meaning of any given portion of the word of God.

7:48 But now the first question he asked. You remember he made reference to the fact that sometimes as people interact with us and we say we seek to follow the scriptures in everything that we do, that's a question concerning what? Not the interpretation of scripture, but the authority and the sufficiency of the scriptures. You see, the first question has to do with what is the Bible.

8:17 The second one is, how do we understand? How do we understand the Bible? Now in answer to the first question, we say that the Bible is the only and the sufficient rule both of faith, what we are to believe, and of practice, what we are to do. So the first question has to do with the nature of the Bible.

8:46 Is the Bible authoritative in every area to which it addresses itself? And does it address itself to enough areas to be complete for the life and practice of the people of God? You see the difference between the two questions? Now, if we embrace that position, which is the historic, evangelical, Christian position, the sufficiency, as well as the authority of the word of God, then we have to wrestle with the second question, how do we understand and arrive at the meaning of that Bible?

9:22 That is sufficient for every aspect of faith in the practice. Now, can you give me at least a verse or two from the scriptures, which clearly teach that the Bible is the only and sufficient rule of faith in the practice. We need nothing more beyond the scriptures to know how we are to live, how we are to think with respect to God and His will.

9:51 Alright, 2 Timothy 3, what? Now, you missed it. You missed it by a verse. 16 and 17, alright?

9:58 All scripture is literally given out by the breath of God. All scripture is God-breathed and is also profitable for doctrine, teaching, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be what? Complete. Perfect.

10:20 Means complete. When we talk about a perfect circle, we mean a circle that's complete. You don't...

10:25 You don't stop with 15 more degrees to complete the 360. That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly furnished unto every good work. So we need nothing beyond the scriptures to be thoroughly furnished unto everything that God requires of us. And we could bring to bear other passages.

10:48 Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, teaching them to observe. All things whatsoever I have commanded you. But on this, I believe most of us are in agreement, and we have no question. Our real problem comes with the second question.

Principles for Literal vs. Figurative Interpretation (Hermeneutics)

11:07 Believing that the Bible is authoritative, sufficient for faith and practice, what principles are to guide me in interpreting it, particularly the question, when do I take something literally, when do I take it figuratively? Alright? We cannot. We cannot, in one hour, give a whole course in hermeneutics.

11:27 So let's address ourselves specifically to that question. Alright? Now, when you're reading your Bible, by what principles do you operate in determining whether something is to be understood literally or figuratively? By what principles do you operate?

11:48 I'd say I never thought of that. Alright? Well, now's the time to think. Yes, Mr. Spence?

11:55 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?

12:25 For instance, if I say, suppose I watched a bit of a football game yesterday. I didn't, but suppose I did. And I say concerning a certain man, he played like a tiger. Now, how would you understand my statement?

12:41 That the man attached a tail and claws and came out into the field wagging his tail and baring his claws? No, you would immediately know I was using a what, Chuck? Alright, a figure of speech called a what? When something is likened to something else, it is called a what?

12:58 A simile. Alright, suppose I said, that man was a tiger on the field yesterday.

13:07 That's a metaphor. Now, I'm using a figure of speech. And taking my statement in the context, it would be ludicrous to press upon it a crass literalism. That the man actually was metamorphosized into an animal with a tail and claws and who growled and who snarled and bit people.

13:29 You understand that the figure of speech is the only reasonable interpretation of that passage. Well, in the same way, when we come to a passage such as the one you mentioned, that the Spirit of God descended as a dove, we have a problem. Is it saying, in the form of a dove, we'd have to check the parallel passages? Does the scripture itself let us know whether this is simply speaking of the Spirit of God descending gently, or did he actually come in the form of a dove?

14:01 Well, the given passage we're studying may not be clear. So, we check parallel passages describing the same event. To see if some light is shed. By the parallel passages.

14:13 So, question number one, we check the immediate context. Check question number two, we see if there are other passages which throw light upon it. Believing that scripture is its own most accurate interpreter, and its only infallible interpreter. All right, so there's the question then of context, of parallel references.

14:31 What other principles guide you as to whether or not a passage is literal or figurative? Yes, Henry? All right. All right, the kind of literature that is...

14:47 In which the given verse or statement is found. What is one of the peculiarities of much of prophetic literature? Henry, since you raised the question, or gave the answer, I'll ask you.

15:03 All right. Great substantial realities are expressed in vivid, concrete, earthly symbols. For instance, to a Jew, blessing from Jehovah, in terms of the kingdom of Jehovah, would always be...

15:21 Thought of in terms of what realities in the Old Covenant?

15:27 Anyone? What did God say in the Old Covenant? If you'll obey me and do my will, I will bless you. How did that blessing find expression in the Old Covenant?

15:38 All right, wealth, health, what else?

15:42 Territory, agricultural blessing, family blessings. In other words, the blessings of God came to expression in the concrete realities of brick and mortar, and real estate, and substance. Now, when the prophets are speaking of a coming day of the kingdom of God under Messiah, when there will be tremendous blessing, what figures would communicate to the Jews? These very figures.

16:13 Of agricultural blessing, of conquest over their enemies. So when God prophesies the future blessings of Messiah's kingdom, He doesn't do so in terms of spiritual conquest. He speaks in terms of the concrete realities which would communicate and impinge upon the understanding of the Israelite in a very vivid way. So He describes then a great temple into which the nations will flow under the period of Messiah.

16:48 Now, does that mean there's actually going to be built a literal temple in Palestine, and everyone's going to have to hop on a jet and go to Palestine to worship Jehovah? Why, of course not. And we know that that's not the meaning because in the New Testament, those passages which speak of the future blessings of the kingdom under that vivid figurative language say that they are now fulfilled in Jesus Christ and in the church. The church has constituted His temple.

17:21 Christ is a priest upon His throne, but that throne is the throne of grace at the right hand of the Father, not in Palestine. So we have to then recognize the kind of literature we're reading, and then another great principle is we must interpret those passages in the light of any biblical principles of interpretation that are given to us. All right, what are some other principles that you work with when wrestling with a given passage? Is it figurative? Is it literal?

17:54 General context? The use of figures of speech? This principle of the kind of literature it is? Anything else?

18:05 Yes, Brian? God uses similar phraseology. All right, so we're back to the principle of parallel passages, aren't we, then? All right, to see if there are other passages which throw light upon it.

18:19 Yes, excuse me, go ahead. So not only of the historical setting, but also parallel passages in terms of the actual language used. Maybe not even a related historical passage, but just the words themselves. All right.

18:35 For instance, the seed of Abraham. When God promises blessing upon Abraham and his seed forever, what does that mean? Does that mean an irrevocable blessing upon the nation of Israel regardless of what she does? Or does the seed of Abraham have a different connotation?

18:54 Well, we just look up the word seed, seed of Abraham, trace it through the scriptures, and what will we find when we do? Yes, according to Galatians 3, and he saith not unto seed, as of many, but unto thy seed, which is Christ. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. And if ye are children, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to the promise.

19:21 What promise? That promise made to Abraham is not fulfilled in the earthly carnal seed of Israel in a future millennium. It's fulfilled now in the church of Jesus Christ in all who are believers. So that's the principle.

Applying Old Covenant Laws: Letter vs. Spirit

19:35 Is that what we're talking about? All right. Good. Any, yes, Ralph, and then we'll come back.

19:44 All right. Does it speak to God's people in all ages? So here we have to realize that certain things that were to be accepted literally, according to the letter as well as the spirit in a given period of God's dealings with his people may not be his will at another period. For instance, when God said to an Israelite in the old covenant that he should, not make any garment of mixed cloth.

20:12 Was that to be accepted literally? Yes or no? Yeah. And if you were an Israelite and you made a garment of mixed cloth, if you had sixty five polyester and thirty five cotton, you were in trouble.

20:27 Now, suppose a Christian's reading through that thou shalt not make any garment of mixed cloth. And he looks at the back of the label, says, oh, sixty five, thirty five, rips his shirt off and says, I'm only going to wear one hundred percent cotton, one hundred percent polyester. Well, God's word says it. Well, yes, God's word does say it.

20:45 But whose word was that? In what situation? It was the word of God to the Jew within the framework of that entire Mosaic covenant. Now, are there any principles to be seen in the midst of that?

20:59 Yes. That God has an absolute right to regulate every detail of the lives of his people. Now, does that say something to me? That's right.

21:08 No, Israel had a right to rear back and say, wait a minute. God, you've got no business messing around with what's on the label at the back of my shirt. God says, as Jehovah, I have a right to tell you what's on the label in the back of your shirt. I've got a right to intrude and regulate every area of your life.

21:24 Now, that's the great principle that applies all the way through the scriptures, because the scripture says we are not our own. We are bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body, which is his. Whatever you do.

21:40 Eat, drink, do all to the glory of God. So here's a case, Chuck, where understanding its meaning in the original setting, strict literalism, but now its application to us is not to be found in a strict literalism word-for-word application. So now we see there's another principle that enters. There is a difference in many passages between meaning and legitimate application.

22:08 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.

22:27 And therefore, God regulated every area of life to remind them they were his, and also to set them apart. See, some of you would not be good Israelites, because your beards, you see, are rounded at the corners. But God said to an Israelite. He was not to round off his beard at the corners.

22:42 He had to have a nice square beard. See, you wouldn't make it, some of you, with your round beards. We'd have to put you under discipline. But why don't we do that?

22:54 Well, we know that that was said to the Jew in a particular context, and it does not apply one-for-one to us in our situation. Does that give you some principles to work with? Were there a couple other hands here? Yes.

The Analogy of Faith: Interpreting Scripture by Scripture

23:07 Ron? Very good point. Say that louder, so everyone even up in the balcony can hear you. Very good point.

23:17 Some of you will find, if you do much reading, you'll find this term used, the analogy of faith. Now, that's a term that has come to mean the overall teaching of Scripture on a given point, and the principle that Ron has articulated is a vital one. Believing, as our own confession says, that the message of Scripture on any given point is one. In other words, you don't have self-contradictions within the Scriptures. We must never interpret any one passage in such a way as to run into conflict with the overall teaching of Scripture on that given point. For instance, when we read the statement from the lips of the Lord Jesus, My Father is greater than I. How could that be interpreted?

24:26 Just looking at those words in isolation, how could those words be interpreted? Yes. All right. Which is?

24:36 Oh, yes. The Son is a little God. He's something above what we are, but not quite what the Father is. And they say it's plain.

24:45 Jesus admitted it. The Father is greater than I. Now, why do we not accept that interpretation? Who stuck with that hand there?

24:57 Oh, it's a left hand. Most people raise their right hand. That's what threw me. All right.

25:01 Go ahead, Mike. All right. But that's not the overall theme or teaching of the Scriptures, which is that Jesus Christ, as to his essential dignity, is equal to the Father in the full possession of all the attributes and prerogatives of God. So that we read from the lips of the same Savior, I and my Father are one.

25:30 For which statement? The Jews pick up stones and attempt to stone him. Because, they said, you being a man, make yourself equal to God. And he didn't say, oh, I'm sorry, you misunderstood me.

25:42 If only you'd heard me earlier when I said, my Father is greater than I, then you'd understand I'm making no such claim. No, no. And this is the uniform teaching of the Word of God. So that's a very vital principle.

25:55 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.

26:13 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.

26:37 Oh, I'm sorry. Well, you see, that's risky business. It shows that you've got something that you're trying to push into the Bible and you've found a convenient catch-all. And you're throwing your predisposed notions or your preconceived opinions into a passage.

26:56 All right? Was there someone else who had a contribution to make? Yes, Bill? On the whole matter of the principles of hermeneutics?

Humility and the Role of the Holy Spirit in Understanding Scripture

27:11 Yes. There are several. There are none of them that you're going to read for nightcap reading, you know, just to relax before you go to bed. It's going to mean some hard study.

27:22 But there are several good books. One by Birkhoff on hermeneutics. I believe it's in our library. There are several others.

27:34 Let me hold off on that. And since Mr. Garlington is the real bibliophile, he's the one that would be most up on the most recent and most trustworthy. Perhaps I'll ask him to give you a little list of some of the books that are the best in that area.

27:49 I would defer to his judgment. I mean, there are several that I've read and found helpful. But let me say this so you don't become discouraged. Because some of you may say, boy, if you've got to do all of those things, why read my Bible?

28:01 Well, you see, many of you, you've even had to stop and think, well, by the way, what do I do? A lot of this is just plain common sense and spiritual instincts. If you're really coming to the Word of God, not to find an excuse. But if you're really coming to the Word of God, not to find an excuse.

28:12 But if you're really coming to the Word of God, not to find an excuse. But if you're really coming to the Word of God, not to find an excuse. But if you're really coming to the Word of God, not to find an excuse. To cover your sin, or looking for something novel by which to promote yourself.

28:21 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.

28:44 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.

29:00 If you've only got one, I've got a lot more than you've got. You sit where I'm sitting. Let me sit in the counselee's chair. No, there are many things that we don't understand.

29:04 Many things we will never understand. But you see, the man around me, the man in the chair, the man in the chair, the man in the chair, the man in the chair, the man in the chair, the man in the chair, the man in the chair, the man in the chair, the man in the chair, let me sit in the counselee's chair. No, there are many things that we don't understand. Many things we will never understand.

29:15 But you see the man or woman of faith whose heart is set upon believing and obeying his God because of his grace in Christ is content to have unanswered questions, obscure passages, and to give himself to living in the light of what is clear and believing what is plain and seeking to implement in his life the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. DR. TODD PICKENS. his life, what God has clearly revealed in his own holy word.

29:42 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.

29:52 The ignorant and the unstable, one has to do with problem of the head, the other has to do with an ethical problem. The ignorant and the unstable rest the scriptures. They're all the time saying, well, I'm just going to hold back from fully believing until I get this thing resolved and that thing resolved. My friend, who in the world are you to tell Almighty God what his time schedule is in opening your mind to his word?

30:16 Who am I to tell God that he's got to come and make this plain before Almighty me is going to bow? That's arrogant. Isn't that arrogance of the worst kind? Whereas the humility of faith says, O Lord, the darkness is surely in my own mind.

30:33 The obscurity is not in your truth, but in me. If it please you, Lord, give me light on that issue. But until you do, you've given me light on so many issues that demand all of my spiritual faculties that with all of my heart, I'm going to pursue a life of obedience and of trust in the areas that are plain. Now, that's the person who's going to get more light because the scripture says he gives his spirit to those who obey him.

30:59 The Lord Jesus said, He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself. To him. Well, does that give you some help, Chuck? All right, yes.

Embracing Authoritative Teaching and the Role of Spiritual Gifts

31:14 Louise?

31:43 Yeah.

31:45 Yes, this is a very good question. Now we're in another question. This is the question of when do we embrace a given interpretation as the proper one through a public teacher? And the answer to that question is basically this,

32:02 that when a solid, biblical, linguistic reason is given, for a given interpretation, if the person who is giving that interpretation has greater tools than we do for ascertaining the meaning of biblical words, for understanding the structure of biblical language, unless what they teach is patently contrary to something that is clear elsewhere, then we ought to embrace that as the teaching of the word of God until there is something in our own reading that is not the teaching of the word of God. That challenges it, or something that we hear from equally competent expositors of the word that makes us to challenge it. But you see, this is why God has instituted the teaching in the preaching office. Not everyone has an equal measure of tools to be a proper expositor of the word of God. You see, now we're not setting up a priestcraft, but Ephesians 4 says, he has given to his church pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints. So one of the great problems that we wrestle with, Louise, and I'm not saying this is your particular problem, but I know I've had to wrestle with it, and I think many do, is that the evangelicalism which forms the background of many of us has this notion that any Christian with his Bible indwelt by the Holy Spirit has as much ability

33:29 to expound and properly to interpret any passage of scripture as any other Christian no matter what his gifts may be. Well, that's a fallacy. Because arriving, at the proper meaning of the word of God is not only a spiritual matter, it also involves the matter of having the proper tools to arrive at an understanding of the passage. For instance, I'll make some statements in this morning's message on 2 Corinthians 8-9.

33:57 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, this is the way the authorized version renders it, the ASV, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. Well, when you read that in the English version, it would give the impression Christ was rich. That speaks of a state in the past. He became poor.

34:22 That speaks of a condition that replaced the rich state. He's now in the poor state. Well, that's not the teaching of the text at all. And the only way you'd know that is by having some acquaintance with the original language and seeing the text in the original, which literally renders on your account he became poor being rich.

34:44 So that the state of this being rich was something that always was and always obtained and always shall be, but the state of being poor is something that was added for a time.

34:59 Now you see, for someone to challenge that position, they would have to be able to challenge it on the basis of Greek grammar. Or, if I deduce something from that that entirely contradicted everything else, whereas I'm going to show that that parallels the teaching of Philippians 2. Who, not having been in the form of God, but who being in the form of God, took upon himself the form of a servant. And John 1, it doesn't say the word or the one who was the word became flesh, but the word, continuing to be all that he ever was, became something he never, had been.

35:37 The word became flesh. He was still rich with all that he is as the word. But he became something in addition to that that he never had been. He became poor in his humiliation, beginning with the incarnation and ending with the exaltation.

35:53 Well, you see, those are the distinctions that someone has to have additional tools or at least exposure to them to make a valid and a mature judgment on them. Am I responding to the question? Good. Yes.

Receiving the Word with Readiness and Immediate Obedience

36:07 All right. Phil, and then back to Chuck.

36:14 Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

36:15 Here's the case. Yes. Most of us think of riches and poverty in terms of material things. Well, here's a figurative use.

36:23 He being rich with what? Well, what good does money do in heaven?

36:29 Couldn't be material things. It had to be spiritual realities. Good point. Yes, Chuck?

36:40 That's right. They receive...

36:49 Very good point. Good point. That the text in Acts 17 and 11 says these were more noble than they at Thessalonica in that they received the word with readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily. So it doesn't say they held the word in abeyance until they were convinced that it was so.

37:07 They received it and there was, as it were, that tentative commitment of faith to that word because a competent, authorized servant of Christ had given it, the apostle Paul, and finding nothing in the word to contradict it, it came to that, shall we say, fixed level of personal commitment to it. So there is the, may we say, the tentative embrace of faith and then the confirmed commitment of full understanding and of faith. Yes, George?

37:56 Absolutely. Very good point. That where it's as plain as noonday, that that's the teaching of the word and the implications are as plain as noonday, even the wait till you get home, to say, Lord, I embrace that, I commit myself to it, is to harden your heart. Today, if you hear his voice, harden not your heart.

38:16 And the only insurance against hardness of heart is immediate response in faith and obedience to that which God reveals as truth from the word. Very good point, George. See, now we're entering into the whole dynamics of how we listen to that word. That's another whole question.

The Christian and Civil Law: General Principles of Submission

38:32 Yes, Phil?

38:34 All right, can we lay this one to rest for now? I think you have the general consent of the group. All right, Phil?

38:47 Yeah. All right, now what precisely is your question?

39:27 That's a tacky one. Could you hear Phil's question up in the balcony?

39:34 How do we as the people of God

39:38 differentiate, or should we even differentiate, between the letter of a given civil law and the spirit of that law? Is it ever right to salve our consciences that we are keeping the spirit while we may be breaking the letter? In response to that question, we've got about eight minutes.

39:57 Let's try to set up our framework to wrestle with. And what is the large framework within which we must begin our wrestling with the specific details?

40:11 John?

40:13 All right, what principles in particular as they set the field for wrestling with this question?

40:24 Okay, the whole general teaching of passages such as what? Romans 13. Let's look at it for a moment.

40:34 And then the other key passage in 1 Peter 2.

40:40 I will not steal Mr. Garlington's thunder,

40:49 but here's the great principle, Romans 13.1. Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers, or authorities, for there is no power but of God, and the powers that be are ordained of God. Therefore he that resisteth the power withstandeth the ordinance of God, and they that withstand shall receive to themselves judgment.

41:13 For rulers are not a terror to the good works, but to the evil, and wouldst thou have no fear of the power, do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the same. And he concludes, in verse 7, render to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Now, was there a Christian government in existence at this time? Yes or no?

41:43 No. Now, what was the government?

41:46 Was it a representative democracy? Or a federal government? No. No, it wasn't that at all.

41:56 And yet, the apostle says, let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers. Were all the taxes used for noble ends?

42:06 No. So you see, the framework has many parallels in terms of our own situation. But the great overriding principle, though there are a hundred questions we could ask, is that a Christian is to be submissive to the laws of the government under which he exists. And you have a similar injunction in much briefer terminology in 1 Peter chapter 2, 1 Peter chapter 2, 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 13.

42:33 Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme or unto governors as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to them that do well. And then he goes on to show that such conduct is essential to the validating of our professed adherence to the gospel and to Christ. So, when we come to wrestle with a question like this, we've got to start with the broad biblical principles. Now, in the light of those broad biblical principles, what should be my general rule of thumb as a Christian?

43:12 The one with which I operate day by day in the normal course of events.

43:19 George? That would be the exception. All right? But the general principle with which I operate then is what?

43:29 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...

44:06 In spite of all of that, the scripture says, tribute to whom? Tribute is due. And as much as everything in me boils at the thought of what some of that's going for, nonetheless, that's my obligation. The word of God is clear.

44:23 I must operate by that rule of thumb. Otherwise, you have the situation that you have in the days of the judges when it says there was no king in Israel and every man did that which was right. Right in his own eyes and you end up with total anarchy. All right?

44:40 Now, the one great governing principle that should always condition that commitment is the one Mr. Gergeles has mentioned that at any point where the law of the land would force me to break one of God's clearly revealed precepts, at that point I must be willing for civil disobedience and its consequences in order to be able to do that. in order to be able to do that. in order to be able to do that.

45:05 to be obedient to God.

Navigating Ambiguous Civil Laws and Seeking Counsel

45:08 If the state requires of me an act that is clearly immoral, at that point I must, in the name of conscience, not personal convenience, be prepared to be disobedient to the state. So those are the general principles with which we work. Now, we come down to a specific. And I'm glad our time's running out.

45:32 Yes. Go ahead, Phil.

45:37 All right.

45:43 Yes. Yes. All right. So this would at least begin to introduce some of the specifics.

46:09 When we come into an area where there is a specific statute that was made to correct a specific issue, an evil or set of evils or to hold it in check, and I have a circumstance that doesn't fit that set of evils that it's seeking to hold in check or that protection it's seeking to afford others, if I have a question as to whether or not my specific activity is within the framework of that intent of that law, then you ought to do exactly what you did. Go to the people responsible for the administration of that law and without hiding a thing, say, this is what I am proposing to do. Will this be in violation of that statute? If word came to you that I were doing thus and thus, would you feel it was your responsibility to administer punishment to me for breaking that law? And in your case, the man said, no, in the implementation of that law, this is what our concern is. And if you can, with good conscience, I'm not going to legislate and I don't think anyone else can legislate in that kind of an instance. Now, someone says, that's situation ethics.

47:19 No, it isn't. Situation ethics says there are no moral absolutes. In some situations, it may be right to fornicate and commit adultery. In other situations, it may be wrong.

47:29 Well, we say, in no circumstances is it ever right to break the law of God. It's never right to murder, to fornicate, to blaspheme, to steal, etc. But now, when we come to the fine details of the application of those broad principles, is this civil disobedience Well, if I have a question, then I'd better get a ruling from the power that God has instituted. In which case, you got a ruling from the power that was instituted.

47:57 I think, for my own sake, in a situation like that, I'd want something, maybe ask for a statement so that down the line, if someone else came into a situation who didn't share that perspective and then sought to bring litigation against you, you could say, look, I have not hidden the thing. Your testimony might be jeopardized.

48:20 Again, we have one man in a minute now. This opens up a can of worms, I know. Any other contributions that you'd like? Yes, Ralph?

48:57 Yes.

49:02 And there again, you see, the Christian to whom the doctrine of God's sovereignty is not an abstract principle but a burning reality, he can embrace those things. It ain't easy sometimes, but he can embrace them and believe that God is using them as a refining process. Well, our time's up. So, we've got to close our class.

Closing Prayer and Application

49:19 Let's thank God for our time together. Our Father, at the beginning of this hour, we paused in your presence and ask the guidance and direction of your Holy Spirit in the questions that would be raised and in our wrestling with them. We believe that you have guided us by your Holy Spirit to our mutual profit. We pray now that with our new measure of light and confirmation of things understood before, there may be grace to live and think and act in accordance with that light.

49:58 We thank you for your word. We thank you for your Holy Spirit. We thank you for the conviction born by the Spirit in our hearts that your word is the sufficient and the only rule of faith and of practice. Give us grace to so live that others may see that that is not a mere lip confession, but the principle by which we operate in every detail of life.

50:25 Hear our cry. Receive our praise. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.