1 Can We Understand the Bible Alike?— Part I. 2 Can We Understand the Bible Alike?

1

Can We

Understand the

Bible Alike?—Part

I

2

Can We

Understand the

Bible Alike?

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Can We Understand

the Bible?

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Can We Understand the Bible?

Some say no. “… without supernatural help, the

common man cannot understand the Bible. They point to the many divisions in Protestantism to prove their point.”

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Those who say no … Quote II Peter 1:20.

(2 Pet 1:20 NASB) But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation,

“They interpret this verse to mean that no individual can interpret the Scripture by himself and must depend on the church to tell him what the Scriptures mean.”


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What does the Bible say about the Bible being understandable?


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Timothy understood.(2 Tim 3:15 NKJV) and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Timothy understood—from childhood.

And that was the Old Testament!!


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Whole books were to be read to congregations.(1 Th 5:27 NKJV) I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.

(Col 4:16 NKJV) Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.


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Paul said that when they read, they would understand.(Eph 3:4 NKJV) by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),


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Parts of books were addressed to husbands, wives, slaves, and children.(Eph 6:1 NKJV) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Those addressed were expected to understand what the will of the Lord was for them.(Eph 5:17 NKJV) Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.


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Yes! We can understand the Bible.


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Can We Understand the Bible Alike?

But, can we understand it alike?YES!! That is the only way we can

understand it. It offers truth on every subject. Only a misunderstanding can bring

differences.

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YES!!Not only can we understand it alike,

we must understand it alike!!… or, someone has misunderstood it.


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YES!! That is why Paul could expect Christians to be in harmony when they speak, or think, or discern:(1 Cor 1:10 NKJV) Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.


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YES!! That is why the New Testament so consistently speaks of “the faith.”(Acts 6:7 NKJV) … a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

(Eph 4:5 NKJV) one Lord, one faith, one baptism;(Eph 4:13 NKJV) till we all come to the unity of the faith …


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YES!! That is why the New Testament so consistently speaks of “the faith.”(2 Cor 13:5 NKJV) Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. ….

(1 Tim 6:10 NKJV) … some have strayed from the faith …

(Jude 1:3 NKJV) … to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.


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So, YES we can understand the Bible alike.

We should understand the Bible alike. Partly so that ...

(John 17:21 NKJV) … the world may believe …


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We can and should understand the Bible alike.

But, we do not understand the Bible alike.

Why is that?


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Sometimes our understanding is affected

by our heart. A desire to justify a particular

doctrine. A conclusion we want to keep. A prejudice from past experiences or

teachings. An attitude of not accepting.

We must be honest seekers.(2 Th 2:10 NKJV) … receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

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Sometimes our understanding is affected

by our heart.The next 11 slides present alleged

contradictions found on an Internet site; they seem to reflect an attitude of “not wanting to accept.”

In the next lesson, we will discuss a few fundamental principles of Bible study.

Then, we will apply those principles to explain and expose the “contradictions.”

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Bible “Contradictions”

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works. - Matthew 5:16

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them. - Matthew 6:1

Comment by person alleging contradiction: “Poor Jesus! Having to be written about by a man like this. That people are confused about Jesus is no wonder.”

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... thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. - Exodus 21:23-25

... resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. - Matthew 5:39

Comment by person alleging contradiction: “Boiled down, this is Jesus saying that the Law of God is incorrect and he knows better.”

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Thou shalt not kill - Exodus 20:13

Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side... and slay every man his brother... - Exodus 32:27

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And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. - Genesis 32:30

No man hath seen God at any time. - John 1:18

Comment by person alleging contradiction: “I guess John was not familiar with the ‘Old Testament.’”

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The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father. - Ezekiel 18:20

... I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. - Exodus 20:5

Comment by person alleging contradiction: “… two authors putting forth what they believe to be the word of God. These two so obviously contradict each other that an interpretation is almost unnecessary.”

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"In righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor." -Leviticus 19:15

"Judge not, that ye be not judged." -Matthew 7:1

Comment by person alleging contradiction: “Quite clearly a contradiction from the previous instruction given by God.”

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Therefore Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no child unto the day of her death. - II Samuel 6:23

The five sons of Michal, the daughter of Saul. - II Samuel 21:8

Comment by person alleging contradiction: “Here we see an author who could not follow his own story line. … I will not interpret this at all, for the absurdity of it shall be its own interpretation.”

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Think not that I come to send peace on earth: I come not to send peace, but a sword. – Matt. 10:34

... all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. - Matthew 26:52

Comment by person alleging contradiction: “The author of Matthew should have probably chosen another word in one of these words so it does not make Jesus look like a fool. Clearly, the author wrote these two verses some time apart.”

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And the men which journeyed with [Paul] stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. - Acts 9:7

And they that were with me [Paul] saw indeed the light and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. - Acts 22:9

Comment by person alleging contradiction: “The first says the men heard a voice but saw no man, while the second says that they saw a light but did not hear a voice.”

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Abraham had two sons; one by a bonds-maid, the other by a free woman. - Galatians 4:22

By faith, Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac... his only begotten son. - Hebrews 11:17

Comment by person alleging contradiction: “[The author] clearly knew that Ishmael was also begotten by Abraham, but must have forgotten it when he wrote this letter.”

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Cursed is he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. - Deuteronomy 27:22

And Abraham said... She is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. - Genesis 20:11-12

Comment by person alleging contradiction: “We know that Abraham was indeed not cursed, but one of the most beloved of God's men.”

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Comment by person alleging contradictions: “Sometimes the explanation is almost as humorous as the fact that people actually believe the story in the first place...almost as humorous.”

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Next time: How To Study the Bible

We will look at principles of Bible study, then apply them to these alleged contradictions (and respond to his disrespectful comments).

Sometimes our understanding is

affected by our head.

Documents

1 Can We Understand the Bible Alike?— Part I. 2 Can We Understand the Bible Alike?