God’s Word is intended to be understood. It is sufficiently clear that we can learn from it all we need for salvation and daily living (2 Timothy 3:15-17). It was written not only for the scholar but also for all of God’s people. God designed His Word to be understood.
God’s Word can be distorted (2 Peter 3:16). Distorting the Scriptures has a destructive influence on people. Only a correct understanding of God’s truth can bring genuine freedom to our lives (John 8:32).
The Bible is God’s inspired Word (2 Timothy 3:16). Jesus Himself testified to the truthfulness of God’s Word (John 17:17). God’s truth does not contradict itself. No Scripture should be interpreted in such a way as to render it in conflict with what is clearly taught elsewhere in Scripture.
Some use John 14:28 as a text to prove that Jesus is not fully God. Jesus stated that the Father was greater than He. Does this verse mean that Jesus is less than God?
It is important to let the Bible interpret the Bible. If John 14:28 were the only verse in the Bible about the Person of Christ, we might consider accepting this wrong interpretation; however, we must look to see whether the same author gave us any insight into interpreting this difficult verse.
John began his gospel by declaring that “the Word was God” (1:1). The lack of the article in the Greek text stresses the divine nature of Christ; so the rendering “a god” must be rejected. John told us what Jesus revealed about Himself. Jesus’ meaning is clear from the reaction of His opponents, who understood Him to claim that He was equal with God (5:18).
Jesus claimed to be eternal and identified Himself with Jehovah (John 8:58). His opponents clearly understood His claim and desired to stone Him (10:33). The climax of John’s teaching about Christ was his record of Jesus receiving Thomas’ worship of Him as God (20:28).
The other clear teachings about Christ in John’s gospel guard us against a wrong understanding of John 14:28. How should this verse be understood? The Father is greater in His heavenly glory than Christ was in His earthly humiliation. Jesus was as much God as the Father was, but the humanity He took on obscured His awesome glory as God.
Some try to teach from 1 John 3:6 that it is impossible for a genuine believer to sin. Such an interpretation can greatly trouble the soul of a struggling Christian. Other verses in the book of 1 John direct us away from this incorrect interpretation.
In 1 John 1:7-10 and 2:1-2, we find that God made a provision for a believer’s sin. The Apostle Paul taught against the false notion that one can reach a state of perfection in this life (Philippians 3:12-14). The Greek verb translated “sins” in 1 John 3:6 is in the present tense, which often denotes continuous action. The idea is that a true believer’s life is not characterized by deliberate and habitual sin.
It is important to note that the Scriptures do not say everything about a subject each time the subject is mentioned. In fact, it is Hebrew style to make startling statements that emphasize one aspect of the truth (Hendriksen, Luke, Baker). Complementary truths are not contradictory truths.
Some have wrongly affirmed that all sickness is due to personal sin, basing their view on Jesus’ statement in John 5:14. Other Scriptures indicate that personal sin may be one possible reason for sickness; on the other hand, it might have nothing whatsoever to do with the sickness. Jesus also taught that some calamities and sicknesses are designed to give God an opportunity to display His glory in healing (John 9:1-3). God may also choose to use the sickness to create a humility that allows one to experience more of His grace (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
Scripture speaks of unhealthy fears that do not come from God. God has not given the believer a spirit of fear (Romans 8:15; 2 Timothy 1:7). On the other hand, the believer is commanded to work out his salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).
Putting together all the relevant data enables one to see that God does not give paralyzing fears. These fears are contradictory to His encouragement to trust and submit to Him. He does give purifying fears that are essential in the sanctification process of the believer’s life.
We should not interpret 1 Corinthians 7 in a way that views marriage only as a reluctant second choice to singleness. God’s Word does not say everything about a subject every time it occurs in a passage. The helpful emphasis of 1 Corinthians 7 is on the practical advantages and benefits of singleness. The chapter was not intended to be a detailed treatise on marriage.
God stated that it is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18), but His Word also affirms that the state of singleness is good (1 Corinthians 7:1,8). All are single for at least a season of their life. Some are single all their lives. One reason 1 Corinthians 7 was put in the Bible was to help single people see the benefits of their singleness.
Discerning God’s truth involves seeing the beautiful balance of God’s Word. Truth out of balance is error. It is essential to understand the concept of balancing truths in order to correctly apply God’s Word.
The balance of God’s Word truly leads the discerning believer to worship the God of wisdom. What are some examples of balancing truths in Scripture? An obvious example is the balance between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. God’s Word affirms the sovereignty of God and at the same time testifies to man’s responsibility (Acts 2:23).
“It is easier to go to a consistent extreme than to stay in the center of Biblical tension” (McQuilkin, Understanding and Applying the Bible, Moody). Our responsibility is to preach the gospel to every creature, but the sovereign God draws men and women to Christ (Mark 16:15; John 6:44).
The Bible teaches that man is totally depraved (Romans 3:10-18; Ephesians 2:1-3). Sin has affected every part of man’s being, and he is completely separated from God. The balancing truth is that depraved man has a great dignity because he is made in the image of God (James 3:9). All men are worthy of honor and respect because of this balancing truth (1 Peter 2:17). We are to hate the sin, but the balancing truth is to love the sinner.
Scripture teaches that God’s grace alone saves a sinner (Ephesians 2:8-9). Man’s good works can in no way merit his salvation. God is vitally interested in good works in a believer’s life, however. Such works deserve an appropriate emphasis (vs. 10).
The believer is told that he has a responsibility to work out his salvation or sanctification (Philippians 2:12). The Christian life does involve work. The balancing truth is found in verse 13. God supplies the motivation and enabling for the believer’s work. Paul put the balancing truths together in Colossians 1:29 when he wrote of laboring and striving according to God’s workings or power.
The doctrine of the physical body is another area of truth that needs to be kept in balance. Some people tend to put too much focus on the body and neglect the spiritual dimension of life. Although the Bible says our spirits, not our bodies, have been presently redeemed (Romans 8:23), we are not to neglect caring for the physical body. The balancing truth is that while the body is yet to be redeemed, it does have great dignity as the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 7:1 records Jesus’ prohibition concerning judging others. There is a critical attitude that our Lord forbids. We are not to put ourselves in the place of God. There is ultimately only one Lawgiver and Judge.
The balancing truth is that the believer often must make discerning choices. Jesus commanded us to judge with righteous judgment (John 7:24). As we place ourselves under God’s authority, we can also appropriately confront others (Matthew 7:5).
The world system advocates a life that is opposed to submission and trust in God. Loving the world is contrary to loving God. The believer is commanded to not love the world system (1 John 2:15).
The command to not love the world should not be interpreted in a way that hinders a believer from legitimately enjoying life. God has given the believer many things to enjoy. The believer is to enjoy life as he trusts in God (1 Timothy 6:17).
The book of Proverbs gives an obvious example of the need to put truth in balance. Proverbs 26:4 forbids answering a fool according to his folly. The next verse commands us to answer the fool according to his folly. The truths in the two verses are complementary, not contradictory. They each provide an aspect of the total truth. It is wrong at times to degenerate to the level of the fool’s conversation. It is necessary at other times to put the fool in his proper place.
Isaiah 45:7 states that God creates evil. This text affirms God’s complete control over all things, including sin and evil. Other Scriptures clearly reveal God’s hatred of evil (Proverbs 6:16; Hebrews 1:13).
God, in His perfect love, did not force His creatures to obey Him; rather, He allowed them to rebel against Him. He is not the blameworthy cause of sin and evil, but He also never gave up His sovereign control. He hates sin and must judge it, for He is holy. He also desires that men escape this judgment through trusting Christ.
Jesus taught that God should be worshiped in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). The latter emphasizes the need for objective truth to guide our worship. The former emphasizes the need to allow this objective truth to penetrate our inward person. Balance is again necessary even in worship.
Ephesians 1:3 states the privilege of a believer in light of his position in Christ. He has been blessed with every spiritual blessing. The same truth is reiterated in 2 Peter 1:3-4. The Bible stresses this important fact by repeating it.
The balancing truth concerns the responsibilities of the believer to live in the light of his position in Christ (Ephesians 4:1). These responsibilities must not be isolated from the truth of the believer’s being in Christ. If isolated from his being in Christ, these responsibilities are seen as out of balance.
As believers we are commanded to love. This command is built on the foundation of our being recipients of God’s love. When commands are stripped away from the foundational privilege and blessing, we have lost the balance of God’s Word.
The character of God is beautifully balanced. He is just and also merciful. It is important for us to have a balanced understanding of God in order to develop an appropriate love, trust, and fear of God.
God’s anger and wrath are truths of Scripture that produce a fear of God (Psalm 90:11). In other texts we read that a knowledge of God’s forgiveness is needed to produce a fear of Him (130:3-4). The total revelation of the truth of God is beautifully balanced.
The transformation of believers’ lives into the image of Christ is the predestined plan of God (Romans 8:29-30). the character of Christ is balanced. No one character quality can be isolated from other character qualities.
Christ-likeness consists of a wonderful balance of righteousness and love. It balances strength and tenderness, as well as the ability to confront with the ability to console. God wants us to be mature and complete in our character (James 1:4). The disciplined person may need a little more spontaneity. The spontaneous person may need a little more discipline.
One should never focus on one character quality in Scripture at the expense of another. Some may emphasize generosity and yet not pay their debts. Others may pursue candor to the point that this trait becomes brutality.
One must interpret Scripture in the light of other Scripture in order to objectively understand God’s Word. This involves gathering all the relevant scriptural data on the subject. It also includes keeping this data in balance. “A truth is rarely valid in isolation. A truth may be true in relationship to other truths and less true when separated from them” (McQuilkin).