Biblical Interpretation and Walking by the Spirit
Some would have you believe that you cannot ever interpret the bible from your experience. This is not true, and to believe it is, opens us up to more deception, than if we walk by the truth of an experienential relationship with God. This is partly due to the fact that Satan is roaming about, seeking whom he may devour. If you are unware of the thoughts he throws into your mind, you are going to misinterpret the bible anyhow. This is also related to The Hope In Me post.But, if you walk according to your experience with Yahweh, and seek first His Kingdom and His RIGHTEOUSNESS, all else will be added unto you, and you will not fall.
Now, we don't want to leave this article here, because some will make excuses for themselves, to believe a heresy, and not be accountable for it. This should not happen, as we know that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation (2 Peter 1:19-21
). We also know that there are those who run after fables (2 Timothy 4:3-5), and deny righteousness, having a form of godliness, but denying the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:5-7) to change one's heart, into a heart of righteousness.
The fact that others are not lead of the Holy Spirit, but say that they are, does not make an excuse for other believers to not be walking by their experience WITH GOD.
To really hit home with this topic, I think it's pertenant to ask some vital questions of yourself.
- Why is it, that the past holy men of God, walked according to their experience with God, and we rely on the traditions of man, and man's flawed biblical interpretations of Who God is, and what is meant by the Word of God. Did not they have the scriptures? Yeah, they did. But they still walked according to their own experience, with the TRUE God.
- Why should we believe the bible, and not a host of other religious works? What makes the bible so much better, than that of the Koran, for example? Good question, no?
- Well, it's really quite simple. You have no business believing that the bible is the Word fo God, unless you have experienced what it teaches, and have a relationship with God, FOR YOURSELF.
- Why believe in the Word of God, if God has not confirmed it in you? If your heart has not had a change , why believe? If you're just *trying out* this whole Christian thing, you will not truly believe. It must be an EXPERIENCE, or you have NOTHING. When Saul was annointed king of Israel, God completely changed his heart. That was the signifier that he had something from God.
- So, do we do just like the muslims do, and believe what we're taught by men? Or are we going to really experience that true, new, life???
- Why is it, that the traditional view today, is that we need to abide by rules and regulations?
- Why is it that Yashua said that a man born of the Spirit is like the wind, he never knows where he is going, or what he will do next? Does this not mean that we will be ENTIRELY lead of the Spirit? Will not this leading, entirely line up with scripture?
- Why do we put so much weight and value in the shadow pictures (written scripture) of good things to come, and do not hold dear the very reality of those things? i.e. Jeremiah 31:34, Hebrews 8:11, and 1 John 2:26-28? Specifically, a relationship with Yashua.
- Why is it that so many of use believe that the Spirit kills, and the letter gives life?
Some time ago, I read a very good mini-book on this topic. It goes into far greater depth than I do here. Truly, it is such an amazing explanation of what every true believer, who walks by the Spirit, should already know. You can find it on his site: http://awildernessvoice.com/AllTruth.html. Below are three quotes, to help understand what you're about to read.
Satan has fabricated a web of lies to scare believers away from this reformation. He has branded those who follow the Spirit as mystics, fanatics, and "so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good." Many of the learned masters of Christendom today behave as though Paul's words in second Corinthians three six read, "The Spirit kills but the letter gives life." They constantly issue warnings about the dangers of being lead solely by the Spirit of God. They say that since the closing of the canon of scripture, God no longer speaks to us directly by His Spirit, but speaks to us through the Bible only. With such logic they have effectively created a religion as safe from the Spirit and resurrection power of God as that of the Sadducees.
The abuses of those individuals who profess that the Spirit leads them when they are really led by their own lusts complicate this matter greatly. Remember, when Jesus was lead by the Spirit, He laid down His life in obedience to the Father in the way of the cross. When Peter tried to dissuade Him from walking this path, Jesus replied, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men."
Let us use a natural illustration to make our point. If we were to deal with possible dangers in our natural lives in the same manner in which Christendom attempts to avoid error, we would stay safely nestled in our beds, afraid to roll over for fear of falling out. Should riding bicycles, driving cars, flying in airplanes, hang gliding and the like be strictly forbidden because people have previously been injured and killed doing these things? Should we get rid of our cars because people are daily maimed by them? So what if some do the oddest things, saying that they were led of the Spirit to do so? Should we discourage people from following the leading of the Spirit because some err? When our children are injured on their bicycles, do we throw the bike in the garbage and never let them near another one? Or do we encourage them to overcome their fears, get back on and grow from the experience? We know intuitively that overprotection can establish a pattern of defeat in their lives, so we encourage them to brush aside the pain of skinned knees and elbows, get back on and ride.
