Why so many differences in interpretation and doctrine if we have the same Spirit?

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Why so many differences in interpretation and doctrine if we have the same Spirit?

The scriptures are clear that all believers have the same Spirit (John 16:13 / 1 Corinthians 12:7 and 12:13). Now, if that is true? How do we have so much division in our churches about certain scripture interpretations and doctrines? Why don’t we all receive the same truth to teach the church?

This is a valid question and needs to be discussed, given the context and scope of this book. Here are a few reasons why men differ in their interpretation of the Scriptures.

(1) We are sinful by nature, and therefore we have certain limitations on our understanding. There isn’t a person alive today who is so pure that in that person resides all truth. No matter how smart we are, at the end of the day, there may be areas to which our sin has blinded us to the truth.

(2) There are differences because people approach the word of God with different presuppositions. There could be a lot of baggage that is carried from or inherited from our past life (i.e., our cultural upbringing, traditions, and heritage).

(3) Another reason why people have problems interpreting scripture is that people shy away from the hard work of studying scripture. This is why Paul told Timothy that the elders who laboured hard in the word and doctrine are worthy of double honor.

(4) Lastly, another reason there are differing opinions is that we, as limited human beings, cannot ultimately, fully or totally know the infinite mind of God.

But besides all this, we need to add a disclaimer that the Bible isn’t overly complex or impossible to understand. If we address the human tendency to misinterpret and approach the Word of God with an attitude of prayer, living a pure life, and engaging in diligent study, we can become vessels ready to seek and receive the truth.

Purpose of the Old Testament

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Purpose of the Old Testament

When reading the Old Testament, we must approach it with great care. Misinterpreting it can strip it of its meaning and even lead to spiritually harmful conclusions. To truly benefit from the Old Testament as Christians, we need to preserve its original purpose.

The Old Testament is foundational for Christians. It reveals God’s redemptive plan through the Messiah, outlines Israel’s role in that plan, and demonstrates God’s unchanging faithfulness. The apostle Paul reminds us that the Old Testament was written as an example for us, offering valuable lessons and warnings for godly living (1 Corinthians 10:6, 11). For this reason, a proper understanding of its teachings is essential.

The Old Testament is critical for Christian growth and maturity, but it must be handled correctly. The meaning intended for the original audience must guide how we apply it today. By understanding its context, we can draw out lessons that align with God’s purpose.

There is so much we can learn from the Old Testament, but we must ensure our interpretations and applications are faithful to the text. When handled responsibly, it becomes a powerful resource for living a godly life and understanding God’s redemptive plan.

Replacement Theology – why the church isn’t Israel.

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Replacement Theology – why the church isn’t Israel.

One of the wrong interpretation models in some churches is one where they approach reading the Old Testament Scriptures by replacing Israel with the church. This consequently leads to interpreting passages that explicitly speak to the nation of Israel, and the Jewish people, as though they were addressed to modern-day church Christians.

The term “Replacement Theology” has been coined for this kind of interpretation, where the reader replaces the intended meaning for Israel (the original audience) and substitutes it with an application for the church.

This is achieved by spiritualizing the text with a different meaning that allows for a direct connection to the church.

The danger with such an interpretive approach is that it opens the door to multiple meanings that are governed by the interpreter’s preconceptions rather than basing it on the context in which the text was written.

An illustration of how this type of interpretation looks is like reading a love letter you found on the streets and saying, “aww, somebody loves me.” That is what we do when we take something out of context and try and apply it to our own lives.

How do we know what verses apply and what do not?

One of the prevalent questions concerning the applications of the verses directed at Israel is to determine how the principles in those verses would apply to us in the Church age today.

The answer to that is not very easy and is a heavily debated topic among scholars who recommend careful study to discern which of the Old Testament principles are transferable to us while staying true to their context.

But the general premise is to examine the context of the Old Testament events to find out whether the verse is attached to a spiritual truth or is simply stated as some kind of identification mark for the nation of Israel.

Acts such as certain dress codes or dietary laws had no spiritual application tied to them. They were simply identifying marks to keep the people of Israel from associating or joining with other pagan nations.

It is essential while reading certain texts to identify what was the motive of God in giving these principles and, at the same time, source out any direct spiritual application for it.

Another way to identify if the principles apply to us is to see if Jesus Himself repeated or said anything specifically about those principles.

In conclusion, interpreting Old Testament passages requires careful thought to determine whether a principle is a timeless spiritual truth or a specific instruction for Israel. By understanding God’s purpose in giving these commands and looking for any spiritual application, we can better discern their relevance for us today. Additionally, examining whether Jesus affirmed or repeated these principles provides further clarity, helping us stay faithful to the context of Scripture and its intended meaning.

Wrong Devotionals in church groups

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Wrong Devotionals in church groups

Many churches encourage personal devotional sessions in their study groups where Christians are trained to take any passage from the Bible and attempt to find a personal application.

A common practice involves going around the room and asking believers to share their opinion about the verse in question, which usually starts with the phrase, “well to me this verse means such and such.”

The outcome of such devotion is simply a compilation of everyone’s ignorance and several potential interpretations, all of which may be wrong and out of context.

Such a hermeneutical approach misguides people into thinking that the Bible is about them when Jesus says all the Scriptures point to Him.

John 5:39-40 (NKJV)

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.  But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

Similarly, when devotional practices encourage believers to focus on self-centered interpretations, they risk misunderstanding the purpose of Scripture. The Bible is not primarily about us; it is about Christ. Only after understanding what God is saying through His Word can we apply it correctly to our lives. The true meaning of any verse lies not in personal opinions but in discerning God’s intent as revealed in the text.

The truth is that it does not matter what a particular verse means to you and me. What matters is finding out what the verse means by discerning the actual meaning of Scripture to understand what God is saying in the text.

Emotional & Experience

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Emotional & Experience: 

The most common interpretive style prevalent today is the emotional / experiential type of reading based subjectively on one’s emotions and life experiences.

Many heretical groups place personal experience above proper hermeneutics in their interpretation of Biblical truth.

People who use this method of interpretation will say things like, “These scriptures mean this because I feel this way when I read them,” or they would say, “These scriptures mean this because I have experienced something like this before.”

The problem with this approach is that human experiences are limited, and our emotions flow from a heart that is deceitful and full of evil.

Ecclesiastes 9:3 (NKJV)

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Jeremiah 17:9 (NKJV)

“The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?

(See also Proverbs 28:26 and Mark 7:20-23)

This is why we must not interpret the Bible by our emotions and experiences; instead, we must interpret our feelings and experiences by the Bible.

Our experiences should primarily be informed by a correct interpretation of Scripture and not the other way around.

One’s experience is always subject to change and is highly influenced by personal retrospections, feelings, and opinions.   On the other hand, God’s word is accurate and authoritative and is something that never changes.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Interpretation & Application

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Interpretation & Application

There is a basic distinction between interpretation and the application of the biblical text to our lives. Interpretation involves allowing proper context to explain the text, while application involves using that interpretation to affect our actions and hearts. At best, there is only one proper interpretation of any given biblical text. However, there may be multiple applications for one verse.

Now granted, some texts of Scripture are difficult to understand and have produced a variety of interpretive opinions. Unfortunately, even some seemingly clear passages have been misinterpreted, especially when the reader tries to quickly find a practical application for their life.

Modern misapplication of Scripture often arises from our desire for quick fixes and instant solutions. This approach has minimized careful study in exchange for immediate application. Instead, we should carefully read the Scriptures, desiring to uncover essential background information that leads us to accurate interpretations.

Even when preaching God’s word, many teachers often ignore proper interpretation to rapidly reach an application or illustrate a preconceived idea.

Such preaching methods are ineffective. Preachers must instead focus on their responsibility of clearly presenting the truth of Scripture, trusting Scripture alone, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to convict and transform hearts.

While practical applications in preaching can be helpful, they will not fully cover all the individual issues within a congregation, nor is there sufficient time for preachers to provide personalized applications to everyone listening.

The Bible is God’s inspired word, but the same cannot always be said of the interpretations derived from it. Many cults, including some Christian groups, have used the Bible to support their erroneous doctrines. Often, misinterpretations extracted from a simple biblical text not only differ from the original context but directly contradict it.

This by no means implies that the Bible itself is confusing or impossible to interpret; rather, the problem lies with us and the methods we use to interpret it.

The crux of the issue is our sinful nature. Because we are sinners, we are incapable of consistently interpreting God’s word without allowing our old sinful thoughts, ideas, and worldviews to interfere. Our body, mind, will, and emotions have been tarnished by sin, making perfect interpretation impossible.

However, this does not mean we should abandon interpreting Scripture. On the contrary, we must approach God’s word with care, humility, and sound reasoning.

Most importantly, we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we interpret, meditate on, and study the Scriptures. Since the Holy Spirit inspired Scripture, He alone can lead us into a proper understanding and illuminate how each text should be applied to our lives. 

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