Coffee With The Lord

12 Basic Presuppositions and Convictions About Scripture That I Embrace

• The Bible is inspired… Its message is sourced in God – it comes from God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

• The Bible is both a divine book (inspired by God) and a human book (written in human language by human writers).  Both aspects are essential and must be affirmed and held in tension.

• The text of Scripture is completely trustworthy and true (“infallible” – true – “inerrant”).

• The text of Scripture originally came to us in the languages of Hebrew, Aramaic and Koine Greek.

• The language of the biblical text should be taken seriously, examined carefully – Therefore a largely literal version of Scripture (a “standard version”) is best for serious study.

• Close examination / analysis of a passage of Scripture in foundational to quality Bible study and interpretation of Scripture (i.e. what does the passage say and how does it say it).

• Quality Bible study requires consideration of the “then and there” of a text (i.e. the “situation” to, from or about which, a passage was written).  That should always precede consideration of the message to us “here and now”.

• Biblical writers had a purpose in what they were led to write – therefore consideration of the writer’s purpose in a biblical passage is critical.

• An understanding of a complete literary unit of Scripture (i.e. a “book” of the Bible) provides the background for understanding the individual units within it (i.e. passages). 

• Both the broader context and immediate context of Scripture must be taken into account in interpreting Scripture… context rules in interpretation!

• The message of Scripture, although ancient and spoken to particular situations and for particular purposes in the past, is a timeless message and the truths) expressed therein apply to all humankind and cultures.

• In Bible study and the task of interpretation, we come to the biblical text to examine what it says and by the time we have finished God has examined us!  The Holy Spirit makes the truth of Scripture real to us.  We encounter the Living God as we study and apply the message of Scripture.  Scripture points beyond itself to the Living God!!!

Expressed by LeRoy R. Bartel, DMin