The Old Self Is Dead

“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” Romans 6:6

“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” Colossians 3:9-10

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            There's a popular misconception about the nature of a Christian. It claims that a Christian is a hybrid of two equal natures: an old self and a new self. It's the idea of a believer as a fifty-fifty combination of two radically different natures.  

On the surface, this view seems correct because it feels correct. As Christians, we definitely struggle with sin. “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do” (Galatians 5:17). And what Christian can’t identify with Paul’s experience in Romans 7:15-20? Conversion doesn’t eradicate sin in the Christian’s life. We will be fighting and putting our sin to death until glory.

At the same time, we must not think of the Christian’s nature as having two equal parts: old and new. This can convey the impression that my true self is really neutral, and I must daily choose between my two natures. When I choose to live according to my new nature, I have victory in the Christian life, but when I choose to live according to my old nature, I fall. Put in these terms, hopefully, we can see the problem.

The core identity of the Christian isn’t neutral. The old self is dead! He was crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6), and we put him away at our conversion (Colossians 3:9). We are new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We have now put on the new self which is being renewed day by day. Instead of thinking of ourselves as a hybrid of an old self and a new self, we need to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ (Romans 6:11).

How then should we describe ourselves as Christians? We are new selves with remaining corruption in our lives. Anthony Hoekema says, "We are genuinely new, though we are not yet completely new." Paul calls this remaining corruption “the sin that dwells in me.” What is interesting is that Paul doesn’t speak of indwelling sin as being at the core of my nature. Read Romans 7:20 carefully: “Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” As a man with a new self, Paul wants to do what is right, but when he fails—and this is very important—he says, “it is no longer I who do it.” Now we know Paul isn’t denying the Christian’s responsibility for sin. Paul knows he is responsible for his sins. At the same time, he refuses to say sin is part of his identity (his “I”). He clearly sees himself as a new man with remnants of sin in his life, but those remnants no longer define him as a man in Christ.

This is critical. It means, when a Christian sins, he is acting contrary to his new nature in Christ. He is contradicting himself at a fundamental level. If you took the hybrid view, then, when a Christian sins, he is simply making a bad choice between two equally-opposing forces. But that’s not the way Paul speaks. When a Christian sins, it is no longer I who do it! Instead, I am allowing my remaining corruption to take over who I truly am!

So it’s best to say that as Christians we are new selves with remnants of our old man. The old man has been crucified with Christ. The old man has been put off. Now we must live according to who we really are in Christ. We must consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ (Romans 6:11). We must put to death our remaining sin (Colossians 3:5). We must stop offering our bodies up in the service of sin (Romans 6:13). We are new! Sin no longer defines us. We are not under the dominion of sin (Romans 6:14). We are living the Christian life from the point of decisive victory in the present and an assured victory in the future. To paraphrase John Owen, we can kill our sin because it has already been killed in Christ on the cross.

The struggle is real. We will battle with our sin until the day we die. We want to please Christ, but sin lies crouching at the door, ready to pounce. But we need to remember that we are not a fifty-fifty combination of flesh and Spirit. Yes, it may feel like that, but all is not as it seems! Our minds and hearts must be informed by the truth of what is, not what seems to be. We have been crucified with Christ. Our old self has been dealt a lethal blow, and we have been given a new self. This is who we are now. We are not neutral. We are disposed toward godliness. God has changed our desires and direction in life. In Christ we are bent towards obedience. The old man is dead. Believe the gospel!

What Legalism Is and Isn't

Christians are quick to charge others with legalism without clarifying what they mean. The charge of legalism, however, is a serious accusation and shouldn’t be thrown around lightly. We need to be more careful about calling other believers “legalistic" because what we call legalism isn't always so.

What Legalism Is

Legalism comes in many different forms. One form is what we might call full-blown legalism. This is the teaching that sinners can be saved by good works. Whether it’s completely by good works or a mixture of faith and good works, it doesn’t matter. Salvation is by God’s grace alone, and to teach otherwise is legalism. This form of legalism is pretty rare, though it’s certainly a problem in sections of the church today.

Another form of legalism, which is much more common, is the idea that Christians must obey manmade rules and regulations in addition to the commands of Scripture. Sometimes this comes in the form of arbitrary rules about makeup, clothing, and the length of your hair. At other times, these extrabiblical requirements concern holy days and dietary laws. The point is, no one other than Christ speaking in the Scriptures has the authority to bind your conscience. It is legalistic to make up rules for all Christians without any biblical warrant.

The most common legalism is best described as an attitude. We are guilty of legalism when we fall into the trap of thinking that God loves us more when we perform better. There more quiet times, the more Bible reading, the more prayer time, the better God loves me. That’s legalism, and that’s deadly. We must never forget that we are forever accepted in God’s sight because of what Jesus did for us on the cross once and for all. Christ’s finished sacrifice reconciles us to God and forever absolves us of all our shortcomings. Even though we know this in our heads, we have trouble believing this in our hearts. So we need to remind ourselves every day that we are not accepted by God on the basis of what we do. We are secure in our Father’s love because of who he is and because of what Christ has accomplished in our behalf.

What Legalism Isn’t

It is also important to understand what legalism isn’t. First of all, the desire to obey God is not legalism. If we are truly born again, we want to obey God because we want to please our heavenly Father. We are not trying to earn our salvation; we are expressing our gratitude for the salvation he has freely given us in his Son.

Secondly, the attempt to follow God’s law is not legalism. Believers should delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night. We aren’t using the law as the basis of our justification. The law is holy, righteous, and good. It sets before us a perfect pattern of God’s righteousness. The law reflects the righteousness and generosity of the God who gave it. So we cherish the law and delight to obey it out of love for Christ. The Reformers called this “the third use of the law” or the “regulative use of the law.”

Thirdly, striving to be careful and exact in our obedience is not legalism. Some Christians believe that we should simply “feel the Spirit” and do whatever subjective impulses come to mind. Whatever we feel is right is what we should do. This subjectivism is totally foreign to the Bible. True Christians want to do exactly what God says. We want to do it right away. We want to do it as he commanded.

Much more could be said on this topic, but we should seek to study the Scriptures on the subject and not throw around this serious charge without knowing exactly what we mean by the term.

Unrepentant Sin Undermines Prayer

“If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination” (Prov. 28:9).

“If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Ps. 66:18).

          Many people are under the mistaken impression that all prayers are equal in the eyes of God. Whether it’s a boy “wishing upon a star” or a Muslim praying in a mosque or a President asking for the prayers of the American people or a Christian praying in the name of Jesus, the judgment of our age is the same. Although these approaches differ in form, they are the same in substance. Nothing could be further from the truth! Our God does not hear all prayers equally.

          One preacher said, “The man who starts praying, stops sinning, and the man who stops sinning, starts praying.” There is a connection between our sin and the impact of our prayers. It should go without saying that all people are sinners (Rom. 3:23). So prayer does not require sinless perfection. If that were the case, nobody other than Jesus would be able to pray.

          But prayer does require a holy posture before the Lord. We must pray with the right spiritual attitude. Proverbs 28:9 teaches that we must be willing to listen to God’s law. If we do not listen to God, why should God listen to us? If we cherish what God hates (sin), why should God give us what he loves (righteousness)? God will not allow prayer to be a one-way conversation. We ought to pray under the authority of the Word. If we are not attentive to God’s Word, God will clip the wings from our prayers.

          Psalm 66:18 elaborates on the relationship between sin and prayer. If we want to be heard, we must be willing to forsake all known sin. We cannot cherish iniquity in our hearts and expect God to regard our prayer with favor. Cherishing iniquity in the heart is not merely being a sinner. It is loving sin and the unwillingness to part with it. This speaks of unrepentant sin.

Unrepentant sin undermines effective prayer. The man who prays to God with unrepentant sin is like the adulterous man who enters marriage counseling without any intentions of ending his affair. What is the point? Praying to God with unrepentant sin in our hearts is like going to a conversation with a hidden dagger. We are not coming to God with a good will. 

          Thus the prayers of the godly are always marked by attention to God’s Word and confession of sin. If we expect God to listen to us, we must be on praying ground. We must open our Bibles and listen to his truth. We must confess our sin and turn away from it by God's grace. We must come to God on his terms, not our own. Where do you stand? Are you on praying ground with the Lord? Or have you turned away from his law and cherish sin in your heart?  

What Shall I Do With You?

“What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?

What shall I do with you, O Judah?

Your love is like a morning cloud,

like the dew that goes early away."  Hosea 6:4

 

          God the Father agonizes over the fleeting love of the children of Israel.  They love him for a moment but their love is soon gone with the wind.  Their devotion to the Lord appears in the morning but vanishes in the evening.  God expresses his perplexity with the brevity of their love with an outburst of emotion:  “What shall I do with you?”  Fathers who have longed for the return of their wayward children and husbands who have grieved over the betrayals of their faithless wives will empathize with the agony of God’s unrequited love. 

 

          Although God seems to be at his wit’s end, he is sure of his unending love for his people.  He later exclaims, “How can I give you up, O Ephraim?  How can I hand you over, O Israel?  How can I make you like Admah?  How can I treat you like Zeboiim?  My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender” (Hosea 11:8).  God has set his electing love on his people and shall never hand them over to utter ruin.  His warm and tender compassion are the result of his unconditional love for his children. 

          The contrast between God’s love for Israel and Israel’s love for God couldn’t be clearer.  Israel’s love is like a mist.  God’s love is like a great mountain that shall never be moved.  Israel’s love is fleeting.  God’s love is eternal.  The passions of Israel rise and fall and change from one moment to the next yet God’s compassions never fail as they are new every morning.  The Husband’s steadfast love is unconditional, immutable, and faithful in spite of the Bride’s faithless whoredom. 

 

          Unregenerate members of the visible church may have a love for God that is present in the morning but gone in the evening.  They may appear to have spiritual graces for a season.  Time proves them wrong.  Wait until the evening to see the authenticity of their fruit.  True love for God is enduring love. 

          Even true believers must confess that our love for God is often fleeting.  What should we do when we discover that our love for God is like the morning mist?  We must look to God’s unconditional and enduring love for us.  We love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19).  Love for God grows as it basks in the sunlight of God’s love for us.  We must keep ourselves in the love of God where we hear his agonizing compassion for his rebellious children.  “What shall I do with you?  How can I give you up?”  Throughout Hosea’s prophecy we see the sparkling diamond of God’s faithfulness against the black velvet of Israel’s whoredom.  Sin abounds; grace abounds all the more. 

          Let this also be a lesson for us who have people in our lives (spouses, children, friends, fellow Christians) who have gone astray.  We must continue to love them and never give up on them.  Our Eternal God has not given up on us even when we have hurt him most.  And like the loving father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son we must always race to welcome home the wayward son who has come to his senses by the grace of God. 

The cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ reminds us again and again of the full extent of God’s love.  “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).  When we are disappointed with ourselves on account of our fickle love for God, let us look to Calvary.  God did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all (Romans 8:32).  God could not and would not give up on his electing love for his chosen people.  So he gave his Son to make atonement for our sins and reconcile us to the Father.  No deeper love can we find but the love of God revealed in his crucified Son.  And it is only the ever-blowing wind of the Spirit of Christ that causes the glowing embers of our hearts to burst into flames that will never die even though they may flicker.

When the Sermon is 'Over Your Head'

“Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”

2 Timothy 2:7

Sometimes pastors are told not to preach sermons that are ‘over the heads’ of the people.  This advice is only partially true.  Certainly pastors should seek to preach plainly to their people (Colossians 4:4) and speak to them according to their varying spiritual conditions (1 Thessalonians 5:14).  And it is certainly the case that pastors should not make their sermons so academic and intellectual that the average Christian in the congregation cannot understand (1 Corinthians 2:1, 4).  And it is without question that pastors must give milk to those who are babes in Christ and give solid food to the mature (1 Corinthians 3:1-2).  The problem is that congregations are mixed assemblies.  Both believers and unbelievers are present, as well as both spiritual infants and adults.  So if pastors always address the lowest common denominator, they will spiritually starve those who are growing in their faith and moving on to maturity (Hebrews 5:11-14; 6:1).  In point of fact, if pastors seek to ensure that they never preach a sermon ‘over the head’ of anyone, then their sermons will become very shallow indeed!  Since unbelievers are present in the congregation, should we preach only evangelistic sermons?  Surely not!  We should also expose the problem that acting on this principle would pose for preaching expositionally through books of the Bible.  God has diversified his revelation so that we encounter both milk and meat in his Word.  What shall preachers do when they come to texts that contain subjects and themes that are ‘above the heads’ of the spiritual infants in the congregation?  Should they ignore those themes and not preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27)?  Of course not!  So we can see how foolish this advice can be if it is taken to mean that preachers should never preach a sermon that might be over the heads of some of those present in the congregation.  What I am concerned about in this post, however, is how Christians should respond to sermons when they conclude that the sermon is ‘over their head.’  For I am convinced that many Christians will inevitably come to that conclusion in the context of a healthy preaching ministry, and I am equally convinced that Christians often respond to this reality in unhealthy ways.  So here are some pointers. 

First of all, if you are listening to a sermon and come to the conclusion that it is ‘over your head,’ please do not get discouraged.  The pastor must preach to all levels of spiritual maturity, and if you are a new Christian or have only been a Christian for a short period of time, then it only stands to reason that some of the subjects he addresses will be new to your understanding and may seem ‘over your head.’  This does not necessarily mean that you are sinning in some way.  Spiritual infancy is a natural stage of a Christian’s development.  A baby is doing nothing wrong when it does not understand a mother’s instructions.  Of course, encountering a sermon that is over your head could mean that you are sinning.  It would mean that you are sinning if you do not understand it because you have been forsaking the assembly or not reading your Bible on a regular basis.  It should come as no surprise to you that you do not understand the preaching of the Bible if you only read the Bible on Sundays.  The Bible is God’s Word and our food.  We need to read it prayerfully and carefully every day in order to profit from the preaching of it.  When it comes to the preaching God’s Word, the pastor has a responsibility to make it as clear as he possibly can, and God will hold him accountable for that.  But we must not forget that the listener has a responsibility.  The listener must be preparing for the message by reading the Word, praying for understanding, and keeping free from all distraction during the delivery of the sermon.  Understanding what we are to believe about God and what duty he requires of us does not happen automatically and effortlessly.  We must keep our minds and hearts engaged in order to benefit from the sermon. 

Secondly, if you conclude that the sermon is ‘over your head,’ do not give up.  Many Christians have never been rebuked for their intellectual laziness.  For some reason it is easy for us to recognize physical laziness, but we easily overlook intellectual and spiritual laziness.  Sometimes we simply need to confess that we lack the mental discipline to attend to the Word.  Again, I am not detracting from the fact that God made every person different and that he made some people smarter than others.  But God calls every Christian to use the mind that he has given him to understand his truth.  God blesses us when we think through what he has revealed.  “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything” (2 Timothy 2:7).  We may not understand everything all at once, but we ought not to get discouraged by that.  And in our feelings of defeat, we ought not to give up pursuing the truth to the best of our ability with the help of the Holy Spirit.  When Christians do not understand a sermon, they can get frustrated or anxious or apathetic.  But this is not the response that we should have as disciples of Christ.  We should write down our questions and confusions and seek clarity.  We might ask the pastor for other passages of Scripture that might help us or other Christian books that we might read or other sermons we might hear.  The key is not to give up.  Even in a sermon that is tremendously deep, most pastors will include something in the sermon for every level of listener.  So listen diligently for something that you do understand and cling to that.  Do not worry that you may not understand everything; give thanks that you understand something.  Over time your spiritual wisdom and understanding will grow.

Thirdly, if the sermon is over your head, do not assume that the pastor is doing something wrong.  He may in fact be doing something wrong.  He has a responsibility before God to preach plainly and clearly and according to the different levels of the people.  He may be trying to be too academic.  He may be speaking in terms that only seminarians would understand.  He may be making intellectual assumptions of the people that are not true.  All of this requires prayer and care on the part of the preacher.  After all, he wants to be understood.  At the same time, it only stands to reason that at least some of his sermons, or some parts of his sermons, will be ‘over the heads’ of unbelievers and even spiritually immature believers.        

Fourthly, when you come to the conclusion that the sermon is over your head, seek out mature believers to help you understand the things of God more accurately.  Preachers are more than willing to answer questions about what they have preached or taught.  Other more mature Christians may be able to explain what was confusing to you.  The value of living in community is that we can assist each other in deepening our understanding of God’s truth.  “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).    

Spiritual growth begins when we recognize our poverty of spirit (Matthew 5:3).  This means that we must begin by acknowledging how much we do not know about God and his will for our lives.  When we come to God’s Word humbly confessing that we are ignorant of his truth, he will bless us with a deeper understanding throughout time.  We should not delude ourselves that it will happen overnight.  Nor should we give up and consign ourselves to failure, falsely thinking that we shall never move from milk to meat.  We should be patient as we develop and allow the Holy Spirit to continue his work in us by and with his Word in our hearts.

Integrity

“I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will make music.  I will ponder the way that is blameless.  Oh when will you come to me?  I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.  I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.  A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.”  Psalm 101:1-4

“It is easier for most men to walk with a perfect heart in the church, or even in the world, than in their own families.  How many are as meek as lambs among others, when at home they are wasps or tigers.”  Adam Clarke

“Piety must begin at home.”  Charles Spurgeon

          When I was a kid, I had a Sunday School teacher who defined integrity as “what kind of person you are and how you act when no one else is looking.”  It’s not a bad definition but could be improved.  Integrity is what kind of person you are and how you act once you realize that God is always looking.  “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account” (Hebrews 4:13).  The Lord is always looking.  “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless towards him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).  This explains why David says in this Psalm, “I will walk with integrity of heart within my house.”  How a Christian lives when he is home alone is the test of his integrity.  How does he live when God alone is present? 

          I am often reminded of how R.C. Sproul says that Coram Deo is “the big idea of the Christian life.”  Coram Deo means “before God.”  Christians are called to live before the eyes of our loving God who is always looking.  He sees our outward actions and our inward motivations.  Nothing escapes the purview of our omniscient God!

          We can observe the way this consideration impacted David’s attitude in Psalm 101.  It is for this reason that he pondered the way that is blameless (v. 2), refused to set before his eyes worthless things (v. 3), hated the works of apostates (v. 3), desired a perverse heart to be far from him (v. 4), and did not want to know anything of evil (v. 4).  After this, if we were to continue reading in Psalm 101, we would see that he was opposed to slander and arrogance (v. 5) and desired to remove all deceit (v. 7) and wickedness (v. 8) from his house.  David was a man of God who sought to bring his entire house under the Lordship of Almighty God.  He desired his house to be a little temple in which the Spirit of God would dwell.  He did not want to do anything in private or in secret that would compromise the presence of God’s favor upon his life. 

          What a difference this would make in our lives if we walked before the Lord with integrity of heart in our homes!  It’s a matter of consistent holiness.  We would be able to stop pretending that we are one thing in public while we remain another thing in private.  Many masquerade as saints in public but are blatant sinners in private!  Pharisees on the streets may be publicans in their homes!  Integrity of heart and life is a rare jewel.  We should pursue it with intensity, zeal, dedication, and complete devotion. 

          As one application of integrity, consider the line in verse 3 about not setting before our eyes anything that is worthless.  This single line has specific application to our day.  We live in an age of electronics and entertainment.  Christians should celebrate these good gifts and enjoy them in moderation and self-control.  Yet we cannot fool ourselves into thinking that this electronic age does not bring with it a host of temptations.  We might apply this verse to what we see while watching television or surfing the web.  What should we be setting before our eyes?  (Hint: Philippians 4:8)  Since we usually enjoy these activities in the privacy of our homes, it calls for self examination.  We should try to remember that when we are watching the television, God is watching us.  When our eyes go to and fro from website to website, the Lord looks to and fro for those whose hearts are blameless before him. 

          I once heard of a man who placed this verse (“I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.”) on his computer and above his television.  Such reminders are not a bad idea, but it would be far better to have these words sealed to our mind and heart.  We want to walk with the Lord and bear fruit in every good work. 

          It is only the grace of the gospel of our Lord Jesus that can grant us the motivation to live above reproach in all these matters.  The Lord Jesus who died and rose again can make a hypocrite into a consistent Christian.  He washes us clean from all our filth with his precious blood and gives us his Spirit to assure us that we are his beloved and to empower us to live for him.  Integrity of heart is rare indeed, but Christ gives us new hearts with the capacity to live for him in sincerity and truth.

How to Study the Bible

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”  2 Timothy 2:15

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17

Members of my congregation frequently ask me, “How should I study my Bible?”  I love getting asked this question because it usually indicates that the person is already reading his Bible regularly and now desires to dig deeper into God’s truth.  There is no substitute for Word of God intake in the Christian life.  “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3).  In this post, I would like to provide some step-by-step instructions for Bible study.  In doing so, my target audience is not other preachers or seminary students.  I want to explain how the ordinary Christian can read and study his Bible in order to grow in his faith, hope, and love.  Overall, there are three basic steps in Bible Study.  Firstly, we must determine what the passage of Scripture says.  Secondly, we must determine what the passage of Scripture means by what it says.  Thirdly, we must determine how the passage of Scripture applies to us today.  We might call these three steps: translation, interpretation, and application.  The order is important.  We should never study a passage of the Bible asking the question, “How does this apply to me?” before we ask the question, “What does this passage mean?”  Although a passage of Scripture may have many applications, there is only one interpretation.  What determines the validity of an application is the validity of the interpretation upon which the application is based. 

Translation

          Most Christians know that the Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, and that the Bible they hold in their hands is an English translation of a variety of ancient manuscripts.  So, unlike pastors, professors, and seminarians who learn the original languages, most Christians are dependent on an English translation of the Bible.  This is not a major disadvantage for two reasons.  The first reason for this is that there are many excellent translations of the Bible in the English language.  The second reason is that there are many Study Bibles and tools in English that can help the reader understand the original words of the Bible.  The most important step in studying the Bible for the average Christian is to choose a word-for-word translation of the Bible. 

There are two major types of Bible translations.  There are those that seek to capture each and every word of the original languages.  This is called formal equivalence.  And there are those that seek to capture each and every thought or phrase of the original text.  This is called dynamic equivalence.  Most Bible translations will have a section at the beginning of the Bible called, “Translation Philosophy,” that will explain what kind of translation the Bible is.  A good example of a word-for-word translation is the New American Standard Bible.  A good example of a thought-for-thought or phrase-by-phrase translation is the New International Version. 

Both approaches have their value, but, in my opinion, the word-for-word translation is the best for Bible study as we should be paying attention to each and every word.  One criticism of word-for-word translations is that they tend to make for a “wooden” reading.  Phrase-by-phrase translations are much easier to read.  Some translations, like the English Standard Version, are somewhere in between. 

It always helps to compare a variety of translations in seeking to determine what the original text says.  Let me make a very important clarification at this point.  When determining what the text says, the key factor is not what reading you prefer.  I have heard many Christians say, “I like the way this or that translation puts it.”  What we like is irrelevant to what the text says.  They key factor, then, in determining what the text says is accuracy (how faithful it is to the original languages), not appeal (how well you like).  It is important to have a Bible that is readable and understandable, but we want to be reading and understanding something that is an accurate representation of what was originally written by the inspired authors. 

In order to get a sense of what the original text says, I encourage people to use the New American Standard Bible (NASB), the English Standard Bible (ESV), and the New International Version (NIV).  The NASB is probably the most literal of the three.  The ESV is a little more readable than the NASB, and the NIV does an excellent job of making the text readable and understandable, even though the NIV does not always capture as literal of a reading as it should.  In order to make sure you have a good grasp on translation issues, I would recommend spending the money to purchase a good study Bible.  I recommend either the ESV Study Bible (Crossway) or the NIV Study Bible (Zondervan). 

Interpretation

          In my experience, evangelical Christians tend to skip interpretation in order to get to how the passage applies to their lives.  The problem is that there is no authoritative application of the Bible that does not first begin with interpretation. 

Usually, when Christians go straight for the contemporary application, they end up assuming an erroneous interpretation.  For example, I once heard a Christian say that we should be vulnerable with one another because 1 Corinthians 13:7 says, “Love bears all things.”  Now it may be true that Christians should be vulnerable with one another, but that is not what 1 Corinthians 13:7 says.  It says, “Love bears all things,” not “love bares all things.”  It is speaking about enduring love, not love that lays bare all the emotions of the heart.  So this Christian had an illegitimate application of this verse because he had a faulty interpretation of the verse.  That is always the way it works. 

Proper interpretation is the first step toward proper application.  There are certain questions that we should always ask in order to interpret a passage of Scripture.  In all these questions, we are trying to discern what the Holy Spirit originally intended when he inspired these words through the original author to the original audience.  At this stage in the process, the question is not, “What does this passage mean for me today?”  The question is, “What did this passage mean for its original author and audience?”  Here is a list of some good questions to ask when it comes to interpretation.

1.     Author:  Who is the human author of this passage of Scripture?  Different authors have different vocabularies and styles.  For example, knowing that Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke and Acts helps us to interpret those two books.  Or knowing that John wrote the Gospel of John, 1, 2, 3 John, and Revelation helps us to read those books in light of John’s vocabulary and style.

2.     Date:  When was this passage of Scripture written?  This goes beyond knowing dates and ventures into the significance of what was happening at that time in history.  It is helpful to acquire a Bible timeline for this purpose.  Most Study Bibles contain these timelines including key dates and events in Bible history.

3.     Historical Context:  What was happening at this time in human history that might impact my understanding of this passage?  Are there names, places, people, and customs that need to be researched in order to understand this Scripture? 

4.     Literary Genre:  What kind of writing is this?  Is it historical narrative, poetry, song, apocalypse, gospel, epistle, etc?  What does this tell me about how it should be read?

5.     Word Studies:  Are there important words in this passage that should be researched further?  What do the words mean?  Hint: Do not assume that biblical authors are using their terms in the same way that you would use them.  You must do the work in order to understand what they mean by those words.

6.     Literary Context:  How does this specific passage fit into the whole book?  For example, how does James’ teaching on faith and works in 2:14-26 fit into the entire book of James?  How does it mesh with the overall purpose of the book?  What is said before this passage?  What is said after it?

7.     Cross Reference:  What do other passages of the Bible teach on the subjects addressed in this passage?  Do other passages make qualifications to the truths in this passage?  Are there other passages that bring clarity?  Is balance on a subject achieved by pulling in other verses?  Remember: Scripture interprets Scripture. 

8.     Redemptive Context:  How does this passage fit into the overall redemptive storyline of the Bible (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation)?  You do not understand the passage until you understand it in light of the history of salvation.     

Application

          Application is the goal of all Bible Study.  We want to be doers of the Word, not hearers only, deceiving ourselves (James 1:22).  After we have studied the Bible, there are certain ways to reach the application of God’s Word to our lives.

1.     The most important application is to determine what this passage teaches me about Christ.  Since the entire Bible is about Christ (Luke 24:44, John 5:46, 2 Timothy 3:15), we do not understand it unless we see Christ in the text.  This does not mean that we need to find Christ in the passage by the allegorical method, but it does mean that we should ask, “How does this passage prepare for, predict, picture, or proclaim the person and work of Christ?”  Some passages make answering this question easier than others, but do not rest until you are able to find the answer. 

2.       Use 2 Timothy 3:16 as a grid: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”  How does this passage teach me what is right (teaching)?  How does this passage teach me what is not right (reproof)?  How does this passage teach me how to get right (correction)?  How does this passage teach me how to live right (training in righteousness)? 

3.     Sometimes the application is what you need to know (doctrines), and sometimes the application is what you need to do (duties).  Never assume that application is always something that you need to do.  It is often a comforting truth that you need to hear.  There are a variety of ways to apply God’s Word to your life. 

4.     Avoid the errors of legalism (“If I am good, then God will accept me.”) and license (“Since I am saved by grace, I can do whatever I want”).  Search for the grace-oriented motivation:  “Since God loves me unconditionally in Christ, I will live for him.”    

5.     Consider the variety of applications that the Word of God can have to your life.  Jesus is Lord of all.  His Word applies to your spiritual and devotional life, your church, your family, your vocation and work, your use of your money, your entertainment choices, your understanding of the world and God’s purpose for it, etc.  Never reduce applications of God’s truth to one compartmentalized area of your life.  Think broadly. 

6.     Learn to ask good questions to draw out applications.

Is there a promise to believe?

Is there a doctrine to learn?

Is there a sin to avoid?

Is there a blessing to enjoy?

Is there an example to follow?

Is there a standard to apply?

Is there a command to obey?

7.      Study the Bible in the atmosphere of prayer and devotion to the Lord.  Never approach the Bible in a dry, academic way.  Pray at the beginning of your study.  Pray as your study.  Conclude your study with prayer.  Ask the Lord to illumine your mind to understand his truth.  Ask him to help you to apply his Word to your life.  Confess your sin as you see how far short you fall of his standards.  Believe the promises of the gospel.  Plead for the grace of repentance and the desire to walk in the way pleasing to him. 

A Final Note About Resources

          Christians often ask me to recommend resources for Bible study.  There are a plethora of good resources, but there are also bad ones.  First of all, I would begin with a good study Bible like the ones I mentioned (ESV Study Bible or NIV Study Bible).  Secondly, I would learn to use all the resources in the Study Bible.  Most Christians do not know what they have in their hands when they buy a Study Bible.  If you are having trouble, ask your pastor to sit down with you and show you how to use it.  If not, you probably can learn on your own by reading through the articles in the Study Bible.  Thirdly, I would purchase a whole Bible commentary.  There are not many of them, but Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible has stood the test of time.  Matthew Henry’s Commentary is not the best for in-depth interpretation, but it can really help in making applications to your life.  He does a great job linking interpretation with application.  This probably goes without saying, but always read non-inspired sources critically.  Just because notes are in the Study Bible or in a commentary does not mean that they are accurate.  You must evaluate the validity of the reasoning for the interpretations that are given.  Finally, one of the best ways to learn to study the Bible is to listen to expository preaching.  Pastors should show Christians how to interpret the Bible as they are preaching and teaching through it.  Most Christians learn how to interpret the Bible (for better or for worse!) from the way that their pastor preaches and teaches it. 

Bearing Fruit in Old Age

“The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.  They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God.  They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.”  Psalm 92:12-15

When God examines the limbs of our lives, he searches for fruit.  Jesus said, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8).  John the Baptist once preached, “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:8).  Fruit bearing is the result of our union and communion with Christ (John 15:5).  It proves the reality of our discipleship and brings glory to God.  And Christians may bear fruit in every stage of life from infancy to old age.  Timothy was taught the Scriptures from infancy (2 Timothy 3:15).  David trusted in the Lord from his earliest days.  “Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.  On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God” (Psalm 22:9-10).  This is why God tells us to remember our Creator in the days of our youth (Ecclesiastes 12:1).  “It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth” (Lamentations 3:27).  So fruit bearing can begin in infancy, and it can continue to old age.  Our text says, “They still bear fruit in old age.”  May this be said of us in the final years of our lives!  The righteous continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ in the last chapter of their lives (2 Peter 3:18).  They do not live as if they have already arrived in heaven.  In their old age the righteous continue to meditate on God’s Word, pray in the power of his Spirit, and daily repent of their sin.  The Spirit continues to empower them to bear his fruit when they are old and physically weak (Galatians 5:22-23).  They are firmly rooted in God’s truth and continue to grow spiritually until their dying day.  Old saints are like fruitful trees.  “He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.  In all that he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:3).  Old believers treasure the Sabbath day and the public worship of God.  This Psalm is entitled “A Song for the Sabbath.”  In addition, we see that these old trees are planted and grow “in the house of the LORD” and “in the courts of our God.”  How old saints rejoice to assemble with God’s people for corporate worship!  “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD!’” (Psalm 122:1).  They lack no resources to sing his praise to the glory of his name because they are “ever full of sap and green.”  And the reason these old saints are able to continue to bear fruit in old age is because of the greatness of their God.  His way is upright.  He is their rock and “there is no unrighteousness in him.”  If we want to bear fruit throughout our lives on earth, and if we want to bear fruit in our old age, we must depend upon our mighty God.  He says to us, “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to grey hairs I will carry you.  I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save” (Isaiah 46:3-4).  Whether we are young or old Christians let us strive to bear fruit now so that we might be like those in Psalm 92:14 who “still bear fruit in old age.”  The end of life is no time for coasting, drifting, wandering, and backsliding.  We may retire from our earthly employments, but this is no time to retire from the labors of our sanctification.  Consider that this is the last chapter of our lives before we stand before our King and Judge.  Shall we slip into eternity with our eyes closed?  Let us be sober in our serious pursuit of holiness and love!  Let us abide in the Lord Jesus who is our only Vine!  He supplies the life, resources, and power to bear the fruit of love.  Let us join ourselves to him alone!