Ask Dr. Youssef: "Why can't I interpret the Bible the way I see fit?"

Interpreting the Bible is not a matter of picking and choosing what fits our idea of love, but of exploring and understanding.

QUESTION:

"Why can’t I interpret the Bible the way I see fit—a way that seems more loving and inclusive to others?"

ANSWER:

Today, progressive, postmodern "Christians" offer a false choice between two options: We either interpret the Bible in a loving way or in a selfish, judgmental way. But let me offer a third option: As sincere, loving, Bible-believing Christians, we can choose to read the Bible with an attitude of obedience. We read and interpret carefully because we want to know what God’s Word says so we can obey God. After all, He is God, His ways are perfect, and He is love!

Interpreting the Bible is not a matter of picking and choosing what fits our idea of love, but of exploring and understanding. We study the historical context of each book of the Bible and the culture in which it was written. We grapple with the intentions of the human writers and try to understand the grammar and syntax of the original language. But throughout our exploration of the Scriptures, we acknowledge that the Bible is God’s inspired Word and that it has authority over our lives.

The Bible will make us uncomfortable. We won’t like everything it says. We will have to wrestle with it and learn how to apply its timeless principles to the times in which we live. If we chip away at the integrity and sufficiency of any portion of God’s Word, we undermine everything it says, including the message of salvation, the Good News of Jesus Christ.

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