The apostle Peter comes along and tells us what we don't want to hear. It's not about your interpretation but what God's Word says. The apostle Paul echoes the power of Scripture in 2 Timothy 3:16: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."
In John 17:8, Jesus' words are eloquent and to the point: "For I have given them the words that You gave Me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from You; and they have believed that You sent Me."
So, you see, we simply cannot read the Bible to make it say what we want it to say. When we do that, we might as well have no Bible, no Word of God. When we say, "That's your interpretation," we become a bit like Pilate who sentenced Jesus to the cross. Pilate said, "What is truth?"
What then do we do when there are millions of interpretations? Be sure to know this: the Scriptures flow from the Holy Spirit, who moved men to speak from God. The Scriptures are the words of God, as God breathed them through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus earned eternal salvation for us on the cross 2,000 years ago. That's not a matter of interpretation. If it were, we'd get it all wrong. It's not about people and their interpretations. It's all about God the Father who spoke to His Son. It's about the Son who won forgiveness for us on the cross. And it's about the Holy Spirit who delivers Jesus' cross-won salvation to us in the Word.
Your sins are forgiven (Luke 7:48). That's no interpretation. That's what Jesus says.
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus, Your Son, whom Your Word tells us about. Thank You for the Holy Spirit who creates faith in me to believe. And so I pray to You because of Your Son, who is the Word. Amen.
Written by Pastor Rich Futrell
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church - Kimberling City, Missouri
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