November 2, 2026

Hermeneutics: Conclusion

Hermeneutics

Before we conclude this brief study of hermeneutics, I want us to review what we have learned. God has revealed His word in such a way that we can understand it. Paul affirmed this in his letter to the Ephesians: “By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:4). He expected them to be able to take what he wrote and arrive at the same understanding of God’s will that he had. We should be able to do the same thing today.Continue Reading

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October 26, 2026

Hermeneutics (Part 6): What Has Been Bound and Loosed

Hermeneutics

In our study of hermeneutics, we have spent a lot of time discussing the need for authority and how to establish it. However, in a study like this, we must make a distinction between what is required and what is permitted. Understanding the message God has revealed in His word is not just about what we must do; it also includes what we may do. What is the difference? And what does it mean for churches and individual Christians? We will consider this in the final part of our study.Continue Reading

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October 19, 2026

Hermeneutics (Part 5): The New Testament Pattern

Hermeneutics

As we have been discussing hermeneutics and how to interpret the Bible, much of our focus has been on what is or is not authorized. In this article, we will study what the Bible teaches about patterns. These patterns allow us to take several things that are authorized and put them together as a complete system, such as how the church is organized or what our worship should look like. God has always used patterns to instruct His people, and we will notice a couple of examples in the Old Testament. But the pattern we follow today is found in the New Testament.Continue Reading

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October 12, 2026

Hermeneutics (Part 4): The Silence of the Scriptures

Hermeneutics

In the previous articles in our series, we have seen that we need to have authority for what we do in service to God, how to go to the Scriptures to establish authority, and what is the difference between generic and specific authority. So far, our discussion has focused on what the Bible says. But what do we do when the Scriptures are silent on a particular question or topic? We will discuss that in this article.Continue Reading

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October 5, 2026

Hermeneutics (Part 3): Generic and Specific Authority

Hermeneutics

So far in our study of hermeneutics, we have discussed the need for authority and how authority is established. As we continue thinking about the concept of authority, we need to consider the difference between generic and specific authority. If we fail to understand the difference, we can get ourselves into trouble, and we will notice how.Continue Reading

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September 28, 2026

Hermeneutics (Part 2): How Authority Is Established

HermeneuticsIn the previous article, we discussed the need for authority. However, recognizing that authority is important will not do us any good if we fail to understand how to determine what has been commanded by Christ and authorized in His word. So in this article, we are going to see how authority is established. To do this, we will consider how God communicates His will to us, and look at a practical example to see how to apply this.Continue Reading

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September 21, 2026

Hermeneutics (Part 1): The Need for Authority

Hermeneutics

As we begin our study of hermeneutics, we will start with a discussion of authority, because this is why learning how to interpret Scripture is important. The Bible is not like other works of literature. We may study to understand the works of Homer, Shakespeare, and others for academic reasons, or simply for our own personal enjoyment. Yet the Scriptures are different. The Bible is more than just an interesting, informative, or inspiring book; it contains the very words of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). This makes it different from other books because of the authority Jesus Christ has over every aspect of our lives. So in the first part of our study, we will consider the need for authority.Continue Reading

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