Why meditate then...?

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Permalink Reply by a servant (Chris) on March 6, 2013 at 4:28pm

I still have trouble with the idea that, The Word can only mean one thing. The trouble I have is, does this mean The Word does not have depth? So often the deeper we go into a word, the more things seem to change. As in my posting on this subject, I used the example in how we teach young children not to touch a flame. The core reason we teach our children not to touch a flame is, we do not want them to get hurt. Yet, we start for the most part by saying, “No!” We want them to learn obedience. Because, at a young age they have limits on what they can comprehend. We want them to avoid getting hurt. As they mature they will begin to understand pain. Some will they disobey and discover early what getting burned feels like? As they get older they will come to know about skin grafts, etc.. {First degree burns usually only affect the outer layers of the skin tissue called the epidermis. Second degree burns affect the epidermis and the next layer of skin called the dermis. Third degree burns affect all layers of the skin and often the underlying tissue, tendons, joints and bones} What we see here, in part is, knowledge we may have in why we say, “No!” Yet, that young child will not comprehend this knowledge. So even in this example, what began with “No,” we see there is much more to it, even if we say, “No, do not touch that flame!” This can only be said after they know what is a flame. I am not trying to make trouble, just need some clarification.

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on March 6, 2013 at 5:24pm

Chris,

Let me give an example followed by some points. I make the following statement, "The point of my comment is to convey truth." Now five different people may read my comment and in so doing determine that they must figure out what is meant by the word truth" or the word "convey." When they have done their analysis of my comment we may find that there are five different views and opinions regarding what I said. Yet, in reality there is only one true interpretation regarding my comment. The true interpretation can only be what I meant by making the comment and that truth is not determined by the five who analyzed my comment. This is true of Scripture. There can be only one true interpretation to any given Scripture verse or passage. The true interpretation is not what we think it might mean, but actually what did God mean when He had it recorded for us in the Holy Word. It is important for a disciple to seek to study the Word in context, literary style, examining Scripture with Scripture, etc, seeking the one true meaning, that which God intended.

 

Once we find the true interpretation of a verse or passage we can then begin to understand (unlock) the principles found therein. We can also find application to life through the true interpretation and princples that are unlocked. It is the principle that leads to an application that often gives off the apperrance that Scripture has many meanings. One true interpretation can have several prnciples and within those various principles we may only apply one (or more) in a life situation. There can be other principles that remain hidden to us because of our current situation and may only come to light when our situation changes. This is why we read the Bible and acknowledge that we have never seen it that way before. The meaning never changed, just our view of the revealed principles that will guide us in our day to day living.

We should meditate in order to find God's truth, and in so doing revealing the princples found in God's Word that will guide our path in this life.

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Permalink Reply by a servant (Chris) on March 6, 2013 at 8:12pm

LT

I must admit I posted this for a few reasons, one being more of your opinion on this subject.  As I have said in principle I do agree with you, The Word does have one True meaning.  Yet, I would ask if you have experienced sharing a verse with those 5 people.   And the effects on all 5 were different based on  their maturity level.  All were helped in different ways.  The Word Itself remained the same, It's effects different based on the maturity levels, would you agree with this line of thinking?  As before I believe The Word is living, and in this way we  are able to see part of It's Power on and to us.

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Permalink Reply by a servant (Chris) on March 6, 2013 at 8:41pm

Another thought that strikes me is,once you know the meaning if The Word.  Why, read it again?  Or, as you shared, "We should meditate in order to find God's truth, and in so doing revealing the principles found in God's Word that will guide our path in this life." You say in order to find God's Truth...  All I am saying is maybe we are finding out deeper and deeper meanings of His Word when we meditate.

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on March 7, 2013 at 4:19am

There are many reasons for reading it again. First of all we do not have perfect memory.

• Finding the truth of God's Word, His one true meaning, is not a simple exercise. To be a student of the word requires work.
• As time passes we will tend to forget and/or get things mixed up.
• We also come to Scripture at different times in our life. At those times the various principles may affect us differently based on where we are and what we are going through.
• The more we read Scripture and grasp the meaning of it the more it becomes internalized. This leads to a walk that is guided by the principles that are ingrained in us and emphasized by the work of the Spirit in us.

 

There is no question that we need to meditate on God's Word seeking the deeper (true) meaning. We agree on the need for that.

 

Lord Bless,

LT

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on March 7, 2013 at 4:09am

Chris,

An example of there being one truth with several revealed principles can be seen in Romans 6:23. There are two revealed principles and each principle has a different result. The verse says "For the the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life." The first revealed principle is that there is a consequence for sin. The second revealed principle is that there is a gift offered by God that overcomes the consequence of the first principle. The consequence for sin is death and the overcoming principle's offer that overcomes the first is eternal life. Now a student of the Word will not glean much more from the truth of that verse without examining the rest of Scripture. We must ask several questions of Scripture if we want a deeper or broader understanding of this verse. Here are several things we can ask as we seek that deeper meaning. What is sin? What is death? What is a gift according to Scripture? What is eternal life? As we seek the answer to these questions we will recognize that the truth and meaning of God's Word never changes. If we apply the five people developing different views on the text we would find (basically) that the different views surround their understanding of the four questions I posed to the verse.

 

Now, how might one in a different stage of life react to this verse? The purpose of the verse first of all is to establish our guilt due to sin. A person who has not received forgiveness may read this verse and come to the recognition that they deserve death and their future is in peril. The one who has received forgiveness acknowledges that they once deserved death, but now have been given the gift of eternal life that overcomes the consequence of death. A deeper study of Scripture will explain why we deserve that death and why the consequence has been removed, but that can only be fully understood when we examine the larger text of Scripture.

 

I am in agreement that God uses Scripture to reach people at various stages of their journey through life. The principles He reveals will always be in alignment with the basic meaning of His given Word. There cannot be 5 different meanings for one text or passage. Our goal is to discover God's meaning and in so doing reveal the principles He has for life.

 

There are some in Christiandom (not saying this of you) who hold to one or the other. They either lean solely on the Holy Spirit or on the Word of God. Our journey must be guided by both in harmony with each other.

 

Lord Bless,
LT

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