Who You Gonna Believe?

Being a strong proponent of the High View of the Bible, means I believe it is the verbal and plenary inspired word of God.  I also believe God, being the creator of languages is precise in the use of language, even when working through human authors.  Being all knowing, sovereign and wise He was able to accurately reveal truth to us through those human agents.  Therefore, I believe we should take the text of the Bible at face value. 
Unless it is clearly intended as figurative language we should take it literally.  Parables, metaphors and colloquialisms should be interpreted as such.  So, some knowledge of the author’s culture and native language is needed to ensure the most accurate translation into our own culture and language.  We should never apply 21st century English meanings to words written down thousands of years ago in either Greek or Hebrew. 

I’m explaining all this because almost weekly I encounter people who admit to having difficulty with some Biblical passages because the words don’t fit with the denominational positions they were taught growing up.  The same is true for people who did not grow up in Church and became a believer as an adult.  We all bring a personally acquired world view into our new life in Jesus Christ.  And everyone who comes to Christ must work at reordering their understanding of reality. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  The words I underlined are not found in the Greek text, but were added by the translators.  It is a common practice intended to help the English reader get the sense of what is being said.  In this case it actually works against the author’s original intention.  Let me offer a more direct rendering of this verse.  “If anyone be in Christ, a new creation the old passed away behold, all have become new.”  The believer has not become a new creation as is implied by the added words, but is rather living in a new reality that is nothing like the old.  That means we who are in Christ need a new world view.  The Christian needs to develop a future mindset that fits this new reality. We will live in the eternal Kingdom God also calls the New Heaven and Earth.   

That is at the very heart of Paul’s general command to all believers in Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  The renewing of your mind requires an eternal perspective and new information.  Contrary to what you may believe spiritual truth is not inherent to our natural mind.  If comes through knowledge of God’s word. I refer you to the post on 2 Peter 1:2-4. 

So, when what the Bible says doesn’t match what you’ve been taught in the past, who are you gonna believe?