Give a biblical viewpoint not your opinion!

Okay, this has festered on my heart for quite some time now and I think it is therapeutic to get it out now.
"To have a proper biblical viewpoint we must let the Bible first be the authority, and then let the Bible set the agenda in our biblical viewpoints."

I have debates and conversations with people frequently about Scripture and beliefs and so on. What I find most common is that people will state what they believe, yet either
A. not have the Scripture to back up what they say.
B. Use what another said in a commentary and use it as their own.
C. Use a passage that vaguely is contextually correct for their argument.

Now grant it we are not perfect beings. But I think we (this includes myself) get lazy when it comes to proper exegesis of passages. I think we get so engaged with being "right" or to "win" a debate that we take passages out of context: linguistically, historically, and theologically. Its sad to hear Christians in a conversation (in order to make them feel good) say well thats what you believe and I believe this.
Now I am taking into account many different variables which I do not find the time nor space to write out. But there is a proper hermeneutic and exegesis to Scripture.

First we accept that Scripture is authoritative. Its says it is:

2 Timothy 3:16-"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

If Scripture can correct, reproof (rebuke), and train for righteousness it must be authoritative.

Now for our example:
For example: I hear this one alot

God doesnt want you to have tattoos, or to smoke or to pierce your body because:
"your body is a temple." (citing 1 Corinthians 6:19)

Now lets see the whole passage:
verse 13-The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

verse ¹⁵ "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?
**This verse continues to tell us the importance of our bodies but yet that we should not join ourselves to a prostitute.

Verse ¹⁸ "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

**Once again the context is clear---sexual immorality

Contextually here we can understand that this passage is talking of:

1. sexual immorality
The Greek word for this is "porneia"
It means any sexual act conducted outside of a marriage between a male and a female is immoral. (includes homosexuality, pedophilia, adultery, etc)
Interestingly the Greek word also can mean idol (image) or a sexual image combined with both words. Hence this is where we get our English word for pornography.


Here Paul is emphasizing yes that our bodies are not just vessels to throw around (contextually sexually) with the temple prostitutes that would have been in the Corinthians places. He even appeals back to Genesis--1 man 1 woman, joined together. He places the importance of sexual purity, and the importance of its place under the banner of God.
At the end of the passage we get the exhortation: So then glorify God in your body."

Could this be loosely translated into obesity, smoking, tattoos-----some will try, but it wouldnt be proper hermeneutics. This passage is intended for the subject of sexual immorality. That why Paul wrote it and passionately defended it. He didnt appeal for Adam and Eve being perfect bodies and not destroying it but rather focused on the their joining together.

Should we glorify our bodies for God, yes! I believe though that there are better passages to be used in place though. We cant just throw out any verse we think says something that may relate to our argument.

Other such instances:

Any passage dealing with justification:
Paul uses it differently than James, and from Matthew, Luke, Mark and so on. Are there similarities...sure but people forget that they were written to specific communities.

So how can we properly exegete Scripture:
1. Linguistically---get a hold of a Greek lexicon, or some sort of Greek commentary that goes with the language. (This goes for Hebrew too!)

The language plays such a role:
example--Proverbs 31-The Woman of Noble Character---incorrectly translated, actually its mighty warrior, but for some reason scholars deemed it to be noble.
*David and Jonathans covenant was done under the thigh, but it was actually done with the genitals. They held each others genitals to make the covenant. This isnt odd once you examine culture, and the overall use of genitals in the OT.

2. Historical Context
This is important as you have to know the history behind why that phrase was used, why, what would have influenced that. Under this I would place customs, culture, etc... What would a holy kiss have been in that time period? What did Jesus mean when he said to deny your mother and father in a culture where that was essential to living?

3. Intertextuality
My personal favorite--how does that passage team up against several other passages? Though it may be fun to find a passage that gets to your point but does you no good if it doesnt line up with the rest of Scripture ( 2 tim. 3:16)

4. Theological Center
What is the point of that passage? How does it line with Jesus Christ being the theological center? I mean he is the point of all Scripture right?

Okay I am done ranting for the night. But by all means these are important things to think about. I think instead of thinking about WHO WE THINK God is and reading Scripture to see the True and Holy God as He IS it would change the way we think, live, and act.

Think biblically! Live loud.

"The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD and his name the only name." Zechariah 14:9

I read this verse as the tail end of my reading in the book of Zechariah. This book has some of the largest amount of Christological prophecy in it. For example Zion's King will come with power and salvation riding on a colt or donkey (Zech. 9:9-13), then the Messiah being described as the cornerstone (Zech. 10:4 cross reference with Eph. 2:20), how God will gather up all his flock to be placed in greener pastures (Zech. 10:8 cross ref. with John 10), then the 30 pieces of silver to be the price at which they "pierced" me (Zech. 11:12-13 cross ref with Matthew 26:15), then the piercing and beating of the Messiah (Zech. 12:10 cross with Jesus' beating), and finally the Shepherd being struck and the flock scattering (Zech. 13:1-6 cross ref. Matt. 26:56; Mark 14:50).

Lastly the verse placed up top. I love verses that display God's sovereign power over everything. I love to see that no matter what we do, no matter how good or bad, God still is absolutely in charge of everything. Despite my decision making, whether good or bad, he's in charge, whether the world falls to pieces, he's still there.
That is some powerful stuff.

A king is someone who rules over a group ( or for the exact definition-the chief authority over a country and people.) So we have God's position is a ruler or authority over. What is he ruling?

"...the whole earth..."
GOd will rule over everything, as it was created for Him. Jesus is described this way in Colossians 1:16-17: "For by him (Jesus Christ) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.........all things were created for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together."

So here in Zech. 14, the LORD ( Yahweh) God himself will rule over the entire earth, the earth will have ONLY one name to honor, to glorify, to worship similar to the position of today, but this will be a time where God rules over His people forever and ever.

I dont know about you but that gets me excited and that's hard to do. This verse can mean alot of things to different people. I usually look at it contextually to help me find the exact meaning but though this verse speaks of God's mighty power, and His eventual rule over this whole earth and everyone in it I draw strength from it to help me where I am spritually now. It reminds me that the little things I fret and worry over need to pass, simply because the time I spend here is precious. A gift. Mainly because my sole reason for being on this earth is to love, preach the gospel, act it out, serve others, and enjoy my God. Yes the Lord will rule and his subjects nay rather his friends will forever reign with Him.

I say like the writer of Revelation in excitement, in anticipation....."Surely I am coming soon!"
Amen! Come Lord Jesus!!
(Rev. 22:20)