Can Just Any Christian Interpret The Bible?

Some Roman Catholics allege that the sola scriptura emphasis of the Reformation is wrong because it is not given to all men to be able to interpret the Bible, and as such there is a need for an official body – the church – with properly qualified and ordained individuals charged with reading and interpreting the Bible for everyone else. Proof of this, in the eyes of Roman Catholics, is the many differing doctrines espoused by the thousands of Protestant Christian denominations (by doing this they ignore the many doctrinal divisions and orders that exist within the Roman Catholic Church).

Well for the sake of arguing, let us presume that the Roman Catholics are correct in that not all born again Christians are capable of interpreting the Bible for themselves (Roman Catholics derisively refer to it as “special private interpretations” in a similar fashion that “special revelations” go to certain false prophets) . Let us say that it is, a gift of the Holy Spirit? If it is the case, and a Christian regards himself to be deficient in this area, all that he needs to do is obey John 14:13: ask God in the Name of Jesus Christ for the ability to interpret the Bible, and it, being a good thing, shall be granted to him!

An even better illustration of this point is Luke 11:1-13. In it, Jesus Christ states that if even a wicked evil sinner will not give his child a serpent, stone, or scorpion when asked by that child for a fish, egg, or bread but instead will give him the item asked for, how much more will God not withhold any good thing from a person? Verse 10 says “For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” And who can deny that this is a good thing that God wants to grant for us when God Himself repeatedly commands us to study, learn, meditate upon, live, and UNDERSTAND His Word. (By contrast, where does it say that we are to have others do this for us, and to rely on them in this matter other than Him?) Why would God command us to do something and then not equip us to obey Him?

People, this really is not that hard. It is only a matter of receiving correct doctrine. And this is not just a problem in Roman Catholicism. In Protestant churches, there are these high and lifted up on a pedestal (by man) personalities – and not all of them celebrity megapreachers or renowned theologians! – that we feel we must put ourselves under and pledge ourselves to because of their alleged ability to comprehend the secret mysteries of the Word of God that God has seen fit to reveal only to them because of some special status before God that they possess. People, what is this but gnosticism, the heretical system based on the acquisition of secret knowledge? (This means, then, that the Roman Catholic system that claims that only church officials are capable of interpreting the Bible, is an institution built entirely on gnosticism, because in their estimation the church alone holds the secret knowledge that are the keys to salvation. So it is a bigger issue than their merely transgressing the specific commandment of God given to all Christians that they should diligently study the Bible.)

And then there is this prosperity/Word of Faith doctrine. The former encourages us to go to God and ask Him continually for our own desires. Even if it is not cars, money, homes, jobs, or someone else’s spouse, it is often some “spiritual gift” that we desire for our own purposes. The Bible did say that there would be those with the offices and gifts of prophecy, apostle, preaching, teaching, healing, tongues, etc., not that we would all be prophets, apostles, preachers, and teachers or have gifts of healing or speak in tongues. The closest that the Bible comes in that regard – and not close at all I might add – is that WE SHOULD SEEK THE BEST GIFTS. What better gift is there than being able to interpret God’s Word so that you might live an obedient Godly life and edify others with your knowledge of God’s Word and by your example? But those that teach the prosperity doctrine urge us to seek carnal things, not spiritual ones, and even when it technically is a spiritual gift, we make them carnal with our corrupt desires to want to be able to speak in tongues or heal people so that we might make a name for ourselves just as did the rebels at the Tower of Babel.

And the Word of Faith? Well, that doctrine does not even teach you to go to GOD and ask for things that you should not have and do not desire to use in your obedience and service to Him. That heretical doctrine based on selective out of context Bible snippets (Word of Faith people tell you that Abraham called things that were no as though they were, when the Bible specifically says that it was GOD who did such a thing, because when PEOPLE call things that are not as though they were it is called LYING which is a SIN, and God does not tempt us with SIN!) teaches you to create your own blessings, create your own miracles, based on some spiritual power that you allegedly possess. Now this power allegedly comes from 1) the Holy Spirit and 2) your portion of the power that was given to Adam to take dominion over the earth. Now the first, what fool regards Himself the master of God? If the Holy Spirit is God, then you are to be governed by the God that indwells you if you are indeed a born – again believer. God is not ruled by you, He does not bow down before you. The second: well you do realize that Adam fell don’t you? Do you wish to fall as he did? Further, the notion that we are all little gods (another verse that the Word of Faithers take out of context) all controlling our own little piece of nature is (Mormon) PANTHEISM. Now since everyone, including Christians, SIN, can you imagine the CHAOS that would result if we were all little gods running around controlling our own piece of creation? We would be starting earthquakes, tornadoes, sending lightning bolts, causing plagues and famines, etc. every time we were involved in minor traffic mishaps. Or more likely whenever we saw something that we weren’t supposed to have and coveted it. Now have any of you ever studied the pantheistic systems of Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, Babylonian, etc. mythology? One of the nature “gods” was always getting upset or jealous and chaos would ensue. If Word of Faith were true, Christians would have wiped out the human race during the apostolic period.

So Christian, if you are born again, God wishes for you to read and interpret the Bible and give your interpretation to others through your words and actions. If you are currently incapable of doing this, just ask God to help you and He will do so. (God is not a genie with a magic wand that will instantly make the knowledge appear in your head at your command; you will still have to labor and work at it, and the Bible makes it clear that studying God’s Word is a lifelong investment of time and sincere dedicated effort.) But here is an unsubtle hint to help you out: the Bible means what it says, and when all else fails adhere to the literal interpretation. If that is not good enough for you, then what you are lacking is not some spiritual gift, but rather the faith to believe what you are reading and the obedience to act on it.
If that is the case, actual salvation is what you are in need of. Please remedy that need today by following The Three Step Salvation Plan!