Lesson for July 21, 2024
Hermeneutics 101
Lesson 7
The Distinction Principle
II Peter 1:20-21, “But understand this first of all, that no prophecy (speaking forth) of Scripture is a matter of or comes from one’s own (personal or special) interpretation (making the passage of Scripture fit what you teach and ignoring the principles of accurate interpretation),for no prophecy (speaking forth) was ever made by an act of human will), but men moved (inspired) by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”
There are many distinctions throughout the Scriptures that must always be considered when interpreting any passage. As we saw with God’s covenants, there are promises to the Jews that are not for the Gentiles, or the Church, and vice-versa. There are differences in statements made to or regarding believers and statements made to or regarding unbelievers, depending on who the writer is addressing. Let’s examine some of those other distinctions in Scripture.
Israel and the Church
Romans 11:17-21, “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you [Gentiles], being like a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them to share with them the rich root of the olive tree, do not boast over the [broken] branches and exalt yourself at their expense. If you do boast and feel superior, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root that supports you. You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.’ That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by your faith [as believers understanding the truth of Christ’s deity]. Do not be conceited, but [rather stand in great awe of God even fear [Him]; for if God did not spare the natural branches [the Jews because of unbelief], He will not spare you either.”
God established the nation of Israel as a client nation, which was designed to provide freedom for everyone. It was God’s desire for Israel to be a beacon of God’s promise to provide salvation for all mankind through the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. God gave Israel everything they needed as His chosen people to carry out their responsibilities to God. He gave them laws that included a moral code, a spiritual code, and a social code.
The moral code for the entire nation of Israel was based on the Laws of Divine Establishment, which included the Ten Commandments. For those Israelites who chose to believe in the coming Messiah and His payment for their sin, God gave them a system of rituals, feasts, and types that explained in detail what Christ would do for them. They were also given a priesthood based on physical birth called the Levitical priesthood. It was the responsibility of the priests to be God’s messengers, explain the salvation work of the coming Messiah, and teach the people how to live under the spiritual code God gave them.
Ephesians 1:22-23, “And He put all things in subjection under His feet and made Him head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
In contrast, the Church is not a nation and does not operate under any system of rituals, feasts, or types. Those who believe in Christ as Savior in the Church Age become members of the family of God, are royal priests representing themselves to God, and they make up the universal Church. The only ritual we observe in the Church Age is Communion, as a remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins on the Cross. Client nations are currently Gentile nations that replaced the nation of Israel. There have been many Gentile client nations over the years that were chosen after Israel ceased to be a client nation because of their disobedience.
The Greek word for church is “ekklesia” and is used for the Universal Church, composed of all members of the Royal Family of God, i.e., all believers in this dispensation of the Church Age in Ephesians 5:25-27 and Colossians 1:17-18. The word church is also used for occasions when a group of believers in a particular geographical location get together to study God’s Word, as in I Corinthians 11:18, 14:19, 28, 34-35; Philippians 4:15; I Thessalonians 1:1; II Thessalonians 1:1; Revelation 2-3. These local churches were under the authority of pastors, whether the pastor was absent or present. Whether the pastor teaches face to face is not the issue. The mode of teaching does not determine whether the organization is a local church.
In the Church Age, God has designated the local church as the place where the Word of God is to be taught by a pastor-teacher. We are commanded to assemble ourselves for the teaching of Bible doctrine and we are to support the local church with our prayers, our finances, our attendance, etc. Local churches are to be autonomous and free from influence by any type of hierarchy. The local pastor-teacher is the ultimate authority and responsible to God.
Page 3, Hermeneutics 101
Law and Grace
Romans 8:1-4, “Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
Most often in the New Testament, “the Law” is a reference to the Mosaic Law of the previous dispensation of the Age of Israel. Christ introduced a new law, after He fulfilled the Law of Moses, called the Law of Christ. Christ’s law is based on a system of grace, which excludes any form of ritualism for the spiritual life. Salvation has always been the same in every dispensation, which is faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.
The word “condemnation” in Romans 8 is mistranslated. It should be translated “judgment.” Condemnation and judgment are two different things. Condemnation is the passing of the sentence; judgment is the execution of the sentence. This verse is talking about execution. The sentence was passed on us at the moment of birth by the justice of God through the imputation of Adam’s original sin to our sin natures, resulting in spiritual death. That is condemnation.
So, it is wrong to say there is no condemnation when obviously there is condemnation. The correct statement is there is no judgment. We are sentenced at birth by receiving the imputation of Adam’s sin, which condemns us to the Lake of Fire. However, the sentence of condemnation at birth cannot be carried out for those who have believed in Jesus Christ for salvation because the judgment for their condemnation was taken care of by Jesus Christ on the Cross. God judged His Son, as if He was judging us.
The word law in these verses is a reference to a principle. Becoming a believer by faith in Christ removes a person from the status of being under the penalty of spiritual death. This is accomplished through the grace ministry of God the Holy Spirit in placing us into permanent union with Jesus Christ. Positionally freed from the rule of the sin nature, believers are to voluntarily place themselves under the rulership of the Holy Spirit.
For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did; sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh. Remember that the Law could not execute judgment upon Adam’s original sin, but it could condemn it. And Adam’s condemnation of spiritual death is passed to every member of the human race at birth. The word weak in this verse means “limited.” The Law, though good, had a limited role to play. The limited role of the Law of Moses was to demonstrate to Israel that they needed a Savior, because eternal condemnation occurs at birth. The Law pointed the nation of Israel to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. God is the only One Who can execute judgment upon sin, which He did for the entire human race when He judged His Son Jesus Christ at the Cross for their sin.
In order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. The question we must answer is “what was the requirement of the Law of Moses”? The legal requirement of the Law is perfect righteousness. This is a legal requirement which cannot be fulfilled by keeping the Law (walk according to the flesh). The righteousness of the Law is actually God’s perfect righteousness, which can be obtained only by faith in Jesus Christ (according to the Spirit).
Grace is all that God is free to do for mankind on the basis of the work of Christ on the Cross. Grace is extended to mankind as unbelievers, living under spiritual death, and totally helpless regarding salvation. Therefore, as a matter of grace, salvation is entirely the work of God. It is the work of the Father in judging our sin, of the Son in being judged for our sin, and of the Holy Spirit in making the Gospel clear. This is why the way of salvation is by faith alone in Jesus Christ apart from any human effort. Human efforts to please or gain the approval of God for salvation or spirituality include, but are not limited to, such things as church membership, water baptism, religious rituals, performing good deeds, obeying the Ten Commandments, good behavior, being sincere, and keeping certain religious rules.
Saving grace is called “efficacious grace,” meaning effective grace. When a spiritually dead person responds to the invitation from God (all are invited) to have eternal salvation, a person simply responds by believing in Jesus Christ as Savior. It is the ministry of God the Holy Spirit to “invite” unbelievers to believe in Christ. So, the Holy Spirit makes the Gospel clear to an unbeliever who in spiritual death is unable to understand spiritual things (I Corinthians 2:14), so that they are able to believe in Christ as a result. Upon faith alone in Christ alone, the Holy Spirit makes their faith effective for salvation and eternal life.