The Foundation for Biblical Interpretation

1 Thessalonians 5:21 commands us: “but test everything; hold fast what is good”. Nothing – not our traditions, our doctrines, our theological systems, nor even our own deeply held convictions – is too sacred to be tested by the Word of God.

But what is this “good” that we are commanded to hold fast? Jesus Himself answered that question: Matthew 19:17: “…Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments”.  We are therefore not commanded to hold fast to the ideas of men, but to God and to His Word. There is only one who is good, and His Word alone is the final standard of truth.

Approach Scripture, then, with the conviction that God’s Word is true even if every human opinion proves false. Romans 3:3–4: “What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, ‘That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged’”. Likewise, Jeremiah 17:5: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD’”.

Our confidence must therefore rest not in human authority, however respected, but in God’s revealed Word. Our God is neither a God of contradiction nor of confusion. 1 Corinthians 14:33: “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace”. Likewise, Paul warned Timothy. 1 Timothy 6:20: “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’”.

God is the one true God – the righteous God, the God of truth, and the God of purpose. While He has not revealed everything there is to know about Himself, He has revealed everything necessary for us to know Him, trust Him, and faithfully obey Him. As the Lord declared, Exodus 33:20: “You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live”. Yet Scripture also reminds us, Deuteronomy 29:29: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law”.

God has purposely distinguished between what He has concealed and what He has revealed. The hidden things belong to Him alone, but what He has revealed is intended for our instruction, understanding, and obedience. Accordingly, 2 Timothy 3:15–16: “…from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness”.

To claim that God’s revealed Word is inherently contradictory, or that its doctrines must ultimately remain incomprehensible because they are “mysteries,” is to imply that God communicates incoherently or without purpose. Scripture never presents God’s revelation in that way.

Certainly, some truths are deeper than others. God has perhaps intentionally “camouflaged” or “concealed” certain matters more profoundly – deeper –  than others. Yet His purpose is never to frustrate sincere seekers, but to encourage spiritual growth – to lead believers from milk to meat – and ultimately to reward those who diligently search His Word. As Proverbs declares, Proverbs 25:2: “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out”.

For this reason, Christians should exercise great caution whenever they encounter doctrines that contradict the plain teaching of Scripture or teachers who discourage believers from carefully examining and testing their theological claims. Appeals to mystery should never be used to shield a doctrine from biblical examination. Statements such as, “Efforts to understand complex and mysterious doctrines in the Bible are unhelpful because they reduce mystery and therefore diminish wonder and worship,” should themselves be tested by Scripture rather than accepted uncritically.

Ultimately, every doctrine originates from one of two sources: either it arises directly from Scripture itself, or it arises from the reasoning and conclusions of men. In either case, every doctrine and every interpretation must remain open to biblical examination and verification.

To avoid confirmation bias, Scripture must be allowed to interpret Scripture. Every doctrine must fit naturally within the whole counsel of God, harmonizing contextually, progressively, and consistently without creating contradiction elsewhere in Scripture.

Furthermore, every interpretation must uphold the immutable perfection of God—not only in His perfect natural attributes, but also in His perfect moral character. The more thoroughly we understand what God has revealed about Himself, both in what He is and in who He is, the more readily we will recognize teachings that misrepresent Him. The standard rule must be that if an interpretation contradicts any part of Scripture or the perfect nature of God, then that interpretation must be considered incomplete or completely. There must be no compromise to this standard.

With that principle in mind, I readily acknowledge that I am a flawed and fallible human being. Therefore, do not accept anything I write simply because I have written it. Test it for yourself against the Scriptures.

If what I have written proves faithful to God’s Word, then the truth does not belong to me—it belongs to God, and He alone deserves the glory. If I am to receive any credit at all, it can only be for my mistakes.