Westminster Confession of Faith 1.9
"The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture
itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full
sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be
searched and known by other places that speak more clearly."
Summary
The infallible method of interpreting Scripture
is to do so with other Scripture. We ought to interpret the Bible the way the
Bible interprets itself. Any interpretive method that puts something else in
the highest place sins against God and His word. There is only one true and
full sense of any particular passage, not many, and the way to discover its
meaning is to interpret it with other clearer passages. For example, we read in
1 Tim 4:4-5 that all creations of God are good and not to be refused, for it is
sanctified by the word of God and prayer. However, we know from other passages
that this does not include things that are inherently sinful. So a man having a
romantic dinner with a woman other than his wife is not acceptable, even if
they pray and give thanks for the meal and their relationship before the
dinner. The inherent sinfulness of adultery excludes it from the influence of 1
Tim 4:4-5, and without contradicting it. We learn from this that, when Paul
says “every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is
received with thanksgiving”, he does not include that which is inherently
sinful. In this way, we have used clearer passages of Scripture to help clarify
and interpret what Paul means in 1 Tim 4:4-5. The reality of section 9 means
that any interpretive methods, including an exclusively literal method, are
wrongheaded and sinful. Simply to say that you interpret the Bible literally
does not mean you interpret it correctly. We interpret the Bible the way the
Bible demands to be interpreted and how it interprets itself.
+ Blessings in Christ +
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