DECODING THE BIBLE
By Dee L. McCroskey
"IF GOD wrote the Bible, as you folks claim, why didn't He write it in plain language so ordinary people could easily understand it?" How often we encounter this question. And strangely enough, the learned and educated people seem to be baffled the most by tbe language of the Word of God.
A certain New York minister tells of an intelligent young man who came to him with the complaint that he had been trying to read the Bible but couldn't "make heads nor tails out of it." He had asked a number of other ministers why the Bible was written like that.
"I am a college graduate." he said. "They never did set a book before me that I could not in time understand and pass a creditable examination upon. But the Bible has me baffled:'
"Why, that is easy:' the minister replied, "because the answer is in the Bible itself," Turning to First Corinthians 2:14, he began to read, slowly: "The natural man" - turning to the questioner, he abruptly asked, "Do those words fit you?"
"Why yes, of course they do. I'm not some kind of a freak; I'm an ordinary man, a natural man, sure'"
"All right, then we will read on and see what God says about His Word and natural men like you.
'The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him ...
"Wait a minute," interrupted the young man. ''That's just what I said, that it's all foolishness to me. Are you sure you are reading that straight, and not making it up for the occasion?”
Whereupon he was permitted to read the text for himself: "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
"Does that mean, then, that God purposely caused His Book to be written like that, so that a man of my intelligence and education would be prevented - actually prevented - from getting a grasp of it?"
"Yes," replied the older man. "I dare to solemnly declare that very thing, strange as it may seem to you. It is purposely made unknowable to men like you, so that you might appreciate this fact, that as no man has ever been able to formulate a CODE that could not be deciphered and uncoded by other men, so right here on the surface is evidence that you, at least, ought to appreciate. Right here is proof that it is the writing of God and not of man. This, at least, is an extraordinary volume. It defiantly challenges a correct interpretation or understanding by any stranger or enemy of the Author, of the marvelous truths which it abundantly contains, yet so effectually conceals:'
He went on then, to show that God has written His Word for His friends, and successfully hidden it from His enemies, one and all, great and small, ignorant and learned. The natural man receiveth it not. On the other hand, let a man come to it with a seeking heart, in humility and sincerity toward God, desiring to know about His love and mercy toward sinners, and of the Son of God who died for him on the cross, and he will find his darkness turning into light.
The outstanding key to the Scriptures, then, lies in the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: "Ye must be born again." The world is made up of two kinds of people - natural men, and born again men. To the natural man, it is all a baffling mystery; to the child of God, the Word of God is a living thing, which talks to him and instructs him.
Three Principles of Uncoding
Shortly after the war with Japan it came to light that the United States intelligence experts had, early in the war, succeeded in decoding the secrets of the Japanese navy. This resulted in several crushing victories, including the battle of Midway, and even brought about the death of Japanese Admiral Yamamoto. It has been demonstrated over and over that human minds cannot formulate a code for communication purposes, which cannot be decoded by equally smart men in the camp of the enemy. Sooner or later, somebody will work out the key. But God's ''-Word, which is His message written in code to His own citizens, has defied all attempts of the enemy to uncode it, and yet God dares to plainly publish the keys to it, and invites everyone to make use of them!
Why is this? It is because the secret of uncoding human codes lies in possessing certain mental adeptness and training, while the secret of uncoding God's message lies in possessing certain conditions of heart and purpose. Under this system, the highest wisdom and learning of man lies helpless before Him who searcheth human hearts. God Himself must unfold His Word to whom He will, and this He often does for the most illiterate and lowly of men, providing He finds in their hearts that response for which He looks.
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us (believers) by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might KNOW the things that are freely given to us of God" (I Cor. 2:9-12).
There are many principles of Bible interpretation known among God's people. One Bible teacher gives eighteen principles of interpretation, while others condense it down to a half dozen or so. But we are not attempting in this booklet to cover the subject of principles of Bible interpretation, although some of them are important, and necessary for a proper knowledge of the Word. There is, for instance, the principle of rightly dividing the Word of truth (II Timothy 2:15). Failure to recognize this principle is the cause of most of the religious confusion today. But even this principle is somewhat of an exterior implement, which even an unconverted man could, with diligent study, learn to use.
We are concerned here with what we might term the "principles of Bible understanding," or with application rather than interpretation. It is our earnest desire that the reader may be "filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" (Col. 1:19).
In the course of many years of laboring in the Word and doctrine, the writer has often found help and guidance in three main keys that unlock God's Word in a marvelous fashion, so that God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might KNOW the things that are freely given to us of God" (I Cor. 2:9-12).
There are many principles of Bible interpretation known among God's people. One Bible teacher gives eighteen principles of interpretation, while others condense it down to a half dozen or so. But we are not attempting in this booklet to cover the subject of principles of Bible interpretation, although some of them are important, and necessary for a proper knowledge of the Word. There is, for instance, the principle of rightly dividing the Word of truth (II Timothy 2:15). Failure to recognize this principle is the cause of most of the religious confusion today. But even this principle is somewhat of an exterior implement, which even an unconverted man could, with diligent study, learn to use.
We are concerned here with what we might term the "principles of Bible understanding," or with application rather than interpretation. It is our earnest desire that the reader may be "filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" (Col. 1: 19).
In the course of many years of laboring in the Word and doctrine, the writer has often found help and guidance in three main keys that unlock God's Word in a marvelous fashion, so that it becomes a living and precious part of one's very life. These three main keys are found in the first three kinds of ground in the Parable of the Sower. But for clarity's sake, we might enumerate them in this manner:
1. The New Birth Principle (I Cor. 2:14).
2. The Willingness Principle (John 7:17).
3. The Preeminence of Christ Principle (Col. 1:17-18).
Before looking "at them in the Parable of the Sower, let us examine their working methods in other Scriptures.
The New Birth
This principle, which was used to help the young college graduate, is the crown of all the revelations of God to man. It is the first thing that should concern and occupy the heart and mind of every person. "The natural (or unsaved) man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him." Here we have the starting place. Unless a person is Willing to come to God as a poor, guilty, and unworthy sinner, believing God's record of His Son and receiving Him as his Saviour, he cannot be God's child, and he cannot be God's friend.
"Ye must be born "again," said the Lord Jesus,n John chapter three. And again, concerning that One who loved us and died for our sins, it is written: "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name."
Nor can the sinner say that he isn't saved because he can't understand the Bible. God has made that part of His Word so plain and simple that no honest person could miss it. That all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and that God has provided a loving Saviour for all who will receive Him, is so plainly written in the New Testament that we are without excuse.
The first principle, then, of understanding the things of God is to become H[s friend and His child, by personally receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins. the just for the unjust, that He might BRING US unto God" (I Peter 3:18).
This is illustrated by the prodigal son. There is no indication that he was a collage graduate. or a man of extraordinary learning. But when he finally came to see his own desperate need of the father's forgiveness and mercy, he arose and went to the father, pleading only that he was an unworthy sinner. From there on. all the riches and treasures of the father were opened unto him. As we have it in I Corinthians I: 18, '''the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." Our relation to God, and the humility with which we approach Him, make a vast difference. We must all start at the cross of Calvary.
The Willingness Principle
This principle is stated in John 7:17: "If any man will DO His will, he shall know of the doctrine, . :' The marginal rendering is a little better: "If any man will to DO His will, he shall know of the doctrine.”
Abraham was called a friend of God because he believed God and gladly pitched his tent toward the mountain with God, rather than toward Sodom and the world. And God, on His part. let Abraham in on His own plans. "And the Lord said, ShalI I hide from Abraham that thing which 1 do . .? For 1 know him, that he will command his children and his house hold after him, and they shalI keep the way of the Lord, to DO justice and judgment" (Gen. 18:17-19). To us today, the Scripture saith:
"Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4). Why? Because Satan is the god of this world (II Cor. 4:4), and the promoter of alI of its system of things. Except for the simple truths of sin and salvation, God has written His secrets in code, so that His friends may understand and His enemies may not.
God meant business when He went to all the labor and sacrifice to provide us with His Word. We must mean business too, when We read it, and be Willing to do it, if We are to receive precious portions from Him. So many in our day have itching ears. They want to know about prophecies, about everything that is sensational and interesting, but which doesn't call for any doing, no doing nor any suffering for His name's sake. But God knows the hearts of all such, and He will not let them in on His plans.
This Was the condition of Israel when the Lord Jesus said: "Therefore they could not believe" (John 12:39). "He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart:' Let us note that carefully. "Under_ stand with their heart." With the mind We understand the things of men, but only with the heart can We understand the things of God.
Many other Scriptures show in different Words that a willingness to DO His Word is necessary for an understanding of it. In Psalm Ill: 10 We read: "a good understanding have all they that DO His commandments." In James 1 :22 We are exhorted to be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, "For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was:' Most of us do not need more light from the Word; we need more walking in the light we have.
The Preeminence of Christ
"And He " before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence" (Colossians 1:17-18).
Here again is an important condition of heart which we must have before God will open up His rich treasures to us. The whole Bible is woven around one great and eternally blessed Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Unless we see Him in every book in the Bible. desiring to know Him better and better in our reading. and above all, to honor Him and esteem Him above every other person and thing, God cannot afford to enlighten us, lest we become puffed up.
As the Lord Jesus walked with the two on the way to Emmaus, He expounded unto them 'in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself' (Luke 24:27). Again, in the 44th Verse He referred to the things "which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me." If we take the five books of Moses, and all the books of the prophets, and the Psalms, We have nearly the whole Old Testament, and it all spoke of Him.
Some brethren and the writer once attended a country Bible forum. where a weekly discussion of the Word was held. At this particular session there were some interesting discussions on certain prophecies. and some study was made of certain Bible characters, and of certain interpretations. The Beast. and even Satan, came in on a good share of the study. But no one, from the beginning to the end, had anything to say about the Lord Jesus Christ. He was absent. A vacant chair in the semi-circle of participants seemed to us to be sitting there as a mute reminder of the One who was not there, unsought and uninvited. How good, brethren. and how pleasant it must be to the Father to hear us speak of His Son!
We may not be learned men, and our meetings not as sensational as some. We may stumble and stammer in presenting the Word. But if the glorious Son of the living God is the theme of our hearts; if there is among us, withal. glory and honor to His name, then the Father is pleased with us. Does He not say, ''This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"? Then We are not left in doubt as to how to please the Father!
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER
Let us now see how wonderfully the Parable of the Sower brings out these three principles of understanding, or of decoding the hidden secrets of God's Word. Remember that these three principles have to do with the New Birth, WilIingness to Do His Will. and the Preeminence of Christ.
In the Parable of the Sower we find these three principles demonstrated in the first three kinds of ground. The wayside ground sets forth the necessity of first RECEIVING the Lord Jesus as Saviour, before one may understand the Word. The stony ground sets forth the mere professor of Christ, a believer in mind only, who has not fully surrendered himself to the Lord of glory, and hence has no heart for DOING His will.
Many church members, perhaps most of them, are in this category, mere religious professors who have never been born again. The thorny ground sets forth a saved but unfruitful believer, who hears the Word but is not able to give the Lord Jesus FIRST PLACE in his life. "Other things entering in," come ahead of his Lord, and God cannot trust him with many precious gems from the rich stores of His Word. For a comparison of these three kinds of ground in the three Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, let us put them down this way:
The Wayside Ground
Matthew 13:19- "When anyone heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which receiveth seed by the wayside:' Here is a person who hears the Word but he understands it not, and the wicked one (Satan) catches it away. (See 11 Cor. 4:4).
Mark 4:15- "And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts," They hear the Ward, but Satan takes it away.
Luke 8:12- "Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved." They hear the Word, then comes the devil and takes the Word out of their hearts, "lest they should belieee and be saved!"
Thus we see this to be the case of an unsaved person. He has, out of curiosity or for some other reason. read the Bible some. Or perhaps he has gone to hear it preached a number of times. But he does not understand it because his heart is not right toward God. He has a natural, unseeking heart, and "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God." Luke's Gospel labels him clearly as an UNSAVED person, from whom the devil quickly snatches the Word, "lest he should believe and be saved:' This agrees perfectly with the statement in II Cor. 4:3-4, that even the gospel is hid from such a person, whose mind is blinded by Satan, the god of this world, "lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto him:'
The Stony Ground
Matthew 13:20.21-"But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word, by and by he is offended." This is a person who hears and receives the Word, but he hath no root in himself. His spiritual joy doesn't last very long.
Mark 4: 16-17-"And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who when they have heard the Word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affiiction or persecution ariseth for the Word's sake, immediately they are offended:'
Luke 8: 13-''They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the Word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away:'
These folks get farther than the wayside kind, but not far enough to become actually saved. Their acceptance of the Gospel is too theoretical and their joy is too quick and too shallow to last. They are marked by the statement, "which for a while believe," But they have not counted the cost of stepping forth wholeheartedly for the Lord, They are intrigued by the wonders of God's Word, and they desire the benefits of salvation, but they have not at any time surrendered that one thing to God that should have been surrendered-their own wills. This is necessary if one is to have reality in his Christian profession. Paul's first words after the Lord revealed Himself to him were: "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?"
The stony ground heart is one that is not willing to DO the Lord's will, It receives the Ward so long as the going is smooth. but when trials begin, it is offended. Luke makes it plain when he says this kind of person will "fall away,"
You will notice, also, that the stony ground person has "no root in himself." It will not do to have a root in the faith of some other person. You may have had "a Christian mother,' as so many say, or you may have a godly pastor, or have your trust in some evangelist of great ability. But all that will avail you nothing. Each one of us must have a root in himself; that is, the Word of God must have taken root in our own hearts, in our own faith. Each of us must consider our own eternal welfare, and have saving faith of our own, a personal faith that will not wilt under persecution. The love of Christ is said to be this force which constrains us (II Cor. 5:14), so that we will be able to live not unto ourselves but unto Him who loved us and died for us-II Cor. 5:15.
The Thorny Ground
Matthew 13:22 - "He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hearcth the Word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the Word, and he becometh unfruitful" Here is a person who hears the Word, but the things of this life press in upon him, and he becomes unfruitful. Saved but unfruitful.
Mark 4:18-19-"And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the Word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the Word, and it becometh unfruitful."
Luke 8: 14- "And that which fell among thorns arc they, which. when they have heard, go forth, and arc choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection."
The stony ground speaks of a believer, hut one whose low esteem for his Saviour, and high esteem for the things around him, keep him in a state of spiritual poverty. Let us note that the end of the matter with the wayside person was that the devil snatched the Word out of his heart, and he remained unsaved. The stony ground person had no real root of faith and soon fell away, and remained unsaved also. Thus the first two kinds of ground speak of tasters and professors who were never really saved.
But with the thorny ground there is no such language as "falling away." This person is a believer, one who is born again, but who is said to be "unfruitful." Many of God's dear saints fall into this class. They have the Word, but it is continually choked.
The three "chokers" against which every believer must wage constant combat, are: cares, riches, pleasure-all things of this life and of this world. In Galatians 1:4 we read that Christ died to save us from this present evil world, as, as well as from the abyss of the lost in the next world, Many whose souls have escaped the sentence of hell by fleeing to the cross for the great salvation of God, have not been fully saved from this present evil world. And yet, that is one of the things for which our Saviour went to the cross.
This goes back to the preeminence of Christ. All those in heaven will shout: "He is worthy:' The martyrs of old proclaimed that He was worthy of all that they suffered for His name's sake. Devoted saints today are able to live separated and victorious lives by the same means by counting the Son of God more dear than all things in this present evil world. Moses of old counted the sufferings and reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt- Hebrews 11 :26.
The Good Ground
It is interesting to note that the good ground sets forth a person who has overcome on each of the three points covered in the other three kinds of ground. Matthew says he heareth the Word and understandeth it. Luke 8: 15 says: "But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience"
Three things may be said of the good ground. (l) It speaks of a heart of faith, not a natural or unsaved heart. It is an "honest and good heart," and able to understand the Word of God. (2) It not only hears the Word, but "keeps it." That is, it sets out to be a doer of the Lord's will and not a hearer only. (3) It brings forth fruit. The love of Christ constrains it, so that it does not live unto itself, but unto Him who loved us and died for us. The heart of every human being is described by one of these four kinds of ground, the first two describing unsaved people, and the last two describing believers.
How clear it becomes, then, that the three principles of nnderstanding-New Birth, Willingness, and Preeminence of Christ are the keys that unlock God's secrets and His riches. People often say that parables are given to explain truth. But they are really given for the opposite reason, to hide truth.
During his school days, the writer used to work occasionally for a man who owned numerous tracts of land around a small California town. This man had his barns, tool houses, granary, blacksmith shop, and other buildings on a large block inside the city limits, where everything had to be locked up. Hired men were always losing the various keys, and there was a good deal of trouble, until a man with inventive genius perfected special combinations on every door. To open one building, you would step on a certain nail head on the step, press a certain panel, and then lift the latch. On another, you would pull a wire, press on a peg, pull the latch first to the left and then to the right. And so on. It was then simply a matter of each employee leaning the combinations, and all others were kept out.
God has written His parables in somewhat this fashion, so that they are baffling mysteries to those on the outside, but open doors for very precious things to those entitled to them. So it is that the Lord told the disciples:
"Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand .. " (Mark 4:11-12).
We cannot overemphasize that it is the condition of a person's heart, and not of his mind, that opens the doors of understanding in the Word of God. Draw nigh unto God, seeking to know His Word for the purpose of giving all honor and glory to His Son, and you will find that He is faithful to open up its treasures to you. "Study to show thyself approved unto God." 2. Timothy 2:15
How
God Saves Men
Believing
Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing
Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
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Acts 16L31 Romans 1:16, and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4
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