Author : Keith Sharp
The New Testament plainly teaches we need authority from the Lord, as expressed in the New Testament, for all we believe, teach, and practice (Colossians 3:17; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2 John 9). But how does Christ express His authority in His Word? How can we tell what pleases Him?
For many years brethren have contended that the New Testament expresses the will of God in three ways. Many brethren call for a “new hermeneutic,” a new methodology to understand the Bible. They claim the old methods are merely human wisdom rooted in the philosophy of the “Age of Enlightenment.”
I believe God communicated His will to us in the same way we humans normally express our own wills to others. God made us the way we are, with minds and freedom of will. He employed words in the ways people usually use words. This is not mysterious, and it was not first discovered by eighteenth century philosophers. Please examine the Scriptures with me and see if you do not agree.
It is the aim of this lesson to turn to the New Testament itself and see if the Scriptures themselves reveal how the Lord expresses His will for us. Thus, we inquire, How can we determine what pleases the Lord?
As Paul reminded the Ephesian elders of his work among them, he claimed, “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). The apostle declared, or proclaimed (cf. 1 John 1:5) the divine counsel to them.
The inspired writers declare the Lord’s will in two general ways. First, they simply state it as fact. “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). The proper response to such a statement of fact is to believe it.
But often the divine will demands that we act. In this case the writers declare the Lord’s commands. “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:48). Our response must be obedience.
But the New Testament also records many examples. In fact, the historical portions of the gospel, Matthew through Acts, primarily consist of narratives of action, i.e., examples. Those examples that are approved of the Lord also express the will of God. We are to imitate the manner of life of Jesus (Luke 6:40; 1 Peter 2:21-22), the apostles (1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1; Philippians 3:17; 4:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:7,9), and the New Testament examples of disciples who were directed by the apostles (Philippians 3:17).
Often the Lord simply implies His will and leaves it to us to infer His desire for us. One way He does this is by the use of rhetorical questions, questions in which the answer is implied.
For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:11-13)
Do you get the idea Paul didn’t want them to wear his name? But he didn’t command them not to or state they shouldn’t. But the rhetorical questions powerfully imply his disapproval.
Our very belief that Jesus is the Christ is based on the implication of Scripture. The Old Testament Scriptures never state that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. But Paul demonstrated they imply He is (Acts 17:2-3), and he and the Lord expect us to use our minds to infer the implication of Scripture. The Lord gave you a mind, and he expects to use it in the study and application of His will (2 Timothy 2:7).
But just because men infer something from Scripture doesn’t necessarily mean the Lord has implied it. Those who believe in sprinkling babies claim the baptism of Lydia’s house (Acts 16:14-15) is an implicit example of infant baptism. If they can prove she was married, had children, had infant children, and had infant children with her on her business trip, then they will have demonstrated the Scriptures imply infant baptism. After thirty-nine years of preaching, I still await such proof.
It is of more than casual importance that Jesus Himself used these very methods of discerning the divine will when Satan tempted Him (Matthew 4:1-11). He appealed to scriptural example (Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3), implication (Matthew 4:7; Deuteronomy 6:16), and declaration (Matthew 4:10; Deuteronomy 6:13-15).
When the apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem were confronted with the issue of circumcision and keeping the law of Moses (Acts 15:5-6), they did not need to receive any new revelation from God to settle the question. Peter, Paul, and Barnabas combined approved examples with implication to draw the correct conclusion (Acts 15:6-12), and James inferred the same conclusion from the implication of a divine declaration (Acts 15:13-19; cf. Amos 9:11-12).
The application of this simple hermeneutic should be obvious. Consider the subject of baptism. It’s necessity is declared, both by command (Acts 2:38) and statement (1 Peter 3:21). The proper subjects of baptism are demonstrated by approved example (Acts 18:8). It’s proper element, water, is implied (Acts 10:47-48).
The same methods apply to the Lord’s Supper. The Lord has declared that Christians must partake of it (1 Corinthians 11:23-25), He has shown the day of the week on which we do so, the first day, by example (Acts 20:7), and He has implied, since no particular first day is specified, that we should partake each first day of the week (Acts 20:7).
And aren’t these the very ways godly parents express their authority to their children? Do we not declare our will to them (Genesis 18:17-19), live a proper example before them, and imply, often by rhetorical question, our will? What parent has not asked his child, “Who told you you could do that?” Did you not strongly imply your disapproval?
We don’t need a new hermeneutic. We need a faithful application of the very one the Lord and His apostles used. In this way we will be one with God and each other (1 John 1:3,7).
