In order to correctly
interpret the Bible we have to bear in mind that God, Christ and the Holy Spirit, do not contradict each other, nor change their opinions throughout the centuries
Christ is the same
yesterday, today and forever
One of the factors to correctly interpret
the Bible is to
realize that God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are divine beings.
Therefore, it is not logical to
suppose that God’s opinions change,
needing correction. It is absurd to think that the Creator erred when he
said or commanded something in a book of the Bible, and because of that,
had to rectify the error later in another book.
It is
also not logical to believe that God thought in one way, and expressed
it in the Old Testament, but Christ thought in a different way and that
is why it was contradicted in the New Testament.
Others
are even capable of supposing that the Holy Spirit inspired something in the
disciples, which God was not in agreement with.
That being said, it would seem that no true Christian would think such a thing, but in fact they do, without
realizing what they believe, when they sustain erroneous doctrines.
Everything the Bible says has to be in harmony, because God is not a
being of discord or chaos.
If the
interpretation of a passage implies something like what we have just mentioned,
it is because the interpreter is wrong, not the Bible. It is the
one interpreting who does not understand, not God who changed his
opinion or Christ who amended or improved upon His father’s page.
There
are brethren that when they interpret some passage of Scripture act as if they
believed that God had an opinion “before”, while “now”
He has a contrary opinion. Others even act as if God had an opinion and
Jesus Christ had an opposing opinion. Others believe that God had a
defective opinion, but when Christ came, he improved upon it.
In Hebrews 13:8 we will see that Saint Paul tells us, inspired by
the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ does not change.
“Jesus Christ the same
yesterday, and today, and for ever.” (Hebrews
13:8)
If
Jesus Christ is always the same, it is logical to think that He has not
changed. If on the other hand we know that He always obeys the Father,
it is also logical to think that He has always been in agreement with the
Father and therefore, the Father has never changed either.
In God, there is neither change nor shadow
of turning
James
also testifies that God does not change his opinion. The Creator does
not need to rectify, because he is never wrong. Therefore,
if some interpretation implies that God or Christ or the Holy Spirit “improve”
on something previously said, that interpretation is wrong.
“Every good gift and every
perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,
with who is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17)
Being
three divine beings, neither God, nor Christ, nor the Holy
Spirit are going to have to rectify something they previously said or ordered.
If upon interpreting a passage, our interpretation implies that Christ
improved on something either established or said by God, that
interpretation is wrong. If our interpretation of what is said by some
writer of the Bible, men who wrote by being inspired by the Holy Spirit,
it implies that they are “improving upon” or “changing”
a commandment of God or Christ, that interpretation is erroneous and
even blasphemous.
God personally says that
He does not change
That
idea is clearly perceived in the Old Testament. When God reproaches the
Israelites for their sins, He informs them that if they have not been
consumed by their sins, it is because God doesn’t change.
“For I am the LORD, I change
not; therefore ye sons of
Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6)
No one
who is perfect has to correct or rectify his errors, because then he would not
be perfect.
Whoever has a correct concept, will understand that no divine being
changes their opinion.