Treating the Old and New Testaments with Respect.

 

Treating the Old and New Testaments with Respect. 

All words found in any language have meaning based on how they are used in sentences.  Words mean something, and the writers of Scripture, who were inspired to write sentences under the direct (plenary) inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote exactly what they meant to say.  It does not make any sense to suppose that an inspired writer of Scripture would have used words that meant exactly what he did not intend to say.  Misunderstandings of Scripture are most often the result of the reader not having a grasp of the original language; an understanding of the meaning of the words; or an understanding of how the inspired writers used these words in the context of writing Scripture.

When I commit my beliefs to pen and ink, it is possible that I spend more time with the English dictionary, Bible language dictionaries, and lexicons than I do writing my own thoughts.  My writings are far from inspired, but that does not mean that I do not labor over each word, phrase and sentence. I would be greatly offended if my readers were to suppose that I had intended to write the opposite meaning of my intent.  So, if a writer expects readers to trust his supposed meanings of the original Bible words in his writings, that author must treat the ancient inspired writings of the Old and New Testaments with much respect.