Hermeneutic Principel Number 1

Hermeneutic Principel Number 1

#1 Hermeneutic Principles are what we base every day living on.

They can be wrong or right but what we have learned about our “biblical” world view influences our every day living. I understand why people don’t want to live by deeper hermeneutical principles. It seems like it will make their experience of God more shallow or erase the glory and mystery, but that’s just the opposite of what it does. When juxtaposed with our experience, hermeneutics allows our experience to actually travel forward in our sojourn of sanctification rather than hover over stagnant and aging spiritual memories.

The quote of the day, that came from a conversation I had, sums up my concern for the American church: “Well, for the rest of us who don’t tend to base every day living off deep hermeneutic principles,” That’s actually the problem. too many in the church have shallow hermeneutic principles resulting in their misunderstanding of God’s word. Before you say I am making too much of this, see how CS Lewis’s words echo mine to a similar response:

C.S. Lewis On Theology

“In a way I quite understand why some people are put off by Theology. I remember once when I had been giving a talk… an old, hard-bitten officer got up and said, ‘I’ve no use for all that stuff. But mind you, I’m a religious man too, I know there’s a God, I’ve felt Him: out alone in the desert at night; the tremendous mystery. And that’s just why I don’t believe all your neat little dogmas and formulas about Him. To anyone who’s met the real thing they all seem so petty and pedantic and unreal!’

“Now in a sense I quite agree with that man. I think he probably had a real experience of God in the desert. And when he turned from that experience to the Christian creeds, I think he really was turning from something real to something less real. In the same way, if a man has once looked at the Atlantic from the beach, and then goes and looks at a map of the Atlantic, he will also be turning from something real to something less real: turning from real waves to a bit of colored paper.

“But here comes the point. The map is admittedly only colored paper, but there are two things you have to remember about it. In the first place, it is based on what hundreds and thousands of people have found out by sailing the real Atlantic. In that way it has behind it masses of experience just as real as the one you could have from the beach; only, while yours would only be a single isolated glimpse, the map fits all those different experiences together. In the second place, if you want to go anywhere, the map is absolutely necessary. As long as you are content with walks on the beach, your own glimpses are far more fun than looking at a map. But the map is going to be more use than walks on the beach if you want to get to America.

“Now, Theology is like that map. Merely learning and thinking about Christian doctrines, if you stop there, is less real and exciting than the sort of thing my friend got in the desert. Doctrines are not God: they are only a kind of map. But that map is based on the experiences of hundreds of people who really were in touch with God–experiences compared with which any thrills or pious feelings you and I are likely to get on our own are very elementary and very confused.

“And secondly, if you want to get any further, you have to use the map. You see, what happened to that man in the desert may have been real, and was certainly exciting, but nothing comes of it. It leads nowhere. There is nothing to do about it. In fact, that is just why a vague religion–all about feeling God in nature, and so on–is so attractive. It is all thrills and no work; like watching waves from the beach. But you will not get to Newfoundland by studying the Atlantic that way, and you will not get eternal life by simply feeling the presence of God in flowers or music. Neither will you get anywhere by looking at maps without going to sea. Nor will you be very safe if you go to sea without a map.”

I, like Lewis, understand why so may want to put off theology or at least think they already are putting it off. Even their putting it off is resulting in a development of their own theological foundation. I understand why they want to try to simplify their faith. It’s because we think less is more. However, strong, sound, biblical hermeneutics framed by the inherent word of God keep your sails strong and your ship from colliding on the rocks of sin and fear. They permit you to be content in all things and weather the stormy seas.

When you “don’t tend to base your life” on objective truth and sound biblical hermeneutics you are sailing recklessly. Even the smallest hints in your orthopraxy suggests hints of a greater failing orthodoxy. That doesn’t mean your experience wasn’t real nor your feelings sincere, but scripture will qualify them so you can be certain. Rest assured, your course can be affirmed by the map of hermeneutics like theology and your journey saved by simply going to God’s word and basing your life on every jot and tittle, at every turn and in every moment of your life. When you do everything will change! Everything!

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12).