To view the video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf4D3H-18Nk
SHOW NOTES
Welcome back to another week of the Hope Rescue Podcast! And if this is your first time checking us out, welcome! We’re so happy you’re here. This week on the podcast we are wrapping up our Q&A series but that is not to say we won’t be answering questions in the future! If you ever have a question, feel free to email us at hoperescuepodcast@gmail.com, comment on our social media, or send us a DM through social media! We love to hear from you guys, and we will always try to answer your questions, either on the podcast or privately! Alright, let’s get into this weeks episode which answers the following question sent in by a listener:
"I have a question and would like your input on it! Knowing that God has created us to be individually different it’s really hard for me to grasp the idea that the Bible was made to be interpreted generally in one way. Christianity, Judaism, Catholicism is realistically an individual or groups perception on how they have interpreted the Bible causing core fundamental beliefs within those religions. Also chronologically and historically religions have been created over time and each religion, has differences that again people have created due to their belief that whatever came before had flaws. Sorry I know the way I’m wording this may ultimately not be clear but what is your take on the above? Would love to hear what you have to say. Thank you!"
As a pastor and a strong believer in Christ, Tim is often asked why he came to the conclusion he did about God. Why he believes in Christianity and not another religion. Tim explains that he has spent his whole life with hermeneutics, which is the theory and methodology of interpreting the Bible. With a pastor as a dad, Tim has been surrounded by biblical hermeneutics his entire life.
When art or literature is created, it is created by the artist or writer with a specific interpretation in mind. The Head of Christ is a 1648 painting by the artist Rembrandt, and when it was created, Rembrandt had a specific reason for painting Jesus the way he did. Although many people have their own ideas for what Rembrandt intended to convey, there is one true interpretation and that is the interpretation of the creator himself. All literature is meant to be interpreted one way, and the Bible is not an exception. Tim says, “When a painting is created, the artist intends to convey something specific. Whether you interpret it to mean something else or not is irrelevant. The same is true with the divine inspired Word of God.” We have a tendency to spiritualize scripture and make it say what we want it to say. But the Word of God was written to be interpreted in one specific way, despite what we feel. Tim says, “When we have an open heart and an open mind, we allow the scripture to speak for itself which is called exegesis.”
Many people are wondering "How do we know that Christianity is right? How do we know that what we believe is really true?" Tim provides us with scripture to answer this question.
Acts 17:23-34 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.” This is a large excerpt of scripture but it’s important that we understand what Paul was saying to the people of Athens. When Paul arrived in Athens, he found it to be full of false idols of gold, silver and stone. He found the people worshipping whatever they personally interpreted to be God. The conclusion Paul was trying to reach with his Areopagus sermon was that it is time to stop the ignorance. Paul emphasizes the need to know God instead of worshipping whatever we interpret to be God.
1 Corinthians 15 is referred to as the 'Resurrection Chapter," and it was written by the Apostle Paul to stress the importance of the resurrection in regards to proving the legitimacy of Christianity. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 says, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” Paul goes on in verses 12-14 to say, "Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” What Paul is saying is that the resurrection is the key doctrine of Christianity. If Jesus was never raised from the dead, what we are following is a myth. But Jesus was raised from the dead and there is evidence to support it, not only in the Bible but also in historical records.
1 John 5:11-12 says, "And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” John is saying there are two kinds of people: people who have Jesus and people who don't have Jesus. If you have Jesus, then you have eternal life. If you don't have Jesus, you don't have eternal life. John goes on in verse 13 to say, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”
People wonder, what is the difference between one religion and the next? Christianity is based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. John 14:6 says “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” There is biblical and historical proof that Jesus died, was buried in the tomb, and then rose on the third day. Jeremiah 10:10 says, “But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.”
Thanks for joining us for another week of the Hope Rescue Podcast! Join us next week as we begin our series on marriage! We love you guys!
QUOTES
“When a painting is created, the artist intends to convey something specific. Whether you interpret it to mean something else or not is irrelevant. The same is true with the divine inspired Word of God.” -Tim
“The Bible is meant to be taken as divine literature written by human beings, inspired by God, and we are called to understand and handle it accurately.” -Tim
“If Jesus was never raised from the dead, we are following a myth. But Jesus was raised from the dead, and the evidence is present, not just in the bible but in historical records as well.” -Tim
REFERENCED SCRIPTURE
Acts 17:23-34 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 says, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.”
1 Corinthians 15:12-14 "Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”
1 John 5:11-12 says, "And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
1 John 5:13 “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”
