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NASB | 2 Peter 3:16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Peter 3:16 speaking about these things as he does in all of his letters. In which there are some things that are difficult to understand, which the untaught and unstable [who have fallen into error] twist and misinterpret, just as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. |
Subject: Avoid Ignorant and Popular Distortions |
Bible Note: Although a refusal to use labels may sound sagacious to the postmodern and/or untutored mind, it actually stands against the Scripture itself. Scripture is fundamentally propositional. Labels are an important component in the use of sound rhetoric. God, the prophets, Christ, and the apostles all labeled things. Sometimes they gave us new definitions for words (e.g., "agape," sacrificial love). Sometimes they coined labels that never before existed in the original languages (e.g., "paliggenesia," regeneration; "Christianos," Christians). The church continues this tradition with terms like trinity, inerrancy, catholic, morality, rapture, etc. The theologian Charles Hodge wrote -- don't skim past it! its got a lot of polysyllabic labels, but its worth the read! -- "As we would have anticipated, it is a matter of fact that the Church has advanced very gradually in this work of the accurate interpretation of Scripture and definition of the great doctrines, which compose the system of truth it reveals. The attention of the Church has been specially directed to the study of one doctrine in one age, and of another doctrine in another age. And as she has thus gradually advanced in the clear discrimination of gospel truth, she has at different periods set down an accurate statement of the results of her new attainments in a Creed or Confession of Faith, for the purpose of preservation and popular instruction. In the meantime, heretics spring up on all occasions, who pervert the Scriptures, who exaggerate certain aspects of the truth and deny others equally essential, and thus in effect turn the truth of God into a lie. The Church is forced, therefore, on the great principle of self-preservation, to form such accurate definitions of every particular doctrine misrepresented as shall include the whole truth and exclude all error; and to make such comprehensive exhibitions of the system of revealed truth as a whole that no one part shall be either unduly diminished or exaggerated, but the true proportion of the whole be preserved. At the same time, provision must be made for ecclesiastical discipline, and to secure the real cooperation of those who profess to work together in the same cause; so that public teachers in the same communion may not contradict one another, and the one pull down what the other is striving to build up. Formularies must also be prepared, representing as far as possible the common consent, and clothed with public authority, for the instruction of the members of the Church, and especially of the children." In this case, Hodge is speaking most specifically of creeds and confessions. The activity of the creation and study of such documents is virtually synonymous with developing labels! So let me summarize the importance of labeling to the Church of God: 1. Accurate interpretation of Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15b) 2. Systematic study of Scripture's doctrine (2 Timothy 2:15a) 3. Defense against heresy (Galatians 1:7; 2 Peter 3:16) 4. Exposure of ALL that Scripture teaches (Luke 4:4) 5. Discipline of the church (Titus 1:13) 6. Cogent, consistent pedagogy (Matthew 28:20) J. Gresham Machen wrote, "This temper of mind [liberalism] is hostile to precise definitions. Indeed nothing makes a man more unpopular in the controversies of the present day than an insistence upon definition of terms... Men discourse very eloquently today upon such subjects as God, religion, Christianity, atonement, redemption, faith; but are greatly incensed when they are asked to tell in simple language what they mean by these terms." The tool of the mind is language. Textualization is the heart of transmission of the Bible. This is why the Reformers and our Founding Fathers -- as all believers should -- actually encouraged education, rather than encouraging folks to remain ignorant! (1) It takes more work, (2) it makes us accountable, and (3) it will be resisted by the world and the simple, but if we want to (4) follow the example of Scripture, we need labels. |