Harmony Of Scriptures

Harmony of Scripture:

What is meant by, “harmony of Scripture”? It concerns one verse to another, each to be in harmony to other verses which bears a close connection to the subject at hand. This should be our goal, and the fundamental point when any doctrine of Scripture is under examination.

First gathering verses from various passages, then examining the words involved, the text, the context, who is speaking and whom they are speaking to. We are also to remain neutral in our personal opinions, being open minded, discussing, then drawing a conclusion.

The most dangerous thing for a young Christian to get involved in, is what I call obscure verses. If instructed under the wrong teachers, it can lead them on a path of destruction. The word obscure means, to cloud, not clear, that which is not known, to make less visible, to hide, less glorious, less beautiful, or illustrious, to conceal, etc. What I consider to be unclear verses in themselves follow.

1. Genesis 6:7, God said, “I will destroy man whom I have created — for it repenteth me = (God) that I have made them.”

Many have taken this Scripture by itself to show that God does not know the future, and that the events that led to man’s sin are as new, or surprising to Him, as they are to us. Why, because they say, God repented that he made man, with the idea, had He known man was so evil, He would not have made him.

2. In both Deuteronomy 21:23, and Ephesians 3:13, we read, “Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree.”

Cults teach that Jesus was cursed by His Father when crucified, because He hung from a tree = (cross.) Therefore He must have died in sin, because the Father cursed Him. Therefore, Jesus is not God, but just a man.

3. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For He = (the Father) hath made Him = (Jesus) to be sin for us.”

With this verse cults teach that Jesus died with sin, but the true meaning is, Jesus was made a sin offering for us!

4. John 14:28, Jesus said, “I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.”

Again the cults use this verse to show the inferiority of Jesus to the Father, therefore He is not God, but, “a god,” unworthy of our worship.

5. Matthew 16:18, Jesus said to Peter, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Certain churches teach that the rock was Peter, and in doing so, they are the heirs, or successors, taking authority through Peter. The Pope is said to be the Vicar of Christ, the successor to Peter, he standing in for Christ until his return.

6. 1 Corinthians 14:2, “He that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks NOT unto men, but unto God: for NO MAN understands him; howbeit = (be it as it may) in the spirit he speaks mysteries.”

Incoherent speaking done in the name of God and by the power of God’s Holy Spirit! Praying to God in an unknown, not of this earth language, is not what this verse is supporting.

Paul writes in Romans 12:6, “Let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith.”

The word prophesy includes from the Hebrew, the idea of exhorting, reproving, threatening, and the WHOLE of the utterances, and writings of the prophets while acting under God’s divine influence; they being ambassadors and interpreters of God’s will.

As for unknown (new) prophesies not found in Scripture, the Bible is closed, it is finished! Anything added will be frowned upon, and dealt with by the Lord. We are not to add, or subtract one word, for the fear of eternal destruction. Revelation 22:18-19.

The word proportion refers to the measure of faith given to each person by the Holy Spirit. To those who exercise an office of authority, they are to teach the Scriptures in their relation one to another.

2 Peter 1:20-21, “No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old (any) time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

The above implies that the sense of any prophecy is not to be determined by an abstract observation of the passage being referred to. It is to be taken and taught as one in harmony with the other parts of Scripture which relate to the subject at hand.

1 Corinthians 2:13, “We speak not in the words which man’s wisdom teachs, but which the Holy Ghost teachs; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” This rule needs to be applied throughout Scriptures.

God acts with design in all things. His design began with creation, moved to the law, the sacrificial system, the work of His Son Jesus, the giving of gifts by the Holy Spirit, our works of faith, Christ’s return and His judgments. His design is uniform, in that every part is in proportion to the whole, and every part is made useful in an inferior capacity to the whole.

All Scriptural matters must correspond with and move in a particular direction, and to a particular end design. This includes all precepts, promises, truths, declarations, doctrines, and/or any other various truths spoken of in the Bible.

If any one interprets Bible texts which maintain our justification by faith only, or our salvation by free grace in such a way as to exclude the necessity of good works, this interpretation is to be rejected. Why, because it contradicts the main design of Christianity, which is,

1. To save us from our sins!

Matthew 1:21, “He = (Jesus) shall save His people from their sins.”

2. To make us holy as God is holy,

1 Peter 1:15, “He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation = (conduct.)”

3. To cleanse us from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit,

2 Corinthians 7:1, “Having these promises — let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

James 2:14, “What doth it profit, — though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

Verses 17-18, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. A man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. verse 26, so faith without works is dead also.”

Supported by many other verses such as;

Luke 6:43, “A good tree brings NOT forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Verse 44, “Every tree is known by his own fruit.” Concerning the sower and his seed,

Luke 8:8, some seed, “Fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bear fruit an hundred fold.” The Greek word for fruit here means, deeds, works, and conduct.

So in our analogy and harmony of Scripture, it is absolutely necessary to understand the whole scheme of God’s revelation. It is not for our individual desires, or to form private opinions, or have a personal agenda. We must pay attention to the whole, and not to a particular part. If one is careless in this area, they will error in their understanding.

Preconceived opinions may be the highest wall to climb for many students of the Bible. Christians teachers that represent a particular denomination are more apt to put their denominations sense of understanding upon a text, which will then coincide to their own sentiments, rather than the truth. In these cases the subject in question then becomes an analogy of their own faith, rather than that of the whole system of God’s will.

In the time of our Lord, this was the blindness of the Jewish people. They studied the Scriptures diligently, but only in the things which were understood then. They would never believe what the O.T. Scriptures testified about Jesus their Messiah. What was the reason behind this error? It was the rule of interpretation, or the system of the Pharisees, and scribes in the style, mode, and usage of a polluted reverence in which they were educated.

By this veil of misinterpretation, their understanding was darkened. This included the reading of the Mosaic law, which they maintained. If a literal temple was present to them this day, they would return to animal sacrifices.

In this, I would include Catholic and Protestant and the many other denominations that exist. There is little or no room for change and one cannot challenge any of their teachings. Most churches consider their doctrines to be infallible. The cults are the masters of this confusion; possessors of blinded spiritual vision, closed ears, hardened hearts, and darkened understanding.

We must all examine ourselves in this area. Ask yourself, am I open, or do my doctrines terminate in some assumed position, so that none of our members will contradict themselves if asked the same questions.

If this shoe fits, then what’s your stance when you are presented with a Scripture which you cannot explain? I mean, to explain with a consistently to your own hypothesis. Do you attempt to resolve the difficulty by an analogy of faith which your particular church or group has invented? These are questions we must all ask.

But allowing for a Denomination’s assumptions that certain of their teachings are founded on the truth, it does not mean they are in agreement or harmony with God’s word as recorded. For only the Bible is the foundation, and proper media for truth.

Let me sight one good example of improper analogy, and harmony by certain groups.

Proverbs 16:4, “The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.”

This passage has been referred to in many discussions concerning predestination of the elect and the damnation of the wicked. The mere sound of this text when first read would favor the preconceived idea of predestination of good for some, and destruction for others. This is false, and without foundation. Why?

If this verse in Proverbs was compared with the whole scope of the Bible, we would conclude a very different meaning. For instance, no truth is more confessed and more frequently asserted to by all Christians than, “God is good.” All denominations will agree to this.

Psalms 145:9, “The LORD is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.”

Ezekiel 18:23, “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? said the LORD God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?”

In many places we read of God declaring in the law, the prophets, and the N.T. how zealously He desires all sinner’s to return to Him, and of the grace He has bestowed upon all.

Deuteronomy 5:29, “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!”

Ezekiel 18:32, “I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, said the LORD God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.”

Ezekiel 32:11, “As I live, said the LORD God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn for his way and live.”

Matthew 32:7, Jesus said, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, — how often would I have gathered thy children together.”

John 3:16, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

1 Timothy 2:3-4, “God our Savior: Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of truth.

Titus 2:11, “For the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men.”

What are we to do if a passage occurs like Proverbs 16:4? A passage which appear to contradict the goodness of God to all men? The surface text does seem to insinuate that some men are created broken, and sent to hell. This thinking must be reexamined.

This obscure verse would then need to be understood within the framework and understanding of the whole tenor of God’s revelation concerning this subject, that God is good.

The verse in Proverbs 16:4 is, “The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil,” has been rendered by many eminent writers to mean,

The LORD hath made all things to answer to themselves, agreeing to refer one to another, yes even the wicked, for the evil day; meaning that, sinning and suffering answer to each other, being united forever.

Psalms 49:5, “Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?”

Jeremiah 17:18, “Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.”

The rod of Jehovah, Isaiah 10:5, “O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation,” and His sword.

Psalms 17:13, “Deliver my soul from the wicked which is thy sword.”

Therefore it is NOT necessary to reject the plain and obvious sense of Scriptures that God is good, and that man brings upon himself the wrath of God. God will punish the evil of this world because of its unholy works, and ungodliness. This serves to display His justice, as seen in,

Job 21:30, “The wicked is reserved to the day of destruction, they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.”

Does God make man wicked, of course not! Men are not made for destruction or salvation. Men were made to be upright, but many have made themselves vile and wicked. Therefore, Jesus has the right to appoint man to eternal damnation in the lake of fire for their wickedness, and in so doing, He glorifies His own justice.

In closing, I repeat, no doctrine can belong to the harmony of Scripture which is founded on a single text, because all essential principles of Christianity are delivered in more than one place. The whole system of revelation must be explained, so as to be consistent with it.

Phillip LaSpino   www.seekfirstwisdom.com