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Choking on the Law

We cannot ignore the Law and interpret Scripture correctly.

Hermeneutics of Convenience (4)

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father's wife! And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. 1 Corinthians 5.1, 2

What to do?
We are describing an approach to interpreting the Bible which we call a “hermeneutics of convenience.” The chief characteristic of this practice involves twisting Scripture to fit one’s pre-conceived ideas or preferences concerning doctrines, subjects, or practices. Those who practice a hermeneutics of convenience begin their approach to understanding Scripture with what they regard as a key idea or principle. But they have set their interpretive saw at a wrong angle, preferring their own ideas to the plain teaching of God’s Word. From there, they twist the Scripture as much as is necessary to support their view, thus “conveniently” using the Word of God to endorse a belief or practice which does not cohere with the plain meaning of the Bible.

Another form of a hermeneutics of convenience is to simply reject or ignore parts of Scripture which are either too difficult or simply not convenient for our purposes.

Let us imagine a situation in which a young person has come to our church full of enthusiasm for Christ and eager to get growing in the Lord. He doubtless has a large network of young people whom he could influence for the Gospel and perhaps bring with him to church. His love for Christ seems genuine, and his enthusiasm for the Lord is infectious.

There’s just one problem: He’s living in an immoral relationship – a relationship that is clearly out of line with the teaching of Scripture throughout.

What do we do? We are reluctant to confront him because we might dampen his enthusiasm for the Lord, or he might move along to some other church. He probably doesn’t see this relationship as immoral because, after all, many of his friends are similarly involved. It might even be that he will be the way God brings his lover into a saving relationship with Christ. So what do we do?

Choking on the Law
If you are the leaders of the church in Corinth in Paul’s day, you do nothing.

You just put up with the situation and hope for the best. You know that the Law of God – and, indeed, all the rest of Scripture – forbids and condemns such relationships (cf. Deut. 22.30, Lev. 20.11; Matt. 14.3, 4; etc.). It even prescribes severe punishment for those who persist in them.

But because you’re not in a position to enforce the plain meaning of the Law of God – the Church, after all, does not bear the sword – you either don’t know what to do, or you simply choose to do nothing. You choke on the Law and, like anything else you choke on, you cough it up and spit it out.

It’s clear that the leaders of the church in Corinth were pleased with their decision to let this young man continue in his adulterous relationship. In fact, they boasted about their “tolerance” or “patience” or “understanding” with respect to this situation. They had elevated a principle of “grace” or perhaps “tolerance” above the plain teaching of Scripture. And, since they could not fully understand what obedience to the Law required, even though the plain teaching of the Law was not to be denied, they set that plain teaching aside and submitted to their principle as a matter of convenience in keeping peace in the church.

The Corinthians, being largely Hebrews, knew the Law, but they assumed that they were no longer bound by it because of the grace of the Gospel. They were under grace, not Law. So, rather than deal with this situation as the Law requires, by removing the offender from their midst in a manner consistent with the teaching of Jesus (cf. Matt. 18.15-20), they decided not to do anything and were proud of their “non-judgmental” attitude toward their fellow believer. Why, they even exceeded the Gentiles in their toleration of this situation!

They had become puffed up with their non-judgmentalism and tolerance, and their manifest scorn for the revelation of God. They were doing exactly what Bonhoeffer warned against in The Cost of Discipleship, turning an abstract principle into a general hermeneutical norm, and thereby twisting Scripture to fit their own convenience.

Not “no” interpretation, but “better”
It fell to Paul to set them straight. He showed them that the solution to this difficult situation was not no interpretation of God’s Law, but better. No, the church does not bear the sword, and so it could not apply the death penalty to this young man. But that didn’t mean it should not condemn his immoral practice and call him to obedience. Paul’s understanding of the Scriptures drew on the fact that, in the Law of God, separation from the altar and community of the Lord was a condemnation which had the same practical effect as the death penalty – removing unrepentant sinners from the holy community of the Lord. The church does not bear the sword, but the church should put out from its membership those who flout the plain teaching of God’s Law, until repentance is evidenced and they can return. Even Jesus had taught this.

Those who twist the Scripture for their own convenience will also simply reject as “no longer relevant” those texts which do not fit their ideas, views, or practices. They have to deal with them nonetheless, so rather than seek help for better interpretations, they simply choose no interpretations at all, and reject whatever of Scripture is not convenient for them.

And thus they wrest and twist the Scriptures to their own – and the church’s – destruction.

For reflection
1.  How would you describe the place of God’s Law in your relationship with Jesus?

2.  What place does the Law of God have in the educational program of your church?

3.  What is the fallacy involved in saying, “I’m not under Law, I’m under grace.” It what sense is this true?

Next steps – Transformation: Do you see any evidence that your church leaders have “choked” on the Law of God? How about yourself? What will you do to bring more daily meditation on God’s Law into your walk with the Lord (Ps. 1)?

T. M. Moore

To learn more about understanding and using the Bible, enroll in the course, Introduction to Biblical Theology. It’s free and online, and you can study at your own pace or with friends. To learn more and to register, click here. This week’s study is Part 6 of a series on The Word of God, and is available as a free download by clicking here.

The key to understanding the Bible is to see Jesus in all its parts, as centerpiece and fulfillment of God’s covenant and promises. Our workbook,
God’s Covenant, takes you through the entire Bible, following the development of themes related to God’s covenant, and consummated in Jesus Christ. Here’s an effective tool for helping you read the Bible through God’s eyes. Order your copy by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
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