Exegetical Precision

If you please God, it does not matter whom you displease. And if you displease Him, it does not matter whom you please. (Steve Lawson)

I recently responded to a post on Face Book. There was a picture of a young lady wearing a long sleeve green t-shirt. One word was printed on the shirt – ‘Whosoever’ in large letters. In much smaller letters under that word was the reference John 3:16.

I responded to that post and pointed out that there is no such word (whosoever) in the text in the original language in John 3:16. WOW! The free-willers went ballistic. Hundreds of people cited the NIV, the KJV, etc. as proof that whosoever is indeed in that passage.

It mattered not that I gave the following interpretation from the text in the original language:

In this manner, God loved the world that he actually gave his unique one of a kind son with the express purpose that the believing ones will not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Emotions and tradition trump exegesis. Many virtually attacked my person for even stating such. I graciously thanked each person for their response and once again cited the textual evidence for this interpretation.

Why do I share this incident? Because our culture is swimming in biblical illiteracy and it is evident that no amount of sound interpretive evidence changes anyone’s mind. Private interpretations (2Peter 1:20) rather than the authority of the text reign supreme in what they want to believe the Scripture says. Take note of this pastor as this is what you are facing.

God uses the message of Special Revelation to transform people. He does not honor the distorted and privatized preferences of ill-informed people clinging to their traditions.

Weigh Not Thy Life

http://www.hymnary.org/text/my_soul_weigh_not_thy_life 

I post this hymn to encourage and lift up those faithful men who are weary in the battle. Read the words of this hymn over and over. Sing them in the night season. Let them penetrate the deepest fiber of your pastoral being. And remember, JOY comes in the morning!!

Author: Leonard Swain

Swain, Leonard, D.D., was born at Concord, New Haven, Feb. 26, 1821, and educated at Dartmouth College and Andover. In 1847 he became a Congregational minister at Nashua, New Haven; and in 1852 of Central Church, Providence, Rhode Island. He died July 14, 1869. His hymns, "My soul, it is thy God" (The Christian Race), and "My soul, weigh not thy life" (The Good Fight of Faith), appeared anonymously in The Sabbath Hymn Book, 1858, and their authorship has only recently been determined. The second hymn is the more widely used of the two. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907).

Weigh Not Thy Life

 My soul, weigh not thy life

Against thy heavenly crown;

Now suffer Satan's deadliest strife

to beat thy courage down.

With prayer and crying strong,

Hold on the fearful fight,

And let the breaking day prolong

The wrestling of the night.

The battle soon will yeild,

If thou they part fulfill;

For strong as is the hostile shield,

Thy sword is stronger still.

Thine armor is divine,

Thy feet with victory shod;

And on thy head shall quickly shine

The diadem of God.