This document provides an overview of a sermon on properly interpreting and applying the Bible. It discusses how the Bible is about Jesus and interprets itself, and warns against getting caught up in "myths and endless speculations" or elevating "open-handed issues" to "closed-handed issues." It emphasizes that the purpose of Scripture is to lead people to love through a pure heart, clear conscience, and true faith in Jesus.

2. The Vision of Hillside Men

3. BEFORE WE BEGIN
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Singles, not homers.
I will speak to not-yet-believers.
The Bible is about Jesus.
The Bible interprets itself.
Scriptures > Opinion
Transformation > Information

4. BEFORE WE BEGIN
Acting Like Men
!
Who is this that darkens counsel
by words without knowledge?
Dress for action like a man;
I will question you and you
make it known to me.
Job 38:2-3

5. RECAP

6. 1 TIMOTHY 1:3-11

7. Myths & Endless
Speculations

8. Why are these so
dangerous in the Church?

9. Examples of Modern-Day
Myths & Speculations

10. Modern-Day Myths & Speculations
✦ Eschatology (End-Times)
✦ Free Will vs. God’s Sovereignty
✦ Christianity & Science
✦ Spiritual Gifts
✦ How to Baptize New Believers
✦ What Happens at Communion
!10

11. Closed-Handed vs.
Open-Handed Issues

12. Open-Handed Issues
✦ Eschatology (End-Times)
✦ Free Will vs. God’s Sovereignty
✦ Christianity & Science
✦ Spiritual Gifts
✦ How to Baptize New Believers
✦ What Happens at Communion
!12

13. Closed-Handed Issues
✦ Jesus’ Second Return
✦ God Saves Sinners
✦ God is Creator.
✦ The Holy Spirit is currently active.
✦ Baptism is commanded of the Church.
✦ Communion is commanded of the Church.
!13

14. !
“Stop majoring on the minors.”
AJ Hart
Famous Commentator on the Book of Romans

15. What’s the big deal?

16. The key word in verse
four is “devoted”.

17. Idolatry is giving a
good thing more weight
than it should have.

18. This is true of
doctrines as well.

19. Problems arise when openhanded issues are elevated to
closed-handed issues.

20. Instead of focusing on the
certainties we have by faith
and for hope, we focus on the
things that we are unsure of.

21. By wanting to know the
unknowable, we are in
essence claiming to be God.

22. This has been the problem
since the Garden of Eden.

23. The purpose of Biblical
ministry is love, via
a pure heart, clarity of
conscience and true faith.

24. As Christians, we are
not called to be
right, but righteous.

25. My fear is that
verses 6 & 7 are prevalent
in the Church today.

26. So many people want
to teach the Scriptures
without having a clue what
they are talking about.

27. It is possible to read, teach,
or write about the Scriptures
and not have a clue
what they are really saying.

28. This is true regardless if
you have a M.Div or other
seminary degree or not.

29. JOHN 5:30-40

30. The Bible is for us,
but it is not about us.

31. The Scriptures are
all about Jesus.

32. And beginning with Moses and
all the Prophets, He interpreted
to them in all the Scriptures
the things concerning Himself.
!
LUKE 24:27

33. ADAM

34. ABEL

35. ABRAHAM

36. ISAAC

37. JOSEPH

38. MOSES

39. PASSOVER LAMB

40. DAY OF ATONEMENT
(Leviticus 16)

41. JOB

42. DAVID

43. EVIL-MERODACH
(2 Kings 25)

44. If you read the Bible
and you don’t see
Jesus, read it again.

45. Two principles for
reading the Bible.

46. It’s about Jesus.

47. It interprets itself.

48. What do you confidently,
but falsely, assume
about the Scriptures?

49. Paul continues, addressing
the purpose of the Law.

50. The Law is comprised of three
parts, interwoven together.

51. Ceremonial Law
Fulfilled in Christ

52. Judicial Law
Unnecessary With Christ

53. Moral Law
Magnified By Christ

54. Paul is referring to
the Moral Law here.

55. The Law is good.

56. Because we aren’t.

57. The Law proves to us that
we do not measure up.

58. The Law is only
written for the sinner.

59. The Law was written for you.

60. The Law leads us
to the Gospel.

61. The Law proves that
we need Jesus.

62. For God has done
what the Law, weakened
by the flesh could not do.
!
ROMANS 8:3

63. Jesus came to do
what the Law could not:
exterminate sin.

64. Jesus came to do
what the Law could not:
resurrect the dead.

65. Godly men see Jesus in
the Scriptures and love the
Jesus of the Scriptures.

66. Godly men fight false doctrine
by cherishing sound doctrine,
namely the Gospel of Christ.

67. Jesus is the Good News.