Darla asked me to write for the Blogged Bible Study. I would be honored to do so. If you perceive me to be of a like spirit, send me info and I will try to be a blessing to the group.

Doing hermeneutics with others will not guarantee “correct” interpretations every time. However, we have good reason to believe that such a methodology will be accompanied by increased unity and growth in the truth. Jesus promised His presence in a special way when believers are assembled (Matthew 18:20, 1 Corinthians 5:4).

The Holy Spirit’s work is powerful when the saints are together in harmony (Ephesians 4:29-31). Instead of hassling over the sense in which Christ is “present” in the Lord’s Supper, we ought to focus on “the real presence of Christ found in His visible body,” the church.

Our growth in the Word is inseparably linked to our relationship to other Christians. This is illustrated in 1 Peter 2:1-2. Verse 2 states that we are to grow in the Word by desiring it as a little baby craves its mother’s milk. However, before that can take place, Peter indicates in verse 1 that we must be in right relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We have no reason to believe we can profit from the Word if we are out of sorts with the body.

It is most basic, then, to see the vital link between uninhibited horizontal relationships and edifying hermeneutic activity in the body. It is to express in an accepting atmosphere where people love one another in the gospel (Romans 15:7, John 13:34).

Hermeneutic activity will always be stuck when people are in bondage to a mold. It is a mark of substantial growth and maturity to be able “to be free from all human agencies and simply to look to Christ and not to any person, or to any systematized theology or denomination.“ This does not mean that the more open-ended folks are “neutral,” while everyone else is “biased.“ But it does mean that we must be willing to listen to and learn from many sources, since no single human source has all of the truth.

Christians often jump on one another without carefully listening to what others are saying. Much attack provokes emotion from the listeners, but does not carefully articulate the facts.

One of the biggest stumbling-blocks before a watching world is the division among Christians. It must be admitted that an individualistic perspective of the Christian life has contributed to the confusion.

To understand that I am just as much Christ’s disciple(pupil as the definition puts it) as the original 12 were. Had I been in that moment I also would have been amazed at the Master getting on his knees to wash my feet. I as his Disciple can learn a lot from the actions of Christ, and how I serve him and others in His Truth.

So to say I had no coherent thought was my state before I dug in to study. Part of being a Disciple is being disciplined to know when your thoughts are not making since, and to dive in deeper to the word and let the Spirit help you make since of it.

2 Timothy 2:15
14 Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

Might that be because this is a “What does verse mean to ME?” blogged bible study and yu are looking for some sort of ’special insight’ instead of what is already there? Just asking.

Joe- “Doing Love” … I am going to coin that phrase.

Annie has an awesome post on Ministry, and pouring our love on HIM…

Carl- sorry got carried away in your comments…and this in not my blog! seriously lost today…love ya bro!