Have you ever been to a Bible Study or Sunday School class where the teacher asks the question; What does this verse or passage of the Bible mean to you?
Maybe you get into a conversation with someone about the Bible and you explain a verse or passage to them and they say, "well that's what it means to you but to me it means this."
To often people want the Bible to say what they want it to say to fit their ideas rather then believing what it actually says.

Biblical hermeneutics is the study of the principles of interpretation concerning the books of the Bible. Now I have never took a class on Biblical hermeneutics but I have listened to many teachings on it and the main thing to know is context is king (context, context, context). This is important in understanding what is being said in scripture.

Today I had a conversation with someone about the Mormon religion and I warned them not to get involved with the Mormon teaching because it was false and not Christian. So we began to talk about how do I know what is the right religion. My answer is by the Bible. Scripture is the final authority in a Christians life, if its not it should be! During the conversation I was told well maybe when you read the Bible that is what it means to you but maybe to me it means something different. We need to understand that when we read the Word of God we don't interpret the scriptures based on what we want it to say. The Bible says what it says and we interpret it by understanding what is the context of what is being said, so that we do not take it out of context. This we see happens a lot in verses like Matthew 7:1 which says Judge Not, so many people when you preach against sin will scream out judge not that's what the Bible teaches, when that verse is not talking about never making Judgments but about hypocritical judgment. But unless you understand the context of what is being said and who it is being said to there is the chance of misinterpreting the verse.

This is why it is important to read scriptures carefully and to sit under sound Biblical teaching and preaching.

Here is some links to sound Biblical teachings.
http://www.gty.org/
http://www.ligonier.org/
http://www.cfbcmobile.org/
http://www.gracefamilybaptist.net/
http://www.heartcrymissionary.com/

These are just a few, but a good place to start with some good solid Biblical teachings.

by Ricky Gantz

Close to the end of the sermon on the mount Jesus warned the listeners to beware false prophets and teachers who come in looking and sounding like they are true believers but are wovles in sheep's clothing.

Matthew 7:15-20                    
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

That is why it is so important to be students of the Word of God. Always in Prayer and belonging to good Christ honoring Bible believing Church that preaches the whole council of God. And being led by the Spirit, and not be carried to and fro by every wind of doctrine.

1 John 4:1-3                    
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

I believe never before in history has this been more true than what we are seeing in the world today. The reason I say that today I believe this spreads like wildfire is due to the media outlets that we have. With television so many all around the world are receiving the false teachings from those on "Christian Television" such as Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, TD Jakes, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Copeland as well as many, many more. So many are deceived by these false teachers. And with the advancement of social media this has only even gone further then ever before. Because the internet can get into places and homes all over the world, even more so than by television or radio. Even though I believe the internet can be used as a tool of reaching the lost for Christ, it has also been used by many to spread lies, twisting scriptures and deceiving millions. The Apostle Paul warned the Ephesian elders of this in the book of Acts.

Acts 20:29         
I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

Today there is so many false teachings out there, it can be so easy to fall into a heretical teaching and not even know it, if you are not continuously in the Word of God and sitting under good solid biblical council. With so many false teachings it would be hard to name them all in this letter, but here are just a few that I have come in contact with just recently. Denying the Trinity, denying the deity of Jesus Christ, teaching that Baptism is necessary for salvation, claiming we are gods with a lowercase g, and being able to speak things into existence. Those are just a few that I have dealt with recently.

1 Timothy 4:1-3        
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

False teachers will continue to be around until that day when Jesus Christ returns and for those of us who are believers it is important for us to ground ourselves on the Word of God. Because so many who claim to have been believers are departing from true faith and believing in lies and false teachings. So many times I have talked to someone who told me "I use to be a Baptist  but now I am a Jehovah Witness or Mormons etc."  Just to be clear on this anyone who departs from the faith was never truly in the faith to begin with, but that is a topic for another discussion.

2 Timothy 4:3                
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

We see this far to often in the word of faith movement, people flock to fill these churches that promise them health, wealth and prosperity. Always giving them good uplifting messages to make the listeners feel good about themselves, never talking about their total depravity and wickedness of their sin. It is very hard to tell someone the truth, because it is hard for them to listen because they enjoy hearing messages that build them up and make them leave feeling good. But we are not in need of a feel good message, we are all in need of a Savior. And their is ONLY ONE WHO SAVES>>> JESUS CHRIST!

2 Corinthians 5:21  For our sake he made him to be sin B)'>who knew no sin, so that in him we might become C)'>the righteousness of God.

My prayer for you today is that you come to Repentance and Faith in Jesus Christ. Who died on the Cross shedding His blood for sins and rose again the third day.

HE LIVES! HE LIVES! Trust in Him today!

By Ricky Gantz