I can see that we might be going around in circles with this one. I surely do not believe that God asks us to "Check our brains at the door" when it comes to reading or studying His Word. ("Come and let us reason together, though your sins are as scarlet...: He says - Isaiah(1:18)) I do however believe that, not only is the Bible a compilation of 66 books coming from different backgrounds, times of history and spoken to different audiences, as you say, it is also a complete work of revelation of the Son Jesus, that applies to ME personally and in its entirety.
I guess it depends on your definition of entirety. Does that mean every word or does it mean that all of the concepts in Scripture apply to you?
Now some portions of scripture are not as plain as others and become often subject of interpretation which is why, as you state we end up with the overwhelming amount of denominations that exist today. This is definitely where the Spirit comes to help in understanding what He Himself put there through the anointed writings of His servants. (Moses, David, prophets, Apostles, etc,) Only He knows truly the mind of God and His message to us and yet men have cleverly twisted His Word to their own way for one reason or another.
I agree that when Paul says to the Corinthians that they are proud it does not necessarily mean that I am proud, nevertheless the Holy Spirit can use that very verse to pinpoint some area of pride in me. I guess the difference is that when I read His Word, initially I do not try to understand what Paul was saying to the Corinthians, I try to hear what God is saying to me through that passage.
In doing that aren't you doing just what you complained I was doing? You said my method allowed me to pick and choose the application of Scripture. Yet in the above quote we see that your method allows you to pick and choose. In a previous post speaking of 1 Corinthians you said,
They are not to be ignored as Paul says he would not have us ignorant about them.
Here you have applied Paul's words directly to "us", yet in the post above you said you would not necessarily apply his words about being puffed to yourself. So, you've chosen which one to apply.
My method on the other hand has me reading Paul's words to the Corinthians, and not to me. So, when he says desire the gifts, I see those words to the Corinthians, when he says, you are puffed up, I see those words to the Corinthians. What I do with this is to look at it and apply it as necessary. In other words, if I am doing the same things the Corinthians are doing then I am puffed up, likewise, he says desire the gifts. I can apply that to myself, however, I also see that he said the gifts would end. So, now it becomes incumbent upon me to determine when those gifts would cease so I can ascertain whether those words (desire gifts) pertain to me.
So you see my method applies the Scriptures uniformly based on the context of Scripture. It is not loose method that can be applied randomly
This is not a challenge but I assure you that their are a few beliefs of mine that would probably have you standing on your head.
I didn't mean for it to come across as a challenge. The point I was attempting to make was that many times Christians are willing to use a method of interpretation until it causes them to face a pet doctrines as unsupported.
Verses 4 - 5- 6 of Corinthians 12 are 3 verses that God personally showed me (not trying to boast, just fact) that placed all the Gifts in the context of the Trinity.
Verse. 4 Speaks of the Gifts (Manifestations - see verse 7)) of the Spirit.
Verse 5 Speaks of the Administrations of the Lord (the Son) referenced in Ephesians 4
Verse 6 Speaks of the Operations of God (The Father), referenced in Romans 12, who clearly works them "all in all" as He is no respector of persons. God,
however, is respector of Character.
So you can see how the the Gifts of Ephesians 4, which really are Gifts to the Church or the Body and more clearly identified in verse 5 as Administrations or Ministries, depending on the translation.
Ephesians 4 doesn't say gifts, it says He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists etc. he doesn't say gift.
Ephesians 4:11 ( KJV )
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
These things mentioned are in the Masculine gender in the Greek language, indication they are people. The way I understand it is that Christ gave people to fill these roles, but not that they are offices.
