There is one super important concept that is necessary in understanding the Bible. Without this concept the Bible is confusing and unable to be properly understood.
Without this concept these topics are misunderstood.
- Why did God destroy the entire population with a flood?
- Why did God destroy Sodom and Gomorrah?
- Why did God require detailed animal sacrifices for forgiveness?
- Why did God give many commandments, even odd dietary laws?
- Why did God command Israel to annihilate so many of the Canaanites when they entered the promised land?
- Why did Jesus get upset at the desecration of the money changers in the temple?
- Why did the Son of God have to die on a cross?
- Why is there a promised judgment?
- Why is heaven promised to the saved, while hell is the punishment for the lost?
You can list most any question the newcomer to Scripture asks. Any odd topic the world misunderstands about the Bible is at least in some part related to this one thing.
What is this one important key to understanding all Scripture?
SIN! That is right. If you are going to properly understand the Bible and grasp why often these seemingly unreasonable, unfair, and unorthodox things happen, then you must understand sin. More directly, you must understand God’s relationship with sin. He is so opposed to it and can have no part in it (Is. 59:2). Sin is the transgression of God’s law (1 John 3:4). It is the reason Christ came (1 John 3:5). Sin brings about physical and spiritual death (Rom. 3:33-35, 6:23). God in his holiness is completely opposed to sin, so everything He does regarding sin is influenced by this truth. Thus, the answer to all the questions above and most all of the other perplexing and odd concepts we run across in the Bible must be seen through the eyes of a holy God who is opposed to sin in every way.
