Guy Duininck: Don't Dig So Deep ?
I often hear ministers and believers say, "That Scripture means exactly what it says; don't make it complicated; don't dig so deep." That advice can certainly be good advice sometimes. However, there are times when a little more digging into Scripture is required to "mine" the truth that is there and to accurately interpret what is written.
For example, did you know that nowhere in the New Testament that you find the English word "perfect" does that Scripture have anything to do with actually being flawlessly perfect? No. The English word "perfect" used in New Testament Scriptures is translated from either the Greek word "telios" and its associate words or the Greek word "artios" and its associated words. "Telios" means, "full age, mature, full height." "Artios" means, "a fitted limb, to be prepared." Neither word means "perfect."
In Ephesians 4, for example, the role of the five spiritual leadership ministries is described as to bring the church "unto a perfect — telios — man, unto the measure of the status of the fullness of Christ." Paul was not teaching in this passage that the church will actually ever be perfect or flawless. He was revealing the will of God that the church come to a place of full maturity and full stature in ALL things and that spiritual leaders have a role in that objective.
In II Timothy, Paul revealed the role of Scripture in aiding the man of God in his preparation for good works. He said, "That the man of God may be perfect — artios — thoroughly furnished — exartizo — unto every good work." Paul was revealing to Timothy in this passage the power of Scripture to not only prepare a person by making them "artios" — a fitted and prepared limb in the body — for every good work, but to bring a person to "exartizo" — intensively, fully fitted, completely prepared for service in the body. Paul was saying, "Scripture can not only fit you for every good work; it can completely, fully, intensively prepare you for every good work." Digging in a little in this passage reveals critical truth that most Christians, including ministers, are actually unaware of.
If you didn't look past the English language in your reading of the New Testament Scriptures I used as examples — if you didn't Dig a Little Deeper where the English word "perfect" was used — you would actually be nearly ignorant about what God was actually saying in those Scriptures. And even worse, you might teach those Scripture wrong. Which I have heard people do even with the "perfect Scriptures."
So.....Digging a Little Deeper is often required in order to be ACCURATE in your Believing and ACCURATE in your teaching.
