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Old 10-14-2008, 02:40 PM
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pbiwolski pbiwolski is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
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Taking doctrine at simply "that which is taught," allow me to catagorize some things. First, realize who is doing the teaching (be specific, don't say God for each one), and also who is being taught. To mention a few...


There is doctrine as taught to the nation of Israel.
There is doctrine as taught to the church.
There is doctrine as taught to those in the future tribulation.
There is doctrine as taught to those living during the Millennial kingdom, etc.

These doctrines are not the same, and find application in different ages to different peoples. You understand the point.

Proverbs 1:10 would fall into which of these catagories?
Writer: Solomon, king of Israel
Recipient: "My son,..." the son(s) of King Solomon
This follows the HISTORICAL application of scripture, that is, (1) a writer wrote the verse in question (2) to a recipient (3) at a certain point in history (probably late in the life of Solomon). Simply put, "it was good advice from dad."

Now for the doctrine.

The verse finds itself lending DOCTRINAL information to someone who had better stay away from sinners and "forsake not the law," verse 8. The chapter lends itself to the context of the Second Coming of Christ before it ends, and points the Jew to living right (works) in order to "dwell safely." (The cross references here a plenteous, noticing the words used by God to connect it with other passages.)

So here the doctrine is not aimed at the believer in the NT. But what about us?

The third and final application of scripture is SPIRITUAL application. Here's where we can get insight and not create problems in the Bible. While the passage is not directly written to us, nor is it in it's context aimed at the church, we can still gain application of the spiritual nature. Here, the truth is obvious (and again the backing from Paul writings to the church is plenteous).

The book of Proverbs (as is the whole OT) is loaded with spiritual truths. However, there are places where Proverbs does not match Pauline doctrine to the church. So when establishing doctrine, you had better stay with the "apostle to the Gentiles," and the doctrines that were given and aimed at you.


P.S. This is not the JW's form of doing away with scripture ("spiritualizing") to match their own doctrine. This is a form of sound right division of the word of truth.