Bible Interpretation, Essay Example

The psalm (1:1-3) talks about staying away from sin and sinners. The passage tells God’s people that they should resist temptation and pressure from the society. The main issues that the psalm addresses are: influence and weakness. God tells his people to be like a tree “planted by streams of water”. Those who find their delight in God will not seek the company of sinners, mockers, and the wicked. The teaching is relevant for believers today. With so many social and ethical norms being broken in modern society, it is important that Christians have their own standards. They should not care about what is acceptable by the society; only follow God’s teaching. The only guidance for what is right and wrong should be God’s word. No matter how media is trying to influence people to adapt different norms, believers should meditate on God’s law instead of listening to sinners.

Applying the teaching of the scripture is important to understand the universal law of God. By being able to bring up real life examples and create a connection between the congregation and the Bible, the preacher is able to deliver personal messages from God. As the Bible was written thousands of years ago, it uses allegories and examples that are no longer relevant to modern people. That is why parables should be translated to today’s language. Christians need to understand that the Bible is not just an old book, but it is also relevant to their lives. The above passage, for example, could be accompanied by a story of a child living today, who needs to make a decision whether or not to cheat on the test. Peer pressure and school norms tell him that it is acceptable,  but he needs to follow God’s law.

References

“Holy Bible”, New International Version, NIV  1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission.