2nd Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
This passage of scripture teaches us the essential truth that there is no such thing as a private interpretation of the scriptures that will be acceptable to God. The scriptures were given by inspiration of God and must be studied line upon line, and precept upon precept, in order to draw correct conclusions, and not wresting the scriptures from their original context or true meaning. One of the reasons why we have so many private interpretations abounding within the contemporary Christian church is because of the habit of using the scriptures to sustain us in a wrong course of action, by taking a verse or two out of context, and then building a doctrine or belief system, without referencing other portions of scripture which deal with the same subject matter.
For instance, it is a well documented fact in sacred history that human beings like to have the privilege of eating and ingesting everything that God has forbidden for human consumption, from spirituous liquors to swine and other forbidden foods. Time and time again the Lord had to instruct and reprove His people for eating strange flesh, and indulging in soul-destroying practices, as it pertains to dietary habits. Let's read:
Leviticus 11:29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind, 30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
Isaiah 66:17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord.
But in order to confirm ourselves in a wrong course of action, by quieting an awakened and seared conscience, we go searching for one lone text that will supposedly grant us the freedom to eat whatsoever we choose. One such passage of scripture which is often taken out of context in order to sustain us in a wrong course of action, is the one that speaks about all creatures being sanctified by the word of God and by prayer. This passage of scripture is used before a meal of lobster, oysters, sushi, swine, and most recently cockroaches. According to this method of private interpretation, they are all sanctified by prayer, as if we can solicit God in prayer to agree to something which He has expressly forbidden. Let's read:
1st Timothy 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
But if the private interpretation of this text were to be taken literally, then God would actually be sanctioning the practice of cannibalism, where human beings as "Creatures" are cooked, grilled, or deep fried, complete with tomato ketchup and hot sauce, all by praying a simple prayer, and quoting a supposedly valid scriptural reference. But if we were to read line upon line, we will see very clearly that God has given in His word a very detailed list of the foods that can be eaten, and those that should never be ingested. Let's read:
And the Lord spake" .. saying unto them, 2 .. "These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. 3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. 4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel" ... 5 And the coney" .. 7 And the swine" ... "he is unclean to you. 8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you. 9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. 10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: 11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
In our day the sources of private interpretations have multiplied exponentially, as different groups of people have sought in vain to the twist the scriptures out of their original context in order to sustain themselves in a wrong course of action. This mode of thought when adopted will also lead us to reason away the consequences for those very same actions, and therefore when a multitude of cancers, tumors, and other ailments come down upon us without warning, we will be at a loss for explanations as to why such and such is taking place. The reason may be those "Private interpretations" we had used, to escape the duty of following God's plainly revealed instructions, and unless confession and repentance is made, these attitudes could drag us down to perdition.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to walk humbly with God in all of the experiences of life, for if we do He will be able to save us from many an unnecessary heartache. Let's read:
Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!