A Look at the Facts by
Gary Ray Branscome
Many people are under the mistaken impression that what the
Bible says is just a matter of opinion. However, the proper way to study
Scripture is to begin with those truths that are so clearly stated in Scripture
that there is no debate as to the fact that they are in the Bible. I am not
saying that everyone will accept them, just that no one will be able to dispute
the fact that they are in the Bible. For example: While there are many who
reject what the Bible says about a six-day creation, no one can deny the fact
that the Bible says, “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the
sea, and all that in them is” (Exodus 20:11). Likewise, no one can deny
the fact that the words “the evening and the morning” are used in
connection with each one of the creation days (Genesis 1:5,8,13,19,23,31).
Those truths are beyond dispute because they can be verified by anyone willing to
look up the references.
In the same vein, no one can dispute the fact that
the Bible says, “We are the clay, and thou our potter,” and
“Hath not the potter power over the clay?” Yet, both of those
statements reveal the spiritual significance of creation in regard to our
relationship to God (Isaiah 64:8, Romans
However, the fact that God created the first man and
woman in His “own image,” makes it clear that God is not
responsible for sin, and that He is fully justified in condemning our sins
(Genesis
The spiritual significance of Adam’s fall into
sin is revealed by such words as, “There is none righteous, no, not one,
// The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, // By one
man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all
men, for that all have sinned,” and we are “By nature the children
of wrath” (Romans 3:10 and 5:12, Jeremiah 17:9, Ephesians 2:3).
Furthermore, just as these passages relate to the fall because they reveal our
fallen nature and need of a Savior, the entire law of God relates to the fall,
because it too reveals our fallen nature and need of a Savior. [Romans, chapter
five, contains a number of verses that deal with the
spiritual significance of the fall.]
The fact that Christ is called, “The mighty
God” (Isaiah 9:6), “The Son of God” (Luke
[NOTE: In regard to His birth, we are also told that He is, “From
everlasting” (Micah 5:2), that He existed, “From the
beginning” (Isaiah 48:16), and that, “All things were made by
Him” (John 1:3,14).]
The Bible reveals the spiritual significance of
Christ’s death when it tells us that He was, “Wounded for our
transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5), “Offered to bear” our sins
(Hebrews 9:8), and, “Died for our sins” (1Corinthians 15:3). It
goes on to tell us that we are cleansed, “From all sin”,
“justified”, and, “Made righteous”, “By His
blood” (1John 1:7, Romans 5:9&19). Moreover, the fact that His death
is described as a “sacrifice,” an “atonement,” a
“propitiation,” and a “redemption” further reveals the
meaning of His death, while telling us what that death accomplished in regard
to our own salvation (Hebrews 9:26, Romans 5:11, 1John 2:2 and 4:10, Colossians
1:14).
Words such as, “If Christ, be not raised, your
faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins,” or “Who was… raised
again for our justification,” reveal the spiritual significance of
Christ’s resurrection, (1Corinthians
The spiritual significance of Christ’s
ascension into heaven consists of three things. First, it is only because
Christ ascended into heaven that the Holy Spirit was sent into the world (John
16:7-13). Second, since Christ sits at the right hand of God, He is our
“advocate with the Father,” and as our advocate [lawyer] makes
“intercession for us” (1John 2:1, Romans
The spiritual significance of Christ’s return
is revealed in the fact that all men will be judged “according to their
works” (Revelation
In regard to the day of Judgement,
the Bible tells us that Christ will judge both the, “living and the
dead” (2Timothy 4:1), both believers and unbelievers (Matthew 25:31), on
the day of “His appearing” (2Timothy 4:1). We are also told that judgement shall take place on “the last day”
(John
I began by pointing out that in studying Scripture,
we must begin with those truths that are so clearly stated in Scripture that
there is no debate as to the fact that they are in the Bible. Once we have
learned those truths, “line upon line, line upon line; here a little and
there a little,” we are then able to straighten out our own thinking by
judging and rejecting every interpretation, conclusion, assumption, idea,
philosophy, or opinion that contradicts what the Bible clearly and explicitly
says (1Corinthians 11:31, Isaiah 28:10 and 8:20, 2Corinthians 10:5).