Found an interesting article here, written by Cooper P. Abrams, III.

http://www.bible-truth.org/Principles.htm

In it, he describes 10 principles for interpreting Bible scripture:

- FOLLOW THE CUSTOMARY USAGES OF THE LANGUAGE

- COMMIT NO HISTORICAL OR CULTURAL BLUNDERS

- MAKE CHRIST CENTRAL IN ALL INTERPRETATIONS

- BE CONSCIOUS OF CONTEXT

- INTERPRET BY THE ANALOGY OF THE FAITH

- RECOGNIZE THE PROGRESS OF REVELATION

- GRANT ONE INTERPRETATION TO EACH PASSAGE

- CHOOSE THE SIMPLEST ALTERNATIVE

- NEVER INVENT EXPLANATIONS TO SILENT AREAS OF SCRIPTURE

- NEVER THEORIZE TO ACCOMMODATE MAN'S VIEWS OR MODERN SCIENCE

- NEVER BASE A DOCTRINE ON ONE PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE

CONCLUDING STATEMENT: In trying to determine what the Scriptures mean we must have a method or standard of interpretation as a guide. The literal method stands alone as the only real Biblical method. Why? Because the best interpreter is God Himself, and by letting Scripture interpret Scripture we are letting God, the Author of the Bible tell us what He means by what He said.

A rather long article, if you have some time and are really searching the scriptures for answers, you'd do well to give this one a reading.

I like this. I would question though if sooooo much happened in Jesus' life and only certain things were recorded, could there really be

quote: "- SILENT AREAS OF SCRIPTURE-?"

innerdawg

Agreed, that's probably one area I wonder about most. There are lots of things the Bible doesn't speak to specifically, mainly because such things didn't exist at that time. This is where the general principles need to be applied.

Heck I like the list you put up, but you have whetted my appetite, just mention "long article" and I am off and running I do want to check it out tho'

I agree, where the bible is unspecific an a detail you can usually back up to a general principal or precept.

With all this said, does this mean more Christians should go ahead & accept that it is God's will for them to be healed, and that God isn't the one who is putting sickness & disease on them?

Jesus did say the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy - but, I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.

That doesn't sound like the kind of fella that is putting bad things on people He died to save. Does it?

Considering that the devil is really into this lying thing, looks like he has set up a religeous mind set (based on the lies of the devil, not scripture) that blames God for Christians dying from disease, and what ever else is killing Christians before their time.

God has promised us long life, with satisfaction.
Since Jesus destroyed the authority of darkness, we're free to live and declare the works of the Lord!

God needs us here to do His bidding.
Here is where the people are that need to be saved, and God wants to get the most out of Jesus going to the Cross through reaping the largest harvest of converted souls as possible.

It just seems like more Christians would believe & accept God's desire to heal them if they would pay closer attention to what the Scripture teaches.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Rockrz:
It just seems like more Christians would believe & accept God's desire to heal them if they would pay closer attention to what the Scripture teaches.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hey Rock Exactly! "You have not because you ask not"