Download Lesson 16 - Church Leadership Resources

The Moral Principle
I. What is the moral principle of biblical
interpretation?
The moral principle of biblical
interpretation is that principle of
interpretation that assists the interpreter
in extracting timeless truths from the
passage under consideration and applying
them to our contemporary world.
This principle is implied in several New
Testament Scriptures:
A. I Corinthians 10:5-11
But with most of them God was not well
pleased, for their bodies were scattered
in the wilderness. 6 Now these things
became our examples, to the intent that
we should not lust after evil things as
they also lusted…
7 And do not become idolaters as were
some of them. As it is written, “The
people sat down to eat and drink, and
rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit
sexual immorality, as some of them did,
and in one day twenty-three thousand
fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of
them also tempted, and were destroyed
by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of
them also complained, and were
destroyed by the destroyer…
11 Now all these things happened to them
as examples, and they were written for
our admonition, upon whom the ends of
the ages have come.
B. John 21:24-25
This is the disciple who testifies of these
things, and wrote these things; and we
know that his testimony is true. And
there are also many other things that
Jesus did, which if they were written one
by one, I suppose that even the world
itself could not contain the books that
would be written. Amen.
C. Romans 15:4
For whatever things were written before
were written for our learning, that we
through the patience and comfort of the
Scriptures might have hope.
D. II Timothy 3:14-17
But you must continue in the things which
you have learned and been assured of,
knowing from whom you have learned
them, and that from childhood you have
known the Holy Scriptures, which are able
to make you wise for salvation through
faith which is in Christ Jesus…
All Scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness, that the man of God may
be complete, thoroughly equipped for
every good work.
II. What is a moral truth or principle?
A. The dictionaries define “moral” in
several ways.
1. A lesson or principle contained in or
taught by a fable, a story or an event.
2. A message conveyed or a lesson to be
learned from a story or event.
3. A concisely expressed precept or
general truth; a maxim.
4. A moral is an ethical principle that is
drawn from a story or incident.
B. The dictionary defines “moralize” as to
derive a moral from something, to make
moral reflections concerning something
or to explain something in a moral
sense.
III. Why do we need to apply the moral
principle to the Scripture?
We need to apply the moral principle
because not all of the timeless truths
presented in the word of God are clearly
outlined (Pro. 25:2).
Many things the Bible tells us are
presented in clear statements of truth,
concise instructions and unmistakable
language. However, much of what is
presented is cloaked in a certain amount
of mystery and must be discovered from
the application of the moral principle.
In many cases the truths extracted will be
drawn from how they lived, reacted to
circumstance in their lives and interacted
with others.
As the text states, “Behind each historical
event in the Scripture lies a moral—a
spiritual lesson—which is designed to
teach” (Conner/Malmin, pg. 121).
IV. How is the moral principle of biblical
interpretation applied?
A. The moral principle can be applied to
nearly every passage of the Bible.
B. The moral principle can be overlaid on
top of all of the other principles.
C. The moral principle can be flexible to
the degree that more than one moral
principle can be drawn from the same
passage.
D. The moral principle must never violate
or come into conflict with the
application of the other hermeneutical
principles and clear biblical theology.
V. What is an example of the application of
the moral principle of biblical
interpretation?
If you study the early life of David, you
find some great lessons for leaders. Note
the following chart that utilizes the moral
principle to extract principles of
leadership from the life of David.