Every once in a while, I receive comments on the nuances of translation interpretations. These slight changes in meaning (as one moves from Greek or Hebrew to English) can have a dramatic impact on theology. So, how does one decide the meaning of a Scripture verse?
A simple example is Matthew 5:48…
YOU THEREFORE MUST BE PERFECT, AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT.
Finally, the assimilation of parts or all of the above sources often boil down to common sense within the framework of an acceptance that God wrote an infallible love letter to mankind and is not a God of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33). It is important to filter your understanding of specific verses through the lens of your core theology and Personal Statement of Faith. These are the beliefs you hold close, and changing them would take a major paradigm shift in your Biblical Christian worldview that would need to be a conscious decision, not a slippery slope or frog-in-the-pot deconstruction in order to better conform to cultural changes. God the Father (Mal. 3:6), Jesus (Hebrews 13:8) and the Bible are unchanging (Matt. 5:18, Psalm 119:89, 1 Peter 1:25).