About the Author

Thomas Ray Floyd was born in 1953 in Simpson County, Mississippi, the son of Roy Thomas Floyd and Lina Sue Shows Floyd. Thomas Ray's mother was a member of a Primitive Baptist church, and he cut his teeth on the doctrines of distinguishing grace.

When he was a small boy, his father was converted to Christ and became a member of a Missionary Baptist Church. Thomas Ray joined the church of his father when he was 13 years old, and thought of himself as a Christian. The doctrines of grace that he had heard as a child continued to be precious to him and when he became an adult, he joined a Primitive Baptist Church. When he was 27, Thomas Ray made his first effort to preach the gospel in public and was ordained to the full functions of the ministry in 1985. In 1986 he was convinced under the preaching of Rolfe Barnard (by tapes from Mt. Olive Tape Library), the written sermons of Spurgeon, and the ministry of Elder Zack Guess that he had been a false professor and cried out in agony of soul to the Lord Jesus Christ to have mercy and truly save him. And He did! Floyd then began to preach the gospel as he had been taught of the Lord.

Floyd has pastored churches in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee and until recently was pastor of a church plant known as "Particular Baptist Fellowship." He and his wife Brenda presently attend Zion Baptist Church at Polkville, Mississippi, pastored by Elder Glen Hopkins. The pulpit ministry of Zion Baptist Church can be heard at Sermonaudio.com.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

The Interpretation of Scripture -- Part II

(Article for publication week of 11-25-2009 AD)

"Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39).

Last week we showed that all believers have a liberty and responsibility to read and interpret the scriptures for themselves. However, the scriptures have but one meaning (II Peter 1:20), so we must know how to interpret them.

Our Lord Jesus Christ gives us here in our text this week an important rule regarding hermeneutics; all the scriptures testify of the Lord Jesus Christ. So when we are trying to understand a text we should see what that text is saying regarding the Lord Jesus Christ.

All the Bible is about one major theme- the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of sinners. All of the Old Testament is saying that Christ the Redeemer is coming, and all the New Testament is saying that the redeemer has come. As all roads led to Rome, so all texts lead to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Genesis account of creation testifies of Christ, Who is God and the Creator of all things (John 1:3). The typical sacrifices of the Old Testament point us to the One Offering that would be made for sin forever (Hebrews 10:14). All the ceremonies of the Old Testament point us to the Covenant Head of God's elect Who would come to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). Matthew began His gospel by writing, "the book of the generation of Jesus Christ." Mark begins,"the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ", and then quotes from Malachi's prophecy. John concludes his gospel by saying that if all Jesus did should have been written the whole world could not contain the books that should have been written. Luke begins the Book of Acts by saying, "of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach." And John began the Book of Revelation by saying "The Revelation of Jesus Christ."

Many difficulties can be resolved by simply seeing how the text leads us to the Lord Jesus Christ. It would be a terrible shame if you read the scriptures and never came to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Search the scriptures, not to try to find some esoteric meaning, but to find Christ. Search the scriptures, not just as an interesting Book (and it is indeed the most interesting Book in the world), but to discover a saving interest in Christ. Search the scriptures not to try to show how smart you are, but to see your ignorance and learn of Christ. Search the scriptures for in them there is eternal life, and they testify of the Only Saviour of sinners.
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