In a court of law, if you can prove the intent of a law, the intent is as important and sometimes more important than the law itself. Even in a contract between two people, the intent of that contract can be the most important part of it. Under certain circumstances, it could be more important than what was in writing.

That doesn't mean the contract is not valid, but the intent for which it was written is as important, or even more so, than what was written. Even a handshake can be a binding contract if the two individuals understand the intent of that handshake.

When it comes to understanding the Bible, we must search for the intent of the scripture, as well as the context, to understand the truth of the matter. We must also interpret scripture with scripture. I am sure you have noticed that there are some scriptures in the Bible that can be taken two different ways, and they are opposite of each other. The key to interpreting it accurately is to carefully discern the intent of the scripture in the context. The reason they can be taken two different ways is because of what Adam chose in the garden. Adam chose the knowledge of blessing and calamity. The Word interpreted correctly is a blessing, otherwise what you believe about it could produce calamity. 

If we are to operate on the blessing side, we must discern the intent of God's Word. Adam and Eve failed in this respect, and brought evil into the earth.  "And the Lord God commanded the man saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, ("blessing and calamity" in the Amplified Bible) thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die..." "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened..." (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:6-7)   In other words, eat freely of all that is a blessing, but stay away from the calamity. If you receive the Word of God in the context and the intent to which it was written, it is always a blessing. You can also receive the opposite of that truth, and that negative form will bring trouble and sometimes calamity. 

For instance, the Bible says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16) If you decide to go with the believe and be saved route, you'll be blessed. If you decide not to believe, you'll be damned. You can believe what Jesus said, and cause the blessings to operate in your life, or you can choose to not believe, and reap the negative end of that truth, and the curses will operate in your life. You turn your back on the truth when you refuse to acknowledge the intent of the scripture. Such refusal will always bring the curse rather than the blessing. 


A Question of Intent

The following is a passage of scripture that can be taken two different ways. If we understand the intent, then it will be a blessing of Good News. Read with me in John's Gospel chapter nine, "And as Jesus passed by, He saw a man which was blind from his birth. And His disciples asked Him saying, Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind"? (v1-2) The intent of the question is, "Whose sin caused this man to be born blind his or his parents sin"? They believed that God caused everything that happened. So here they were saying, "Lord, why did this happen? Was it because of the man's sin, or his parents sin"?

There are four ways that Jesus could have answered their question: (1) It was the man's sin; (2) It was the parent's sin; (3) Both; or (4) Neither. With any one of those statements, He would have provided an answer to their question. In verse 3, He answers their question by saying, "Neither". You could put a period right there, and it would have provided a sufficient answer to their question.

Their question may sound foolish to us. After all, how could a child sin in his mother's womb? But there were religious sects that taught and believed that a child could sin before they were born. That's the reason the disciples asked this question. So you can see the mental attitude of some of the religious people. It was their belief that, "God had made this man to be born blind for one reason or another". First Jesus answers their question. Jesus answered, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents...". In other words, He said they were wrong on both accounts. It seems as though He was saying, "Now that I've answered that question, let me add something else: "...But that the works of God should be manifest in him, I must work the works of Him that sent Me". 

Now let's find the intent of these words. We should interpret the Bible literally when we can, but here we can't interpret what Jesus said in this instance literally because the apostle Paul stated in Romans 3:23, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God...". Then what are you going to do with what Jesus said?

First, let's look for the intent of what Jesus said. The intent is that neither one of their thoughts were correct. It was not the man's sin, nor was it the parents' sin that caused him to be born blind. Now read His next statement very carefully-for it reveals the intent of what Jesus said. "...but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day; for the night cometh, when no man can work" (v3-4).In other words, they were wrong in their assessment of this matter. There is no indication that God had anything to do with that man being born blind. But, in order for the works of God to be manifest in the blind man, Jesus said, I must work the works of God". 

The blindness then must have been the work of the devil. It couldn't have been the work of God, because Jesus said, "I must work the works of God", revealing that the blindness was not the work of God. In John 10:10 Jesus says, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly". 

God's Word and God's Will Are the Same

There are some who say: "This man was born blind so God would get glory out of this healing". But God is not schizophrenic. His Word reveals that His will is that it be on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). Ask yourself, "Is it God's will that this man be able to see when he is in heaven"? The answer is obvious. 

In John 9:4 Jesus reveals the intent when He said: "I must work the works of Him that sent me...". Verse 6: "When He had thus spoken, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay". Now get this picture. Jesus, who at that point was not popular among the religious leaders anyway, spits on the ground, makes mud and puts it in the blind mans eyes. Verse 7: "And he said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent). He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing".

Now remember that Jesus said: "I must work the works of Him that sent me". Who sent Jesus? Obviously God sent Him to do His will on earth. And when the work of God was manifest in the man, his eyesight was restored, and he could see. 

This reveals that the blindness was not from God. Remember Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "...Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven". Yet there are some who believe that God makes some people blind, gives some cancer and makes some crippled. If our Heavenly Father did these things, even the wicked would call it child abuse. We know from the scriptures God is the giver of all good and perfect gifts. James said: "Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning". (James 1:16-17)

Don't blame God for the problems and tragedies that happen here on earth because they are curses that Satan released in the earth through the fall of man. But Jesus came and redeemed us from the curse and made provision for us to have abundant life. God wants you well for that is the will of God for you on the earth. People can be crippled in their prayer life if they don't know and understand the will of God. It is imperative that we know God's will before we pray. It is impossible to pray the prayer of faith if you don't know God's will, because faith comes from knowing His will and being fully persuaded of it. 

John 10:10 is the dividing line of contrast revealed by Jesus. "The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). This gives us insight into who is behind so many of the problems we face in life and also give us the revelation that Jesus wants you to have abundant life until it overflows. "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)". (John 10:10 Amplified)

I encourage you to search the scriptures until you know the intentions of what your Heavenly Father is saying to you. Find the will of God concerning the circumstances you face. When you know God's will and are fully persuaded of that truth, you can pray in faith!

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive" (Matthew 21:22).This verse reveals that you are only limited by what you can believe based on the authority of His Word. So don't be discouraged by what others believe or don't believe. Never base your faith on past experiences but rather on the Word. Allow God's Word to live big within you. You can do what He says you can do. You can be what His Word says you are. God's Word will put you over in life for it is life and healing to all your flesh. 

The admonition of Paul to Timothy seems to be a fitting verse to close out this article: "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained". 
(I Tim. 4:6) 
   

Coyright 2004 by Charles Capps (All Rights Reserved)

Used With Permission: The Christian Online Magazine