There are 5 "keys" to understanding the New Testament; these insights will help you overcome much of the error that has been passed down through the generations, and is referred to as "traditional" teaching. As was evident even in the times of the Apostles, the "wisdom of men" was turning the pure Gospel into a mixture of the God’s truth and human reasoning. This is the reason why there are now so many denominations, divisions and cults within the “Christian” church. Scholars and leaders attempted to interpret Scripture apart from the teaching of the Holy Spirit; human wisdom has divided the church and left the vast majority of Christians without a solid understanding of the Christian faith.

These five keys will open up the New Testament so that you will understand it like never before. As you learn from the Holy Spirit, you will discover answers to questions that may have been puzzling you for years. The foundation is Key #1.

Key #1: Scripture declares that all spiritual truth is understood by the illuminating revelation of the Holy Spirit - the human mind is incapable of comprehending God's unfathomable truths. The battlefield for spiritual maturity is in the mind. God’s truth is the transforming agent of change that allows you to trust God and hear His spiritual voice - truth is what matures you as a Christian. The Holy Spirit not only wants to teach you His truth, He will teach you His truth. The road to the abundant life of Jesus Christ is God's pure, unfiltered and untainted Word as found in the Bible. But, the barriers to understanding the truth are the unbiblical “wisdom of men” traditional teachings that have become part of the Christian church and are found in every denomination; these are ingrained teachings that sound true but are not. Only the Holy Spirit can uproot these false beliefs and replace them with His truth.

Whereas Human Wisdom Says: “We must be disciplined to faithfully study Scripture every day, read commentaries and utilize all of the other resources that are available.”

… the Bible Teaches:

1 Corinthians 2:13a … things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, …

John 16:13a But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth;

Colossians 1:9b-10a … that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, [10] so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, …

1 Corinthians 2: 4-5 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, [5] so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

Key #2: If the New Testament is not interpreted in its original Jewish, 1st century context, the message is dramatically changed. Historically, letters that spoke to Jewish issues have been interpreted from a Gentile perspective; this is particularly true of Romans which is largely devoted to the transition from Jewish Law to New Covenant grace. (Whereas there are not Bible verses that directly deal with context, the verses below demonstrate how the New Testament must be seen through the eyes of the Jewish people.)

Whereas Human Wisdom Says: “I have never heard of that … don’t you think the scholars would have told us this if it were that important?”

… the Bible Teaches:

John 4:22b … we worship that which we know, for salvation is from the Jews. (Gentiles are “grafted” into this Jewish salvation.)

Romans 9:4 who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, (All these things were given to Israel, not the Gentiles.)

Matthew 15:24 But He {Jesus} answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

Key #3: All people are spiritual beings living in mortal, human "tents." Only your spirit was redeemed when you were "saved." Your mortal body and human soul still wait to be redeemed at some point in the future. This is the dichotomy between your inner redeemed, eternal spirit and your outer not-yet-redeemed mortal body and soul. Your immaterial soul is part of your material body - both are separate and distinct from your spirit. The thoughts of your mind are produced by your brain and your human emotions are the release of “neurochemicals” in your brain.

Whereas Humans Wisdom Says: “The spirit and the soul are the same,” or “You can’t divide people up into parts.”

… the Bible Teaches:

2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

Romans 8:10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.

Romans 8:23b … even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for {our} adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

Key #4: Jesus, eternal God and Creator, emptied Himself to live fully as a man during His time on earth. This allowed Jesus to be both your Savior and your model for a life of faith as He lived from the power of the Holy Spirit within Him rather than from His own human power. The same power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus had is the same power of the Holy Spirit that you now have.

Whereas Human Wisdom Says: “Jesus was fully God and fully man during His incarnation - you are a heretic if you consider otherwise.”

… the Bible Teaches:

Acts 2:22 Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know –

John 17:5 Now, Father, glorify Me {Jesus} together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

1 John 4:2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 5:19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.

For more Bible verses that teach that Jesus emptied Himself, Click Here.

Key #5: The Law was an exclusive covenant between God and Israel; it was never given to the Gentiles. Scripture says that where there is no Law, God does not charge people with their transgressions. Whereas the Jews died because of sin through the Law, this was not the case for the Gentiles. The Gentiles died because of sin through the sin of Adam, not through their own transgressions of the Law.

The spirit of the Law, its representation of God’s holiness, is eternal. But the doing of the Law was replaced by Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago. The Law under the Old Covenant was external, powered and accomplished by human self-effort. The “Law” under the New Covenant is internal, powered and accomplished by the spiritual power of Jesus Christ in the heart of every believer. The Old was imperfect because of human weakness; the New is perfect because of Jesus Christ.

Whereas Human Wisdom Says: “All of us are under Law until we put our faith in Christ; otherwise, how would we be conscious of sin?”

… the Bible Teaches:

Romans 5:13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Romans 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. (KJV)

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned –

Romans 5:14a Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam {i.e. breaking a law given by God}

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