One of the great things that Tony did was to teach us how to make observations of the Text and how to ask questions of the Text. (I capitalized the word Text to point out that the Text is Scripture. It is not just a text, but it is the Text, the Word of God, His written Word.)

It helped me to realize the importance of the Text itself, and the unimportance of my own ideas, my own intuition, my own understanding. All of this helped solidify the truth that the Text has something to say. It has one thing to say. It does not carry one truth for you and another for me. It has one truth, one message; it is one Word.

That is a hard concept in today's world wherein everything is supposed to be relative. God's Word is True. I remember a conversation I had years ago wherein I mentioned Jesus' statement from John 14:6 "Jesus said ... I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." The words there were clear. There is only one way to God and that is, in and through Jesus Christ. Jesus even clarifies that particular point by stating emphatically, "No one comes to the Father but through Me." Even so, the person I was talking with could not accept what He said. They thought that He must have meant that He was one way, one of many ways...

Now I have two things to say, when I started with one thing, it has led to this more important fact.

First:

The most important thing is this. What Jesus said is absolute. There is no other way to God. He is the only Way. He is the only Truth. He is the only Life. In coming to Him, one finds in Him, Eternal life. All other paths lead elsewhere. They do not lead to life and they do not lead to God. Jesus taught that they lead to destruction, death, and eternal damnation. Yet He came to bring life, to offer life to all who would ever realize their need and come to Him on His terms.

Whatever you believe, whether you are a Buddhist, or a Muslim, or a Hindu, a Jew, or a Roman Catholic, if you have not come to Jesus Christ in repentant faith and surrendered fully to Him, you are heading to destruction, death and eternal judgment. That is, you will end up in the eternal Lake of Fire that we call Hell. This is because your sin which separates you from God, must be judged. Jesus died to save sinners. he died to pay for their sins. He is God's provision for sin. If you reject Him, you have no hope.

There is no other way, there is no other truth, there is no other life than that which is found in Jesus Christ. He is the Word of God and His Word is that there is NO OTHER WAY TO GOD. Trying to live in harmony won't cut it. Trusting in Allah, won't cut it. Demonic gods can't help you. Following Moses, really following Moses, will only point out your need for Christ. Aside form that Judaism won't help. The Church and the sacraments can't help you. Mary, does not and can not save. If you pray to her, she isn't listening. Rather, your prayers are entertained by demons. Only Jesus can save, only Jesus does save. He saves those who turn from their sins and come to Him by faith.

So read your New Testament and learn how to come to Him, how to trust Him.

Second:

That brings me back to my original point which has now become my second point. Read God's Word for what it is, God's Word. Read it to learn what it says, what it teaches, what its one message is. One can do that by the methodology that Tony taught us. Observe what it says and ask questions of the text. I'll share a link which shows a video of a first session Hermeneutics Class. That class explains the methodology that Tony taught us very well. Whatever your level of expertise in interpreting Scripture, this video is worth watching and following.

One other thing. Get rid of your paraphrase versions of scripture. Get a good translation like the NASB. One cannot really observe the text nor ask questions of it if one is using a paraphrase. The process is subverted by the use of a paraphrased bible. Get the best translation you can, then make observations of it and ask questions of it.

Here is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvKDYfZtq9g&list=PL4sbg6ng23C7dShc85IESn2DtaLUO2wGH Open your Bible to follow along during the video. If you don't have a Bible, then here is a link to the text that he is teaching from. https://biblehub.com/nasb/philippians/4.htm

One more note: Jesus told a parable: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

His point was that if you understood the value of the life He offers you, you would be willing to turn from all that you have and all that you are to obtain it. God bless! B.