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B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #18
October 5, 2003

I. Cor. 16:9  For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

PRAYER ALERT - Our friend in Pakistan is trying to come to visit in Chennai, India before I leave for Africa on Oct. 16th.  Let us pray that Sardar Masih can overcome the difficulties with God's help.

PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION 
Don't Carry Your Meaning Into Scripture - #9
We are to be discoverers and not inventors.  We are not to practice the deductive method, but the inductive, that is investigating what Scripture says and not taking our ideas into Scripture to prove what we think.  Through the inductive method we gather facts and let Scripture supply the conclusion.  We do not go to Scripture to prove our already arrived at deduction.  We remain objective and as much as possible remove preconceived notions to explore the Word.

PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION
There Is A Christian Use of Scripture - #10
In 2 Tim. 3:15-17 we see the proper use: for instruction in salvation, for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. Scripture calls us to repentance with its Law and restores us to newness of life with its Gospel. Today the Gospel has been replaced by some with the 'social gospel'.  They teach that the  most important duty of man to man is to alleviate his earthly woes with hospitals, schools, food supplies, etc.  The most important need for man is rather a spiritual one.  He is a sinner in need of salvation from sin, death and hell.  Man is wicked and faces punishment. Jesus came to bear that punishment and release us to life eternal. Yet others have adopted the so-called 'liberation theology' of Marxists.  This theology makes of the church a social unit for land reform.  The economic philosophy of this 'theology' is pure Marxism which fails to take into account the sinful heart of man. All should be warned that those who twist Scripture to suit their whims and philosophies twist Scripture to their own destruction.  2 Peter 3:15-16

THE VERY GREAT TREASURE
I believe it was in 1706 that the first Protestant and Lutheran missionaries came to India. They were Henry Pluetschau and Bartholomew Ziegenbalg. When Ziegenbalg's mother lay on her death-bed, she called her children to her bedside and informed them that she had laid up a treasure, --a very great treasure for them.  When they asked where they might find it, the mother answered, "Dear children, search for it in my Bible.  There you will find it.  There is not a page that I have not moistened with my tears." Bartholomew found the treasure and in his twelve years in India he shared His Master's love.  His mother's treasure was passed on.

CATECHISM - In India from last year to this year, we have either printed or purchased over 11,000 catechisms in Telegu, Tamil, Hindi and English.  We hope to continue to assist our brethren in Africa to also get more of what is called the 'small Bible' into the hands  of our brethren there.

In Christ,
Pastor Koenig in India
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B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #19
October 20, 2003

I. Cor. 16:9  For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION
We Are To Interpret Scripture Grammatically - #11
We are to look at the very sentence structure and word meaning of the words in the Bible. For instance the "so" of John 3:16 tells us that God love us very much. In John 1:1 we know from "was" that Jesus is the eternal God.  In Matthew's account of the temptation of our Lord we know he has the chronological order because he uses "then".  We must differentiate between figurative and literal passages.  The literal sense is basic. Only on compelling evidence in the context should we interpret in a figurative sense.  The "day" in the Genesis account of creation is clearly literal, a 24 hour day.  When the Psalmist says that a "day in they courts is like a thousand years" we know from  the context that the "day" is used in a figurative sense.  Also, when Christ calls us the "light", the "salt" of the earth and the "leaven" of society, He is speaking obviously  in a figurative sense.  Every passage has one intended meaning, but may have many applications.  Take a word in Scripture in its normal, literal and grammatical sense to  find its intended meaning, unless the context indicates there is a figurative sense. 

PRINCIPLIES OF INTERPRETATION
Scripture Interprets Scripture - #12
2 Pet. 1:20-21, Mt. 15:3, Col. 2:8  To understand Scripture one easy method is to use  cross references.  There are parallel passages which shed light on other passages. Sometimes the same word or wording is used in different places.  Other times there may be a thought parallel with the use of different words.  A word parallel is Rom. 5:1 and Heb. 11:1.  Can you see it?  A thought parallel is Luke 21:33 and I Pet. 1:25  Do you see that?  There are also parallel sections like Phil. 2 and Heb. 2.  There are even  parallel books like Ephesians on the church as the body and Colossians on the church's head, Christ.  It must always be a case for us of the less clear passage being interpreted by the clearer passage.  We interpret for instance Rev. 20 in light of Mt. 24 and Mk. 13.  An interpretation given to a passage also must stand in the light of the whole of Scripture.  This principle of Scripture interprets Scripture is an overarching rule for us to follow.

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THE FOLLOWING IS PART OF A LETTER RECEIVED FROM REV. ANGOWI IN TANZANIA.

We of the L.C.E.A. are doing well in the wonderful grace which has always being  blessed to us and bring a wonderful growth of our Church here and there.

1. A new Station has been founded in Msitu wa Tembo, Manyara Region; which comprises of different tribes and Masai people.  The villagers (leaders) gave us land for Church building and other development.  The work started in March this year with a membership of 25 elders and children.  Msitu wa Tembo is twenty five kilometres from Moshi.

Second station - Njoro Majengo, is underway to be started.  We've been given a primary school room for worshiping every Sunday by the government officials. This station has about 20 participants.

2. St. Peter Lutheran Seminary at Himo 9 (nine) students, is gaining Christ's influencial power, in His Lord and Evangelism as they work hard in their studies under their teachers.  We pray that our Lord will strengthen our students for His wonderful Work in our Church here in Tanzannia, Kenya, Uganda and other areas.  We beg you to continuously pray for this Seminary - for Christ's purposes.  We aim to have new students enrollment for next year.
(Rev. Angowi)
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In Christ,
Pastor David Koenig