Hermeneutics is not a dinner table term but is part of everyday life. It is the process of interpretation, usually of Biblical text, but it is part of every area of study. The sciences, legal system, and philosophy employ hermeneutics. 

The hermeneutical circle looks at the parts of the information and the whole body of information. It takes a word or phrase, and works to interpret it from the inside (part) to the outside (whole), and harmonizes the entire conclusion. This methodology is critically important for every body of literature, but especially in the field of Bible study. A failure to harmonize the information leads to a failure to comprehend it and, thus, a failure to apply it. This could drastically reshape the individual disciple’s life in a way that could contradict what Scripture would dictate. 

You work to understand a word in the context of the passage in which it is used, but then you work to understand the word by how it is used in the entire work. This approach follows the pattern of the hermeneutic circle. 

A good example of how this works and has been misused can be seen in the doctrinal takeaways from the book of Romans. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Rom. 5:1, NKJV). Many people in the religious world today look at that verse and conclude we are saved by faith alone. The problem surrounds what the word “faith” means. It is oftentimes defined and interpreted through the lens of reformed theology (i.e., Calvinism), which does not capture the concept and leads to an injustice of the term. Many people among restoration thinkers struggle to harmonize this verse with the common teaching of obedience or action being required by the recipient of salvation. How might we resolve this concept with the understanding that obedience is part of the gospel? 

A healthy use of the hermeneutic circle (how we interpret) would solve the puzzle. We’ve looked at the word in its context and now consider it as part of the whole of Romans. In his introductory comments, Paul says at the beginning of Romans that through Jesus, “We have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name” (Rom. 1:5, NKJV, italics added, dh). At the conclusion of his Roman discourse, Paul notes again, “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith” (Rom. 16:25-26, NKJV, italics added, dh). 

Clearly, in Paul’s thinking and precise terminology, there is no contradiction between the ideas of faith and obedience. He depicts them as complimentary to one another. Furthermore, this reinforces the concepts of obedience throughout Romans. In chapter 2, Paul condemns those who did not practice the law and were not doing good works (i.e., being obedient). In chapter 4, he praises Abraham and implores his readers to walk in the steps of faith, which Abraham also did (i.e., be obedient, be walking/living in faith). In chapter 6, he reminds his readers of their initial obedience to the gospel and their purpose to live in newness of life (i.e., baptism and a new obedient and faithful life). Even in the greatness of chapter 8, he stresses the need for walking (i.e., living a life of faithfulness, obedience, and submission) in the Spirit. This was the cataclysmic failure of ancient Israel, as they failed to obey God (see chs. 9-11). In chapter 12, he stresses this obedient, practical lifestyle that flows from a life for God. In chapter 16, he praises his Roman audience for their example-setting obedience, which served as a beacon for all others (Rom. 16:19). 

Obedience compliments faith. To conclude something else from Romans 5:1 would be a misstep on the hermeneutical circle (how to interpret). A recent author (who traditionally would align more with Calvinism’s view, i.e., faith alone) has contended that faith as mental assent is insufficient and proposed a more comprehensive term like allegiance would be more appropriate. Approaching Romans 5:1 with that definition harmonizes much better with Paul’s usage of it in Romans and the rest of the Pauline corpus.