The truth is, I could find a portion of scripture and use it out of context to imply just about anything I wanted. I can make the Bible seem to support polygamy, slavery, hatred, homophobia and even violence against women.
The Bible has, at times, become a weapon used by people to push selfish agendas that hardly represent the heart of God. This is not a hypothetical conversation we're having right now.
Matthew 18:20 is an oft-quoted passage by Jesus about 'where two or three are gathered together, there I am with them." Most people use it to back up the need for multiple people to come together to pray. I doubt most of those people would deny that Jesus would also hear and readily respond if they were stranded on a desert island. The real context of this passage has nothing to do with how many people need to be around for God to show up. A quick reading of the previous verses reveals this verse is in specific reference to relational conflict.
John 8:32 is another: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." Most people think this verse is referencing truth - as in not telling a lie. But the appropriate understanding of this verse is that JESUS is the truth and knowing HIM will set you free from the sin mentioned later in the chapter. I don't think lying is right either, but this verse is not about that.
Philippians 3:13: "This one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead." This verse is commonly used to tell people to forget about their past negative experiences and move on into the future. The apostle Paul certainly had a lot of negative past to put behind him, but he was actually telling the church at Philippi that he wanted to forget the SUCCESSFUL achievements of his past in order to pursue what God had next for him.
Our practices must be consistent with the Scriptures themselves.
And be blessed.
No comments:
Post a Comment