Keeping Scriptures in Context
Writer Author Sylvia Huffnagle
Christian Article
:
Bible Teaching
- Fiction No
This saying is going around--in fact it is a prayer by Helen Steiner Rice:
Make us aware that the Savior died;
And was nailed to the cross and crucified
Not to redeem just a chosen few
But to save all who ask for forgiveness from you.
I don’t know why she said that, but here is what Jesus says about salvation:
Matt: 7:13-14: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:14: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matt:13:47-50: Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49: So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50: And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matt: 22:9-14: Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.10: So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11: And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13: Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14: For many are called, but few are chosen.
Matt: 18:7-9: Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! 8: Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. 9: And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Jn: 12:46-48: I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47: And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48: He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
Why is this important?
I am not trying to keep anyone out of the kingdom of God nor am I trying to destroy anyone’s faith.
I am exalting and magnifying the Word of God because I believe that God is going to do things according to what it says and not according to what we think.
He has already said that we are responsible to know and believe His Word.
Eph: 6:11-19: Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13: Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14: Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15: And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16: Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19: And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
Jn: 17:14-17: I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
This message is entitled “Keeping Scripture in Context,” because what we’re dealing with here is one example of taking one’s theology from the scriptures, yet it is not scriptural.
What Helen wrote sounds good and right until one realizes that the Word of God does not teach what she said, therefore what she said is not the truth and should not be received.
Another way many people take scripture out of context is to apply an admonition wrongly, such as the subject of judging.
The Bible does teach us not to judge people. This means in context, not to think ill of them for you do not know why they are behaving wrongly. You may be tempted to think the person who behaves badly is a terrible person, when in fact, though the person’s behavior is terrible, the person may not be terrible, but rather wrongly influenced or taught, or have a good reason to be ignorant in that area, whereas you have no excuse for being ignorant in that area. So you must be careful that your thoughts do not unintentionally judge a person.
God also taught that though a person is behaving in a damning way, you must not speak as though they were dammed because God may be going to save them.
But the teaching is misunderstood when it is used to make biblical issues unclear or when it is used to cover up or make invisible wrong-doing.
Here are some Bible verses that will help you understand where I’m coming from:
Prov: 20:11: Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Mal: 3:13-18: Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? 14: Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? 15: And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. 16: Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 17: And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 18: Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Matt: 7:16: Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
1Cor: 5:11: But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
2Thess: 3:10: For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
2Thess: 3:14: And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
These scriptures show that there is a time and a place to judge situations and behavior, but many today ignore these scriptures because they think they are not allowed to judge, which to them means they are not allowed to notice other peoples trespasses.
This kind of thinking soon causes the Bible to be hard to understand and causes people to be alienated from truth through ignorance.
Then there is the taking out of context by using a scripture to teach what it does not teach, such as, taking these two scriptures below and teaching that money is evil.
Matt: 6:24: No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
1Tim: 6:10: For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The truth is not that money is evil, but it is evil (harmful) to love money over and above God or treat money as if it were God. God is He who meets our needs and is our Father. When one puts their trust in what money can do rather than putting their trust in God, they are in harms way.
There are other ways to take scripture out of context and all of them are harmful and dangerous because the Bible is the truth and you need your loins girt with the truth, because the enemy captures you with lies. And it is the truth that will set you free. And it is the truth that will keep you from error such as what Oprah is teaching--a new-age Christ.
2Thess: 2:8-12: And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10: And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11: And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Sylvia Huffnagle
Editor's Comment:
About the Writer Author
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Country:
United States
Email:
huffnagl@verizon.net
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www.straightpaths.truepath.com/about4.html
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