We’re all probably familiar with the joke about the man who randomly
opened a page in the Bible because he wanted guidance on an issue.
Unfortunately, the place he opened was Matthew 27:5, which said Judas “went
and hanged himself.” Realising this was definitely not what he was looking
for, he slammed the Bible shut and opened it again to another random page. This
time, it was Luke 10:37, which read “Go, and do you likewise.”
On a more serious note, however, many of us Christians are guilty of this
cherry-picking practice when it comes to scripture. We quote a single verse and
base our theology and life principle on it without regard to the context: who
is talking? To whom was he talking? When was it said? Why was it said? Was the
speaker speaking under inspiration? etc.
A common example is the phrase, “the LORD giveth, and the LORD taketh;
blessed be the name of the LORD.” We sing it in songs, quote it in sermons,
and admonish bereaved people with it... even though the book in which it was
originally quoted from was trying to say the exact opposite.
The context of a cited passage in a sermon is key.
It’s been wisely noted that when you take a TEXT out of its conTEXT,
you’ll be left with a CON! Many cults and false groups like the Jehovah’s
Witnesses and the Gay Church Movement claim their legitimacy from scriptures
using this method. And so do sleek false teachers as well, which are more
dangerous because they’re not overtly heretical.
Therefore, the onus is on us as listeners (or readers) of preaching, to
make sure the messages we imbibe are truly the whole counsel of God, and not
the “enticing words of man's wisdom”, or “cunningly devised myths”.
(1Co 2:4 2Pe 1:16).
AMEN.
More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.
GREG ELKAN
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