Introduction
2 Timothy 3:14-17
Misuse of the Scriptures
Men plea...
- Introduction
- 2 Timothy 3:14-17
- Misuse of the Scriptures
- Men pleasing (Using the scriptures to prove existing theories or doctrines)-Galatians 1:9-10
- Works Nullified - Does the book of Romans really remove our responsibility for good works? Does it nullify the commandments of Christ such as baptism?
Of course not. Using the context of the scriptures we can learn that this letter was to inform the jews that we are under a new law of liberty and
no longer need the works of the old law. The sum of the scriptures will show that there are works that are required of us. But these scriptures
are often used out of context to promote the very pleasing doctrine that works are not required of us because of grace and faith.
- Panama Canal - One silly argument onced raised to combat the creation of the Panama Canal was taken out of context from Matthew 19:6.
- The Flat Earth - This belief also popular in the dark ages was thought to be a religious doctrine and that any argument to the contrary was
heresy. Many scriptures were used to argue this. For example, how can everyone on BOTH sides of the earth see Jesus' second coming?
- Looking too hard - Matthew 16:2-3 taken out of context
- Prophecies Revealed? (who is the anti-christ) - People get so wrapped up in their pet theories that they will find evidence through the scriptures where
none exists. Such as dates of the second coming, the identity of the antichrist, and the relavance of the number of the beast (666).
- Date setting - 1977, 2000, 2001, etc.
- Mark of the beast - SSNs, personal ID chips, credit card numbers, etc.
- Trying too hard (forest for the tree syndrome)
- Early arguments against street lamps - "God separated the light from the dark, we don't need to violate that!"
- The term "bled and died" should not be used because Jesus died first, then his side was pierced and bled for our sins. - First off and is
simply a conjuction meaning that both happened regardless of the sequence. Secondly, Jesus probably lost more blood being scourged, beaten, crowned with thorns, and
nailed through the hands and feet than he lost in that final piercing with the spear. I feel it was all done for sins. This is word mincing.
- The commandment of God to be fruitful and multiply tells me to have as many children as nature allows. - Wasn't this commandment only given to Adam and Eve and then to Noah's family for one
reason? To populate the earth which now contains more than 6 billion people. I don't think God's still concerned with us multiplying on the earth.
- Few there be that are saved so why bother with the lost? - Doesn't the Christian faith teach us to love others and thus be concerned for their soul's salvation? This
should drive us to teach others and make that few as many as possible.
- Use of the Scriptures
- Prayer - Philippians 4:6-7
- Context - Matthew 4:4 - Every word, not just the words we need for our argument.
- True "study" is more than reading
- Acts 17:11 - Notice the term "searched" could also be translated as "investigate".
- John 5:39 - again we are told to "search" the scriptures.
- Use prophecy properly
- Matthew 24:35-51 - Condemns date setting. The point is to be ready because you don't know the time.
- Open mindedness (no presuppositions)
- Note again that the Bereans met the scriptures with "readiness" of mind.
- Proverbs 14:15 - Don't believe everything you hear without studying it yourself.
- 2 Timothy 2:15 - Show thyself approved. Not others
- Conclusion: An example of the misuse of scripture is of a man who was seeking guidance and decided to open the bible and pick verses at random. He
opened the scriptures and put his finger on the verse that said,
"Judas went and hanged himself". He closed his bible then opened it again to the verse that said,
"Go and do thou likewise". He tried it again and got,
"What thou doest, do quickly". And the final scripture he opened to said,
"And as many as do these things shall inherit eternal life."
A new doctrine was born.
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