2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
I believe almost everyone reading this has eaten at a fast-food restaurant at least once in their lives. We could probably spend hours debating on the best ones to eat at or why some of them are worse for your body than others. Even Wendy’s years ago had their say on what they thought. In one of their commercials, they humorously called the meat in McDonald’s chicken nuggets “pieces parts.” That’s because McNuggets were made of bits and pieces of chicken pressed together "out of the context" of the whole chicken.
As Christians, do we sometimes formulate our beliefs with “pieces parts” of the Bible? Many times, most Bible errors come when we cut one of two verses of context then press them together to make up half truths. Or we find a verse to stand alone to fit our desires or what we want to be true to fit what we are doing.
Let’s look at this another way. Have you ever worked with an architect or maybe you had some blueprints of your own for something. When you study those plans, or when an architect studies the plans, they know when something is a little off and will skew the entire design. If your plans are just pieces parts put together to fit what you want, the entire design will fall apart.
This is also true when we handle the Word of God. As Christians we all have a lot of beliefs, but if we don’t stick to what the Bible tells us, our ideas become slightly skewed and the pieces we put together or choose to use, while ignoring the stuff we don’t like, will only take us away from God.
“It is vital that we seek to read, understand, interpret, and apply it correctly. Lives are at stake if we don’t.” Eric J. Bargerhuff
Usually, our errors are based on verses taken out of the context of the Bible as a whole. Or for some they read the Bible as a phone book. Every verse has an independent meaning apart from the verses around it. Would you read Shakespeare, Tolstoy or Tolkien and pull out one sentence from the middle of their works and claim to understand what the author is saying.?
The thing is, even when we feel the errors are small, they can keep us from accurately understanding the gospel, and this can keep God’s design for us, His people, a little skewed with the “me” thinking rather that God’s thinking. We need to make sure we don’t garnish God’s Words with our own ideas by taking verses out of context.
Colossians 2:8 warns us, “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.”
It’s important to remember that every single verse in the Bible is true, but not every verse contains complete truth. You cannot just put pieces of verses together or a verse here or there together to see the entire truth or what Jesus is teaching. Take the Bible and read through all scripture and you will see that there are many verses on one subject. Take the context around each verse to help you understand the entire picture and why the Lord inspired the authors to pen each word. Allow the Lord to say what He means and hide the words in your heart so you can speak the words correctly and not misunderstand any scripture when it comes your way or when you yourself are quoting it.
Here is a great example if when it comes to asking the Lord for things and prayer. Read each verse and see how just one won’t help the overall picture of Christs words.
Matthew 7:7: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
John 14:14: "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
John 15:7: "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."
John 15:16: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you."
Today do you want to be a McDonalds chicken nugget scriptuer seeker and reader with pieces parts, or do you want to be part of God’s design and like an architect know God’s Word so well that if one verse is off you can see the little skew.
Now, for a little fun. I have three verses from the Bible in the list that follows and three that are random quotes from the computer. Test yourself as we are asked in scripture on how well you know God’s words. Can you tell them apart?
“Prayer unlocks all the storehouses of God’s infinite grace and power.”
“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
“Everyone who is a child of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world—our faith.”
“Only faith in God and trust in Him gives us the strength to endure and obtain victory.”
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.”
“The will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us.”
Answers at the end of page…
No matter when or where you study, it is always a good idea to begin your study with sincere prayer. Start by addressing God. Then ask Him for wisdom and understanding as you read. Ask for specific guidance to your life. It is important to search and study the word of God, but it is equally important to slow down, quiet your mind, and listen. When we give ourselves time to meditate after studying the Bible, God can enlighten our minds through His Holy Spirit. Learning from the Bible is a lifelong pursuit. God is pleased with any effort we put forth to learn from His words, no matter how much we understand (or don’t understand) as we read. Greater understanding will come with time and consistent study.
Let's finish our study with Godly Relationships with our last lesson.
Godly Relationships- Lesson 7.docx
Quote, scripture James 5:16
Scripture 1 John 5:4, quote
Scripture 1 Corinthians 15:10, quote
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