In our year of GROWTH at LPC, here is a good article from ChurchLeaders.com . It is important that we grow in our use of "pet" scriptures. I agree that these are most often used wrongly. PLEASE feel free to comment.
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Top 5 Most Misused Verses in the Bible
The Bible is a sharp, double-edged
sword — able to pierce the heart. However, when portions of the Bible are used
in the wrong context, it’s like trying to fight with the butt of the weapon
instead of the blade. It’s just not effective.
Over my years in ministry and as an
ongoing student of the Bible, I’ve come across many biblical misquotes,
misunderstandings and flat-out misuses.
However, if I’m honest, many of
these have come from my own lips. I confess: I’ve been guilty of abusing
passages, ignoring context and, even at times, stretching the meaning for my
own teaching needs, but I’m seeking to reform my loose ways in favor of
something much more beneficial — the original interpretation.
Here are the top five Scriptures, in
my opinion, that get misused in the church today — with a brief description of
the original context.
I invite you to comment on each one
or to provide additional passages you think should appear in the top five.
Also, just to be clear, I don't think referencing these passages in a slighlty
different context is a biblical felony — if it was, I'd probably be doing hard
time — but it's always good to know the heart of the original meaning.
1.
I Can Do All Things.
I can do all this through him who
gives me strength. — Philippians 4:13 (NIV)
This short verse is often quoted by
sports teams, bumper stickers and taglines as a rally cry to accomplish great
things like running a marathon, climbing a mountain, winning the championship,
finishing the remodel on the kitchen, etc.
However, this short — and powerful —
passage gets its meaning amidst the context of contentment. Paul is writing
this letter to the church in Philippi to let them know that God has taught him
to be content in times of plenty and in times of desperation (he’s writing this
letter in prison).
So, in its proper meaning, this
verse is a tribute to a man who learned to follow God in any circumstance.
Whatever came Paul's way, he handled with faith. It could be stoning, prison,
shipwreck, beatings, etc. This passage is not a clarion call to go out and
accomplish great feats of strength, but a beautiful reminder to pursue faith
and trust God in the midst of the ups and downs of a life given fully to the
cause of Christ.
So, if you get put in prison for
preaching Christ, beaten, and learn to live with little food or possessions,
and you find yourself content because you have Christ, well, this verse should
definitely be quoted.
2.
Plans to Prosper.
“For I know the plans I have
for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future."
— Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
This verse is often quoted during a
trial to encourage or inspire — pointing us to the promise that God has
specific plans to help us prosper so don’t worry!
However, in context, this verse is
dealing with a particular promise given to Israel from God; the promise points
to the end of their Babylonian exile in specific terms — 70 years (verse 10).
So, the word prosper doesn't refer to money or material blessings, but physical
and spiritual salvation.
But, someone might say, God still
wants us to prosper, right? Well, in terms of salvation, yes. In fact,
this passage is a great reminder of the fulfilled prophecy and the perfect Word
of God. This is an amazing story that points us to a greater release and
redemption for all of God’s people.
So, taking away our specific,
individually focused application doesn’t subtract the awesomeness from this
passage. In fact, it enhances it and reminds us of the collective salvation of
God’s people in history and in the future, still to come.
3.
Where Two or Three Are Gathered.
“For where two or three gather in my
name, there am I with them.”
— Matthew 18:20 (NIV)
This verse is often used as an
encouragement that God is with us in tough circumstances — all we need are two
to three people in a prayer group and we’re set. In fact, you don’t even have
to say the full verse, just start it out: “Where two or three are gathered
… ” and other church members will shake their heads in agreement.
However, this passage really deals
with building a testimony in the context of church discipline. A proper, and
reliable, testimony was extremely critical in the Jewish context. This passage
was an encouragement to the church leaders during difficult times of confrontation
and church discipline — that God would be present with the witnesses as they
sought to make matters right and restore a fallen member.
So, it’s pretty safe to say that
unless you’re in the midst of church discipline, you’re taking this verse out
of its original context.
Is God still with us when two or
three are gathered? Yes, of course. He's also with us when it's just one or one
thousand.
4.
All Things Work for Good.
And we know that in all things God
works for the good of those who love him, who have been
called according to his purpose.
— Romans 8:28 (NIV)
This passage is often used to
encourage another believer who’s going through a tough time — reminding them
that it will eventually work out for something good in their life. In other
words, don’t worry about getting fired — God has something better in store for
you … all things work out for good, remember?
There are two major issues in this
passage to deal with to keep it in context.
First, the passage deals with those
who love him. That’s an important distinction. It’s not for everyone, but
specifically for believers.
Second, the “good” that’s described
in context is our ultimate conformity to Christ, not our comfort. So, the good
here leads us to sanctification and our ultimate glorification and not the
turnaround of our circumstances from bad to good. Things might get better after
the job loss, they might not. Ultimately, we have redemption to hope for — and
that's the ultimate good.
5.
Where There’s No Vision.
Where there is no vision the
people perish, but happy is he who keeps the law. — Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)
Your church will not perish without
a vision statement. I think vision statements are fantastic — and helpful, but
this passage isn’t a divine reminder for pastors to build a better brand
direction.
This verse is often used to remind
leaders that if they don’t have a compelling vision, and dream big, their
people will be lost. The key word in this passage, “vision,” is actually the
word revelation and it points to the Word of God or the revelation of
God.
In other words, a more accurate
interpretation could be: Where there is no revealed Word of God the people
perish, but happy is he who obeys God’s Word.
This verse is a great picture of
what happened in Nehemiah. The people rediscovered the Word of God and read it
for everyone to hear and understand. The result: revival. It had nothing to do
with Nehemiah’s catchy core values or the Venn diagram of his mission statement
— it was the Word of God that brought life to the people.
So, this passage isn’t
necessarily apropo for the building project or the five-year plan
for your life center, but it is a fitting reminder that God’s Word gives us
life — especially when we obey it.
