The purpose of the Scriptures is to enlighten us in Divine ideas and ideals so that we might become God’s children walking in His Way. It is not our prerogative to believe what WE will, nor to live as WE see fit. The children of light are those who walk in the light: the light of God’s Truth (Eph. 5:8).
In the matter of reading and understanding the scripture, ours is not the liberty to misapply any passage to make it appear to teach what we want it to teach. It is a serious fault to pervert the teaching of Scripture by replacing its meaning with some idea which is foreign to the context. The respect, which God’s Word requires, is to believe what it says: it is dishonouring to God and His Word both to reject its plain teaching, and to supplant it with something else. It is folly merely to direct our interested friends to the need to examine a passage in its context to determine its meaning, if we fail to observe this principle ourselves.
Look carefully at the following examples of mis-applied scriptures, and determine whether or not you are guilty of this error. We ask you to:
- Read them in their context.
- Carefully assess their meaning (without any pre-conceived ideas).
- Compare the sound comments of esteemed and reliable expositors as listed hereunder.
We are sure that you are aware of the need to use God’s Word aright; we are also certain that you would have heard these or other passages used incorrectly.
Example 1
“The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable.” (James 3:17)
This small portion is often quoted, but its true meaning is obtained by reading it in its context, particularly from verses 13-17.
Brother L. G. Sargent, in his book, “The Teachings of the Master”, has the following comments to make upon this passage and its misuse. In speaking about Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers: For they shall be called the Sons of God”, Brother Sargent says
“The Supreme Peacemaker is the Son of God himself: and to him the word is applied in its only other occurrence in the New Testament, Col. 1:19-20, “For it pleased (the Father) that in him should all fullness dwell: and, having made peace (or “making peace”) through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself”. “He is our peace”: and it is because he is “the repairer of the breach” that in him “all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord” (Eph. 2:14-21). And, as he became the author of salvation, so also he became the author of peace, and the prototype of all his brethren who are peacemakers, because in some tiny degree they reflect that quality in which he must for ever be supreme.”
Brother Sargent continues …
“The fullest exposition of the Lord’s thought is found in a passage in James which — by a perversion which would be ludicrous, were it not painful — is used more often than not to justify strife. “First pure, then peaceable” does not mean that peace is only to be attained when opposition is crushed. The “first” is not a note of time, as though you could be “pure” this week and “peaceable” next, when the other people are eliminated. Such naive philosophy belongs not to Christ but to Hitler, who at last could find only a barren peace in a suicide’s death. He may be credited with having sincerely wanted peace — once all disagreement with him had been liquidated. Like most perversions of Scripture, this is made possible by quoting a fragment — a mere splinter — away from its context. For what James is saying is that peace comes from the pure heart as strife comes from the impure. “Bitter jealousy and faction”, James says, has its source in a wisdom which does not “come down from above”. Its origin is earthly, its character is that of the human mind, and its outcome is the dis-organization which, in the language of the time, could be called “demon-like”; “for where jealousy and faction (or ambitious rivalry) are, there is confusion and every vile deed. With a little play upon the word demon-like, we may say “There is pandemonium”. Here is a sad picture indeed of the working of the fleshly mind in the ecclesias; and it corresponds closely (especially when we read on to chapter 4) with the “works of the flesh” described in Gal. 5:19-20.
“In contrast to this dark picture, James portrays the wisdom which has its origin from “the Father of lights”, and so (to recall again Gal. 5) yields “the fruit of the spirit”. Its prime quality from which all others follow is that it is “pure”.
“Every man that has this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3).
“Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently” (1 Peter 1:22, R.V.).
Those who obey that injunction will be peacemakers indeed. James crowns his thought with a manifold allusion to the Sermon: “And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace”. The whole chapter (James 3), with its starting point in the warning against the ambition to be teachers, is parallel to the Lord’s warning against “false prophets” who will bring destruction and confusion among the flock”
How aptly these words describe the present situation, and its remedy, in clearly and openly, denouncing evil in its various forms as well a; directing attention to the need to develop Godly, characteristics.
Example 2
In this example we wish to consider not only a passage and its context, but also the related scriptural teaching upon this matter. Jesus said:
“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: And with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matthew 7:1-2.
Our beloved late Brother John Carter, to whom we, in Australia, owe so much for his untiring efforts to achieve unity in Australia, but who also so ably exposed erroneous doctrines which were held in certain quarters, gives us the benefit of his spiritual mind on this particular passage.
“Condemning a criticizing spirit, Jesus said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged”. We may infer the general tendency to this habit from the use of the present tense: “Be not judging”. If we are too critical of others we shall be criticized severely ourselves. None are free from faults, but all should be careful about passing judgment on others.
In this saying ‘Jesus is not speaking of decisions that have to be made in many affairs of life. There are matters where it would be wrong to avoid judging, matters where the spirit of toleration is as great an evil as hypercriticism. There are few fixed standards of right and wrong in the world, and this leads to an easy acceptance of all conduct as being an individual matter.
But Jesus himself on occasion was very severe, and he calls for the exercise of discrimination on the part of those who follow him. The instructions to the injured person if his “brother trespass against” him, to show him his fault, of itself implies a judgment. A collective judgment is called for if the matter has to come before “the church”. To “try the spirits”, and to “prove all things”, to refuse false doctrine and the teachers of it (Gal. 1:9; 2 John 10.11),— all these demand the exercise of judgment.
What Jesus condemns is the frame of mind that is always fault-finding.”
As a brotherhood, we need to “judge righteous judgment”; to face up to the facts; to be upright and truthful in our words and actions. A balanced approach is necessary: “Peace will not come by burying our head in the sand.”
Brother Islip Collyer, noteworthy for his understanding of human nature, gives us all instruction in his words:
“We truly must recognise the danger that a love of peace may lead to unfaithfulness in the administration of God’s Word; but we must also remember that the most persistent of fighters may be equally unfaithful for a much uglier reason. Even if he escapes from the subtle poison that is always generated by strife, he may nevertheless be destructive. Instead of following Paul the apostle, he may only emulate Saul of Tarsus, and without Saul’s excuse. Scripture warns us against both dangers. There have been men who have been indolent in the performance of God’s work and have praised themselves for their love of peace. There have been others who have done evil with both hands earnestly, and have said, “See how zealous I am”. In either case the deceitful human heart furnishes them with ample disguises, and “so they wrap it up”.
There is an urgent need to heed the call:
“Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:16).
The “old paths” are not merely the rigid adherence to “pioneer works”, but rather the complete surrender to all that the Father has declared from of old; the acceptance of God’s Way in belief and practice. This is the allegiance to which we are called.
Reflections on the Potter and the Clay