A Question Arose

Sunday I posted a series of thoughts that included how God’s word has been misused and abused:

Examples of this abuse are contained in the Bible, and should never be used as reasons for doing wrong.

A question arose about such examples.  No, I’m not going to list them all, nor am I going to give Bible verses for each example. That would run into pages and pages. Not my style. Just a few examples, look them up on your own. Let me know if what I write here is wrong by leaving a Comment.

We are not to follow everything that is in the Bible.  Some are there as history as to how not to live.  The first one that comes to mind are the multiple marriages of the biblical patriarchs. That was not God’s plan, as evidenced by several verses, and should be used as an example of how badly things can go when the plan is ignored, beginning with Abraham and Sarah. When it came to the parents of our Lord and Savior, we have one man, one wife, without divorce (I will admit having an angelic messenger did help.)

Just because something is included in the Bible, that inclusion does not make a doctrine to live by. Job’s friends sound wise. Their advice sounds much like advice we hear today. Taken apart from Job’s answers regarding his innocence, their advice could apply to a number of people we know living in error today. We could be just as wrong as they were.

Peter whipping out his sword to defend Jesus at His betrayal cannot be construed as an example for Christians to follow. Nor can Peter’s subsequent denials as he was concerned for his own safety.

There are a couple of standards personally taken to heart to determine how verses apply. I use them often because they are of utmost importance when determining what should and should not be.

The first is the concise determination of what commandments are important to the Lord:

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40 KJV)

That will take care of a great deal of what might be termed biblical conflicts. Then I go to:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8 KJV)

The whole chapter is excellent, but this one verse can help me determine what goes into – and comes out of – my mind and my heart.

One final verse:

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:11 KJV)

Study the scriptures. Daily. Search them from top to bottom and discover whether those things were so. Seek and ye shall find.