top of page
Stop Misusing Scriptures for Your Own Gain and Opinion
May 29, 2024
Hey Clawson Family!
Song:
Scripture:
2 Timothy 3:16 New Living Translation
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
John 8:31-32 New Living Translation
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Devotional:
A text sent from a youth student:
Parents should stop misusing scriptures for their own gain, or weaponizing the bible against us.
There are multiple times in the Bible where it talks about the danger of adding to or taking away from the word. In Deuteronomy, God tells the people of Israel not to add to or take away from the commands that he has given them. In Revelation, God tells us not to add to or take away from the prophecy given in Revelation. Jesus in different words pretty much tells His followers to remain faithful to His teachings. In other words, don’t change them or take away from them, just do what I am telling you to do in them.
When interpreting scripture if we are not taking into consideration the context, the background, the author, who they are writing to and the purpose of their writings then it can be easy to misinterpret scripture, or even misuse or weaponize scripture to make it fit our opinion, and how we feel. But that is wrong.
If we don’t want our child to do something and we twist scripture to try to make them feel like they are going against God if they do it…Then all that does is make them not trust us with scriptures anymore.
If we don’t want our kid to drink alcohol, we can tell them how bad alcohol is, all the horrible stats with alcohol, that they can’t legally drink it till they are 21, we can give them all the facts and our opinion. We can tell them that the bible says “No drunkard will enter the kingdom of Heaven”, and don’t drink too much which is true. But it is not sin for them to have a drink biblically so to say otherwise is not true. Jesus turned water into fermented wine. He drank wine, his people had celebrations where they drank wine.
Now I am not saying your opinion doesn't matter. You are their parent, and they are living in your home. You may have a higher standard of excellence at your home on dress and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Just make it about your home and how you do things at your home, don’t bring the bible into it.
You can say “In my home I prefer you not to do that so while you are living here”, you are going to do what I am asking you to do. But don’t take scripture out of context for your own benefit. I have seen this ruin relationships between parents and kids.
Journal:
In your journals write times in your life where people have misused scripture for their own gain. How did that affect you and your relationship with God?
Training:
Today, ask God to search your heart and mind. Think for a moment: Are you embracing any form of deception, or trying to twist the truth for your own advantage? Make a commitment to please Him all the time. To live according to His truth.
bottom of page