Twisting Scriptures

1. I recently heard a politician refer to Mt. 25 and helping the poor.

2. He said this chapter is where Jesus “addressed America’s Social Security benefit.”

3. This context has nothing to do with governments; it is about individuals and how they lived their lives.

FROM POLITICIANS TO RELIGIOUS GROUPS, MANY TWIST THE SCRIPTURES.

1. Peter spoke of this in 2 Pet. 3:16, and he applied it to “hard Scriptures” as well as “other” texts.

2. There are many ways to twist the Scriptures.

A. It thus not surprising that Peter emphasizes knowledge in 2 Peter.

B. 2 Pet. 1:2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20; 2:20, 21; 3:3, 17-18.

3. Some twisting is done by cults; others are denominations. Even done in the church. 2 Pet. 2:1.

4. Recently read about a man who has left the Lord’s church.

5. He explained how he had been taught, and some passages had been misapplied.

6. Nothing is gained by misusing the Bible; God certainly is not pleased.

7. Not all twisting is related to difficult texts.

8. One way to do this is “proof texting.”

9. One of the first pictures we have of the Lord’s life is twisting the Scriptures.

A. Mt. 4:6.

B. We are far removed from this time, but this same problem still exists. Some examples:

C. Mt. 7:1 is often misapplied to mean we cannot judge anything.

D. Jn. 8:7 is another often misunderstood and misused text.

E. Mt. 23:23 is another commonly misconstrued verse (i.e. obedience really doesn’t matter).

F. Many Old Testament prophecies are often perverted.

G. Ps. 51:5, a verse used to teach the false doctrine of “original sin.”

H. Mt. 26:26-28 (the institution of the Lord’s Supper is understood literally as Jesus’ blood & body).

I. Tongue speaking passages are also a good example of twisting the scriptures.

J. Premillenial ideas come from “wresting the Scriptures.”

K. Rom. 1 – homosexuals and their being “against nature.”

L. The argument is that if a homosexual tries to be “straight,” then that is “against nature.”

M. Rom. 10:9-10 and even Jn. 3:16 is not applied correctly.

N. Verses speak of “faith” are understood as “faith only.”

KEY POINTS ON THIS SUBJECT:

1. There must be some way to interpret the Bible or anything is possible. Information may be hard but not impossible.

2. Take the totality of Biblical teaching on any given subject. Mt. 4:4; Ps. 119:160; 139:17.

3. Know the common areas where “twisting” is done: Christ, the church, how to be saved, eternal punishment, end of time, money.

4. Realize some of the common reasons for Scripture twisting:

a. Financial gain (Titus 1:11; Jude 11, 16; contrast Acts 20:33; 1 Timothy 3:3)

b. Personal ambition (Acts 20:30).

c. Fleshly lusts (Jude 18).

5. Twisters are both teachers (2 Timothy 3:8, 13) and their pupils (2 Peter 2:14).

6. Selectively denying biblical teachings or commands is twisting the Scriptures.