For the past couple of weeks I have been thinking about doing something here on my blog about false and inappropriate applications of biblical truth to practical life situations.
Pastors are always under pressure to make the message "practical" because this is what people want. And this is important, because we believe the Scriptures are "God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God's people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim.3:16-17).
But over the years it has been my observation that preachers and teachers sometimes go too far and try to establish as "biblical" various details that do not have biblical warrant at all. And it is my contention that when this happens, they inadvertently do more harm than good and bind people's consciences in ways that God never intended.
In my reading this morning in Job 5, I was reminded of this very point by D.A. Carson. After commenting on Eliphaz's speech to Job, Carson draws the following conclusion: False or improper application of genuine truth may be heartless and cruel--and, as here, it may say false things about God.
This is exactly the kind of thing I have in mind: false or improper application of genuine truth! In my opinion there is far too much of this sort of thing although often people do not see it for what it is. They tend to think they are really getting into the "deep things" of God's word, when in reality they are usually being led astray from that which is central to their spiritual health and well-being.
2 comments:
Kirk,
I look forward to your thoughts along these lines. I've spent nearly four years here now trying to get people to "put their Bibles together" in ways the Bible intends (e.g. stop equating ourselves to David in the Goliath narrative, or to Moses in his birth account, and see in these men their unqiue place in redemptive history and the application to us of what Christ has done for us as our anointed King and deliverer, etc.). Thanks.
Spencer
Hi Spencer... great to hear from you again. Yes, it is always a challenge to get people to stop treating the Scriptures as a "grab-bag" of texts and to actually read and understand it in light of the textual, epochal and canonical horizons that must be kept in mind if we are going to properly apply God's word in our own day. But it is worth the effort because when they see how it all fits together they will praise and thank God for his wisdom, mercy and grace.
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