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Wresting the Scriptures, May 4
They that are unlearned and unstable wrest... the ... scriptures, unto
their own destruction.
2 Peter 3:16
.
The position that it is of no consequence what men believe is one of
Satan’s most successful deceptions. He knows that the truth, received in
the love of it, sanctifies the soul of the receiver; therefore he is constantly
seeking to substitute false theories, fables, another gospel....
The vague and fanciful interpretations of Scripture, and the many con-
flicting theories concerning religious faith, that are found in the Christian
world are the work of our great adversary to confuse minds so that they
shall not discern the truth. And the discord and division which exist among
the churches of Christendom are in a great measure due to the prevailing
custom of wresting the Scriptures to support a favorite theory. Instead of
carefully studying God’s word with humility of heart to obtain a knowledge
of His will, many seek only to discover something odd or original.
In order to sustain erroneous doctrines or unchristian practices, some
will seize upon passages of Scripture separated from the context, perhaps
quoting half of a single verse as proving their point, when the remaining
portion would show the meaning to be quite the opposite. With the cunning
of the serpent they entrench themselves behind disconnected utterances
construed to suit their carnal desires. Thus do many willfully pervert the
word of God. Others, who have an active imagination, seize upon the
figures and symbols of Holy Writ, interpret them to suit their fancy, with
little regard to the testimony of Scripture as its own interpreter, and then
they present their vagaries as the teachings of the Bible.
Whenever the study of the Scriptures is entered upon without a prayerful,
humble, teachable spirit, the plainest and simplest as well as the most
difficult passages will be wrested from their true meaning.... The Word of
God is plain to all who study it with a prayerful heart. Every truly honest
soul will come to the light of truth. “Light is sown for the righteous.”
Psalm 97:11
. And no church can advance in holiness unless its members
are earnestly seeking for truth as for hid treasure.
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