Dear Miss Interpretation

What if you fully believed and practiced something from Scripture that was totally wrong??

One of our biggest mistakes as Christians is misinterpreting scripture. We’ve all been guilty of this at one time or another because let’s face it, we’re human! But...

...there are a few different reasons WHY we misinterpret God’s Word and I’d like to explore them with you so that we can all learn and help each other see the truth for what it really is.

#1 We don’t study God’s Word daily

This is probably the most common reason. If you are not reading God’s Word daily or every couple days, then you aren’t furthering your knowledge of Him, His character, His people, His law, and His love. So when we hear or read scripture, we may not understand it’s meaning because we aren’t familiar with His Word. We are easily led astray, thinking, Well that sounds good, so it must be God's way. Yikes, that's dangerous ground. If you stand for nothing, you will fall for everything.

Joshua 1:8 says,
  
Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. (NLT)

Here are some more verses about how important it is to read your Bible:

Romans 10:17
Hebrews 4:12
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Psalm 119:11

#2 We try to comprehend Scripture through our own understanding

The Bible can be hard to understand sometimes, so we need help! Our first and best helper is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and can make the deeper meaning and understanding of scripture come alive! We need to ask Him for help every time we read the Bible.

1 John 2:27 says,

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. (NLT)

So even though it says we don't "need" anyone to teach us, it's still biblical to receive teaching from someone with the gift of teaching. This secondary help can be a trusted Bible teacher, pastor, or friend.  But we must be very wise with who we trust to help us. If the person you are seeking help from has a false perception of God's Word, then what you're learning will be a false gospel!  If they are interpreting scripture from one of these 4 ways then turn and run!

There are also inductive bible study apps available that allow you to click on any verse/word and see the original Hebrew translation and meaning, to help further understand what the author is communicating in that certain passage, and it's so helpful!

#3 We try to interpret Scripture based on our modern view

Sometimes we forget that we have to consider the time, the audience, and the culture when it comes to scripture. We shouldn't say, "Well because God told Moses to free the Israelites from bondage, I'm supposed to do that too!" Actually, that was JUST Moses' job. But we can take the Biblical principal of finding freedom in Christ, and we can help lead people out of the bondage of sin and shame when they surrender their lives to Him.

Imagine a friend claimed that "God told her" to divorce her husband. But you know that the Bible says God hates divorce. You also know that there are only two reasons where God's Law allows divorce, and neither of those reasons apply to her situation. She then justifies it by saying, "God told Moses to kill people, so why couldn't he tell me to divorce my husband if He knew it was a toxic marriage?"

It's this warped way of thinking that "because God did something back then" (completely different from your situation now) then you can condone something you think He is telling you to do currently. Here is an excerpt from an article by John Piper on what made it okay for God to use His people to kill other people:
  
So God has his times and seasons for when he shares his authority to take and give life. And the church today is not Israel, and we are not a political entity. Therefore the word we have from the Lord today is, "Love your enemy. Pray for those who abuse you. Lay your life down for the world. Don't kill in order to spread the gospel, but die to spread it."

Killing and divorcing are two VERY different things. We have to stop taking God's specific actions for something and someone else,  and applying them to what we want. Some things were specific to Israel or for a certain person. Not everything in the Bible was written FOR us, it is simply a retelling of another believer's journey with the Lord. Thankfully though, as readers we can take the biblical principle from the story and apply it to our walk with the Lord.

#4 We view Scripture through the lens of our pain or our desires

This is a big one. Women are often very guilty of this. When we have emotional heart ache and we search scripture for answers, sometimes we only see what we want to see.  I remember a few years into our marriage I felt lonely and regretful for marrying my husband. I didn't feel like I got the man I had prayed for. He had completely changed as soon as the pressure of supporting a family kicked in. Instead of loving him through it and remaining a godly wife, I focused on my own pain and disappointment. I searched the Bible for justification for a divorce. I found Matthew 19:8 which says, He (Jesus) said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. (ESV)

So being a disappointed wife, wanting peace and clarity on what to do in a difficult marriage, I twisted this scripture to cater to my wants. "Well, Jason's heart is hardened, so I guess it's okay with Jesus if we get divorced!"

WRONG.

Jesus was explaining that divorce was never God's plan. It's because of man's sin that Moses finally allowed it for certain circumstances. It doesn't mean God wants it or would "call" someone to do it. He doesn't call people to sin. He's GOD.

Do you see how your pain or desires can make you twist Scripture into what you want it to say?

I urge you Believer, to consider these points. Before staking claim on a topic, search His Word. Be sure you aren't looking through hurt, greedy, or modern eyes, but with a humble and teachable heart, ready to learn through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

It's true that no one is perfect, but we can get a lot better at studying scripture and understanding it's meaning by at least knowing what NOT to do. There are so many issues that Christians face in today's world, and we need to know where God stands so we can navigate through them in a God-honoring way. As a true Believer, you want to stand in alignment with God and what He says, not what YOU say.

I pray for God's wisdom and the Holy Spirit's teaching as we practice reading and interpreting His Word everyday!