The Most Misused and Abused Scriptures

[Vic]

*Judge not, that ye be not judged

We've all seen it done. Someone taking a scripture and twisting, perverting and overturning it to make a doctrine they are comfortable with.

So here's one to get us started.

Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

The idea is that if you evaluate anything to the Word of God, you are guilty of judging that person and condemning them to hell. Or you are simply guilty of judging....according to those who, ahem ...have judged you guilty of judging.

Here's the context of the passage, and the whole teaching concerning judging according to Jesus' own words..

Matthew 7:1-5 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5. Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Another teaching in Luke

Luk 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

And in John, we see that Jesus taught to judge with "righteous judgement":

Joh 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

And:

1 Corinthians 5:11-13 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13. But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

1 Corinthians 6:2-5 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4. If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

So....thoughts? other verses concerning judging?

[Vic]

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

It's been said that "rightly dividing" the Word means applying the dispensational interpretation of the Scriptures which "divides" the ages into the supposed different ways God has dealt with man. Ex the age of law, the age of grace, age of the Holy Spirit...or similar.

However the phrase "rightly dividing" does not mean dividing the ages into different categories.

rightly dividing Strong's G3718
ὀρθοτομέω
orthotomeō
or-thot-om-eh'-o
From a compound of G3717 and the base of G5114; to make a straight cut, that is, (figuratively) to dissect (expound) correctly (the divine message): - rightly divide.

rightly dividing G3718
ὀρθοτομέω
orthotomeō
Thayer Definition:
1) to cut straight, to cut straight ways
1a) to proceed on straight paths, hold a straight course, equiv. to doing right
2) to make straight and smooth, to handle aright, to teach the truth directly and correctly
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from a compound of G3717 and the base of G5114
Citing in TDNT: 8:111, 1169

Studying the Word is supposed to lead to sound doctrine. It's when people add to the Word or change it to fit their desired belief that it is not "rightly divided".

Thoughts?

[heb13-13]

(07-31-2009 07:47 PM)Vic Wrote:  2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Studying the Word is supposed to lead to sound doctrine. It's when people add to the Word or change it to fit their desired belief that it is not "rightly divided".

Thoughts?

Agreed Vic. It is "wrongly divided" then. Wrongly "dividing" the Word, leads to faulty thinking which brings the hearers into bondage. When Jesus said "ye shall KNOW the Truth", He is saying ye shall UNDERSTAND the Truth.

Psa 119:169 Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.

We want understanding according to His Word. Nothing else matters. We don't need Divinity degrees we need Holy Spirit understanding.

Here is a verse that has been horribly abused, coincidentally by those that DO have Divinity degrees (and those without degrees, too). Actually, it has been used to horribly abuse people.

I dealt with this verse today in the Tithing thread.

Mal 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.