Rightly Handling the Word of Truth III

2 Timothy 2:15) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

We are continuing with our Rightly Handling the Word of Truth series. I have a couple more questions for you communicators today.

3) Are you communicating accurate numbers for your financials and attendance?You may say “what does that have to do with this topic?” It speaks your character. If you are willing to twist hard numbers to make a situation sound better, or get a more favorable response, than you will not handle His Word rightly. I’m not talking about “we had one hundred people at a meeting and we tell them we thought we had 110″. I’m talking about the magic of multiplication. “There were a hundred and we tell them there was 200″. We had 2 people get saved and it turns into a dozen!You don’t think it happens? Oh, it definitely happens more than you would think. There are a myriad of excuses when those leaders are confronted. Growing up in church,  I saw this go on regularly. I also saw those churches disintegrate because of the character of the leaders of that church. It is dishonest. If you will lie about numbers, you do not deserve the trust of those listening. Those of you who sit under such leaders should run from these people as fast as you can!

4) Before you use a scripture in your communication, do you make sure you are using it in the proper context? It’s been said many times but it bears repeating: you can make the Bible say anything you want it to if you use the right scriptures. There are many scriptures that are taken out of context and if they were read in their proper context, they would say something very different. Let me give an example. Revelation 3.20, “Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.” This scripture has been used on countless tracts and sermons for to reach those who are not Christ’s followers. The actual context of this scripture is that Jesus is speaking to one of the 7 churches at that time and not to unbelievers. Here’s another one: Philippians 4:13 ” I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”There are many factors that go into being able to do “all” things. The context of his “all things” is that despite the poor circumstances he was in, he can do everything that God wanted him to do in the strength that God supplies. Not anything he wants to do. When scripture is taken out of it’s context, you are leaving yourself wide-open for extremely broad interpretations of scripture and even heresy if not careful.

I have a couple more questions. I saved the most important for last. Stay tuned.

Kevin