You know, context is important, really important. Especially in studying the Bible and discerning the things of God. When you learn to read context and consider context important, you will be amazed at how much you hear thrown out from the pulpits of America that is out of context. Could be worse and may get worse. For example, did you know there is a Scripture that says "Judas went and hanged himself..."? And another one that says "Go thou and do likewise...."? Why, they go together perfectly don't they? It is a wonder we don't have church hanging parties. If verbally stoning wasn't so popular, along with condemnation by comparison, hanging would probably catch on. How about this verse designed for every man-hating women, "I would not have you ignorant brethren....". I am surprised that is not used in divorce court more than it is. "Imma gonna throw thata ignoramus bum out and the B.I.B.L.E tells me itsa okay"
On a more serious note, the rule of contextual study is ignored by nearly everyone. I could, without problem, name a dozen popular doctrines that are being fed into the hearts and minds of God's people right now developed almost entirely from Bible verses out of context. We charismatics are bad at this. We easily pick out a verse, or part of one, ignore the context in which it was spoken, and build a whole new doctrine on it. And, then salute one another for finding "new" truths. Yet, by ignoring the context, we end up burying or ignoring a greater truth found in the context.
This I will tell you, the worst out-of-context preaching is preaching from the wrong covenant. A huge number of the sermons preached every Sunday ignore the new and "better" covenant we have with God. Preachers will, without thought, present a spiritual plan, call it God's plan, demand we give heed to it, and the whole thing will be from the wrong covenant, out of context. Some, when threatened, or have a desire to threaten, will pull out of the Old Testament a terrible threat of God and use it on their people. Some preachers will tell of new testament blessing but use the old testament to preach it, creating all sorts of confusion. Thousands of sermons will be preached, either promising blessings or, depending on the mood, terrible curses and all out of the context of a relationship with God and out of context with His plans and purposes. When you begin to see that we have new covenant that is a "better covenant, with better promises", you start to wonder "what part of new do folks not understand?" My friend, if this new covenant is better, it is different. If it has better promises, do you know them? Why would I want the promises of an old covenant when I can have the ones in the new, seeing as how they are better.
This I will tell you, the worst out-of-context preaching is preaching from the wrong covenant. A huge number of the sermons preached every Sunday ignore the new and "better" covenant we have with God. Preachers will, without thought, present a spiritual plan, call it God's plan, demand we give heed to it, and the whole thing will be from the wrong covenant, out of context. Some, when threatened, or have a desire to threaten, will pull out of the Old Testament a terrible threat of God and use it on their people. Some preachers will tell of new testament blessing but use the old testament to preach it, creating all sorts of confusion. Thousands of sermons will be preached, either promising blessings or, depending on the mood, terrible curses and all out of the context of a relationship with God and out of context with His plans and purposes. When you begin to see that we have new covenant that is a "better covenant, with better promises", you start to wonder "what part of new do folks not understand?" My friend, if this new covenant is better, it is different. If it has better promises, do you know them? Why would I want the promises of an old covenant when I can have the ones in the new, seeing as how they are better.
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