Do you believe that scriptures in the bible should be taken in context?

Question

Or is it okay to quote certain scriptures when the topic at hand and said scriptures are unrelated in subject matter.

For example:

1 Corinthians: 18-20 says (NKJV)

18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.


This scripture is speaking exclusively of "Sexual Immorality", however, many christians will quote part of these scriptures to fit their own beliefs about other such things as alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, tattoos, and body piercings.

Do you agree with this practice?
What's your opinion?

Disclaimer - Implied predilections, real or imagined, are unintentional and do not reflect my own opinion.

My mistake...
1 Corinthians 6:18-20

Answer 1

Dear Joseph,

Personally I think that it is fine to quote them out of context, but, what I fear truly happens is people then hear it out of context, and think they know, what the original quote was about.

Here is an example: Most people know the quote "To thine own self be true." It has been quoted over and over in different ways, because in and of itself it is whole. But when you take the rest of the poem, it is like this:
"This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell; my blessing season this in thee!"

If you are true to yourself, then you can be false to no man ..... what a different meaning. What an adding of depth.

This, I fear, is the loss in our times, society, of not studying, not reading for ourselves, and just listening to the chopped up truths. A lack of verification, and it leads to shallowness, and shadowed following.

may the blessings of the season be with you,
green terra

Answer 2

How enormous a context? Given it became addressed to an in reality agricultural patriarchal Semitic, Greek and Roman lifestyle 2000 years in the past (and extra, for the OT) i hit upon very few persons even attempt to hold directly to that on a persistent foundation. (some dig into the religion, politics and mores of Shakespeare's day while pondering the performs, yet maximum do no longer). on the different extreme, some doctrines of notion particularly enable for the bible "starting to be the word of God, to me" because it is study and there historic or usual interpretations of passages are of little relevance: the prompting of the Spirit giving the actual which potential for the guy, for immediately. it is likewise completed via lazy readers, "information texters" and "quote miners", with much less or no formal reasoning or justifiable reason. someplace between the two lies a discounted yet key utilization of context. The little piece of care which could be certain that a verse isn't from its neighbours "untimely ripp'd". complicated to a believer? yet to this atheist additionally. (the classic try passage, to my suggestions, is Mark 10: 23-25 Neglecting context, maximum get this thoroughly incorrect: even a proportion of revealed commentaries which could be conscious of extra useful.) edit: yet another element is the invisible context that *is* being employed: the cultural and different assumptions of the reader, and the opt to locate a which potential modern-day and proper from the passage, or extra openly to help a pre-present viewpoint. ("suitcasing": a suitcase-full of assumptions and preconceptions is extra to a passage and dumped there. each and every thing is stirred around for a collectively as and then, marvel, marvel, the contents of the suitcase are stumbled on in this passage, too..! back, i've got seen this in revealed theological texts as nicely as in much less formal bible study.)

Answer 3

Scriptures should definitely be used in context. Otherwise, we have the "Henny Youngman Bible," which is just made up of tons of one-liners.

It was written with a context. It should be read, and shared, and taught in context.

Alcohol, drugs, and cigarette use can be applied here broadly, but also more directly when cross-referencing with Galatians 5:19-21 in a study of the Greek terminology originally used. (Mood altering chemicals are addressed there , under "witchcraft" : Gr. pharmakia)

Answer 4

I'm inclined to agree with you. I've told Christians who have tried to use that passage against me for my smoking exactly what you've said: It's about sexual immorality.

So yes, verses should be taken in context, both by Christians and non-Christians.

Answer 5

As far as the idea and intent are the same, I think it is OK. This is an example of taking something out of context:

"Someone asked me the other day if I think Jews are evil. I told them no, I don't think they are evil, just kinda hairy"
- Me

now, as I extract a phrase out of context

"I think Jews are evil"
- Me

that is taking something out of context.

Answer 6

No, but most of the bad stuff doesn't have to.

Answer 7

in context the world oldest fairy tale con