"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness [right-relatedness], so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17
I am to apply the sword (the Word of God) carefully to myself with the loving support of others I trust. In turn, I may also provide support for others who invite me to do so with themselves; using great care.
My own understanding and convictions regarding the use of the Word of God are in the process of forming. I've been guilty of mishandling the Word of God, towards myself and others. Articulating my growing convictions on how-to and how-not-to use Scripture matters to me. It helps me re-frame and define the role that Scripture plays in my life.
The Word of God isn't meant to promote or push my own agenda. It's meant to thoroughly equip me for every good work, as a willing servant of God.
The Word of God needs to be rightly divided. It must be correctly handled just like an actual double-edged sword does (2 Timothy 2:15). Scripture isn't useful or profitable for equipping me when I primarily use it to apply to others.
Personally, I don't appreciate it when people twist my words around, and take them out of context to support things I do not support. My words are the means to express who I am. God's Word is an expression of Himself, a revelation of who He is (John 1:1). As I see it, an appropriate way to use the Word of God by applying it to others, is towards building them up in their most holy faith, not tearing them down. This is best done within relationships where the application of "the Sword" has been welcomed, because trust has been established.
The Word of God isn't meant to promote or push my own agenda. It's meant to thoroughly equip me for every good work, as a willing servant of God.
The Word of God needs to be rightly divided. It must be correctly handled just like an actual double-edged sword does (2 Timothy 2:15). Scripture isn't useful or profitable for equipping me when I primarily use it to apply to others.
Personally, I don't appreciate it when people twist my words around, and take them out of context to support things I do not support. My words are the means to express who I am. God's Word is an expression of Himself, a revelation of who He is (John 1:1). As I see it, an appropriate way to use the Word of God by applying it to others, is towards building them up in their most holy faith, not tearing them down. This is best done within relationships where the application of "the Sword" has been welcomed, because trust has been established.
Satan used the Word of God to push His own agenda, which did not include truthfully revealing God's heart. He used the Word of God in an effort to accomplish building his kingdom, not God's. Scripture was used by Satan to tempt Jesus, and to get him to fail His mission and calling in life. How? -He used the Word of God to challenge the identity of Jesus, it was used as bait to trap Jesus, but Jesus didn't take the bait. He didn't fall for it by trying to validate His identity as God's Son by doing something He could have easily done to prove who He was to Satan (see Matthew 4:1-11).
Jesus didn't need to have His identity
validated by his performance, measured by
how another viewed his "obedience" to Scripture.
Therefore, the trap Satan setup by misusing Scripture
didn't work on Jesus.
validated by his performance, measured by
how another viewed his "obedience" to Scripture.
Therefore, the trap Satan setup by misusing Scripture
didn't work on Jesus.
Prove who you are by doing this is basically what Satan was telling Jesus to do, and he also quoted Scripture to "support" his challenge...
"The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." -Matthew 4:3
"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written:
"'He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" - Matthew 4:6
It didn't work.
Jesus knew the Spirit of the Word of God, because He was and is the Living Word of God. He didn't need to prove his identity through his performances, even when Scripture was quoted. He knew who He was. There was no need to prove it, though Satan was desperately trying to bait Jesus using Scripture to prove who he was to him.
When Satan uses people to accuse me of being what I know I am not - and I feel compelled to prove or validate myself to them to feel okay with myself, it's an awareness tool. These kinds of experiences create the perfect opportunity for me to press into who I am in Christ, per God, and to agree with that, envision it and own it. I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. I have been chosen in him before the creation of the world (not on my merits) and am holy and blameless in his sight. I have been given God's glorious grace, freely in Christ. In him, I have redemption through his blood (not my behaviors/feelings/thoughts/works) the forgiveness of sins, aligned with the riches of God's grace that He lavishes on me (Ephesians 1:3-8).
Handling the Word of God by using it in the correct context, to reflect His heart and character is crucial. Why? -Because the Word of God isn't just a book - it's a person: Jesus Christ.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." -John 1:1
When the Word of God is being used in a damaging way that wither covertly or blatantly challenges who I am in Christ, I've been given the experience of Jesus himself to follow: Own the truth for myself first and foremost, attach it to my identity, along with using the Word of God in its correct context - which requires trusted community I've invited in to help me discern how to apply it in my life's unique circumstances.
Let me explain: I do not need to prove who I am to the demanding naysayer, including the inner voice of my flesh, the critic of truth. God knows who I am. My inner spirit - the true authentic me know who I am, for my inner true self sees me in Christ. My true self knows the truth of who I really am. I'm in Christ, and my inner spirit is in fellowship with the Holy Spirit and is in the daily process of re-training my soul (my psyche/mind) to agree with that truth. That's discipleship. That's recovery. If my identity in Christ is being challenged (by other people's voices, or by my false-self aka. flesh), and I'm feeling compelled to prove who I am by what I do, how I feel, or anything that depends on me and my power - it's a red flag - warning me that I'm falling under the principles of this world when it comes to attaching my identity to what I do, which is easy to do because the whole world operates as if it's my real identity. It's the bait of Satan. I am powerless to prove who I am and what I'm worth, but I don't need to. I am in Christ, He has proven and validated to me, and to the world who I am - His beloved child that He died for. Therefore - I will never be put to shame...
"As the Scripture says, 'Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.'" - Romans 10:1 and Isaiah 28:16
Handling the Word of God by using it in the correct context, to reflect His heart and character is crucial. Why? -Because the Word of God isn't just a book - it's a person: Jesus Christ.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." -John 1:1
When the Word of God is being used in a damaging way that wither covertly or blatantly challenges who I am in Christ, I've been given the experience of Jesus himself to follow: Own the truth for myself first and foremost, attach it to my identity, along with using the Word of God in its correct context - which requires trusted community I've invited in to help me discern how to apply it in my life's unique circumstances.
Let me explain: I do not need to prove who I am to the demanding naysayer, including the inner voice of my flesh, the critic of truth. God knows who I am. My inner spirit - the true authentic me know who I am, for my inner true self sees me in Christ. My true self knows the truth of who I really am. I'm in Christ, and my inner spirit is in fellowship with the Holy Spirit and is in the daily process of re-training my soul (my psyche/mind) to agree with that truth. That's discipleship. That's recovery. If my identity in Christ is being challenged (by other people's voices, or by my false-self aka. flesh), and I'm feeling compelled to prove who I am by what I do, how I feel, or anything that depends on me and my power - it's a red flag - warning me that I'm falling under the principles of this world when it comes to attaching my identity to what I do, which is easy to do because the whole world operates as if it's my real identity. It's the bait of Satan. I am powerless to prove who I am and what I'm worth, but I don't need to. I am in Christ, He has proven and validated to me, and to the world who I am - His beloved child that He died for. Therefore - I will never be put to shame...
"As the Scripture says, 'Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.'" - Romans 10:1 and Isaiah 28:16
Using Scripture as a means to support the validity of my own feelings, thoughts, assumptions and judgments about another person that only God can do is a crutch, at best, and at worst; it's an addiction, depending on how much I depend on it and "eat" of my judgments. Do I dine off of them, and become intoxicated? Or do I recognize my judgments as "not for eating", just like the label on my children's toy food says. I am all the wiser and at more peace when I take my judgments with a grain of salt, knowing I am not God. When I try to play God with others and myself, it's extremely harmful, to myself and others.
Using Bible verses to back my assumptions up can be a crutch that supports me not having to earn another's trust through an authentic relationship. If I'm to speak into anyone's life, I take the privilege very seriously of earning and establishing their trust the best I can. I will always be to various degrees, imperfect in how I do that, but imperfection isn't an excuse to being careless and reckless about it. When it comes to righteousness (right-relatedness) trust is a needed commodity, not an optional accessory.
For another to feel as safe as possible with me as an imperfect human being who is broken, and who is aware and in touch with her brokenness, I'm learning to see it for what it is: a valuable gift to receive. While the gift doesn't define me, it matters to me. In other words; I care. Though I am not perfect and I will hurt and disappoint others by getting it wrong with them, I hope to God I will not succumb to misusing God's Word to bypass having to earn that trust from another, instead of trying to stand on authority that is God's, not mine. And when I do relapse into this insidious addiction or sorts, I hope my loving community will gently help to redirect me.
God's Word is like a knife a heart surgeon uses to bring healing, health, and vitality to those in need, who are under their care. If a heart surgeon uses the knife in his or her hands to cut into a person's heart to prove their point about their own assumptions of this person's heart, and not to bring healing and support to this person's heart - it's abuse. If the heart surgeon uses the knife to cut away dead, malignant and harmful tissue so that the person's heart may be healthier, but causes temporary pain and discomfort, it's not abuse, it's the process of recovery (when that person's willingness sets the process into motion - not their forced compliance)
The Word of God is sharp. Use it with great care. It's able to make people wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:15), but if used incorrectly, it can cause great harm. God cares about how we use His Word. Don't you care about how others use your words? I know I do, especially if my words were meant to reveal my love and the truth to my own children while they were held in captivity in a land that's under the influence of the father or lies (Satan). I would be against any agenda of others that involves taking my words and using it to harm my children by not revealing my true heart which is for them.
Just as many of my beliefs, I'm evaluating this as I grow. My understanding here, like many things - is growing and is fluid. The views expressed here are representative of my current thoughts at the time of writing this post. I reserve the right to adjust them as I grow and change.
