"Using God's Word Correctly"

It is simply amazing how people use God's word. People that are trapped in sin use God's word when convenient. They may be speaking to someone who "doesn't go to church where they do" and use God's word to show them the error of their way, but in reality, the one speaking doesn't really believe it because their lives reflect little of the relationship. They just move about, filling their lives with things and pleasures, giving little thought to what God really expects from them but they sure can tell others what the Lord expects. Others use God's word to control situations or people. Still others look at people, focusing what they should be while never realizing what God speaks about what people really are. In other words, those who use their Bibles, read their Bibles, obsessed with the sins of others, always gravitate to the darker passages! They seem to string them together like beads on a string and end up distorting the grandeur of God's word. They attack wanting to argue or debate (they call it defending the faith) to put people in their place. It is these that God addresses as the "grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage." (Jude 16) They also "are the ones who cause divisions, worldly minded, devoid of the Spirit." (Jude 19)

You have those on the complete opposite side that use God's word as love, love, love and everyone should be embraced attitude. They see no sin, no correction and the power of positive thinking should be what always prevails. People are not to be confronted with God to move them into His holy behavior and life. They simply live off of love no matter what. I had a fellow tell me once that they had invited the homosexuals in because the Lord loves them. I asked him to tell me what that means and he said, "The Lord expects us to love and that's what we do. He loves the homosexual too!" I proceeded to ask him about leading them to the truth of their sinful behavior, that no homosexual has eternal life unless they repent and move away from it (I Cor. 6:9-11). He smiled and said, "That's not for us to determine!" He was an elder in the Lord's church!

In all the above, there is a danger that exists on each side. We need to be sober in our thinking and honest in our approach to God. We need to use His word for the way it was intended and that is keeping us on the right path, using it as a light to guide our lives and seeing the Divine nature of God that will change us into the image of His Son. There is a kindness of God but there is also severity with Him (Rom. 11:20-22). It's all about balance. It's all about a sincere heart seeking after God and coming to knowing Him. Only then will we see things how God sees them and begin helping move people into His love the right way. No hypocrisy! No misuse of God's word! No beating people over the head! But true and free living in the presence of God.