Spiritual Swordmanship part 3 SPIRITUAL SWORDSMANSHIP or Defending Yourself against False Doctrines SECTION C THE “SKIPPING ROCKS” TRAP

One thing that often happens in a discussion on religion is that one or all parties involved will jump from one subject to another, never staying on any one point long enough to be thorough in investigating the Truth it may contain. One or all will keep jumping from the original Scripture under discussion to others, scattered throughout the Bible, intending to support or clarify what is thought to be taught in the first passage considered. Both are to be avoided. Be polite, but refuse to budge from the original text until it has been COMPLETELY examined, using the questions we have noted before. Only AFTER that is done should you allow the discussion to proceed on to other passages for confirmation or refutation, but keep referring back to the original text that is “being justified”. All the data you need to refute a misuse of Scripture can be found right in the immediate context – you don’t need to go elsewhere to do that,a nd the impact of refuting a false interpretation from the passage, itself, is much greater than it is going to some other text. All you need is the immediate context, nothing more, except to VERIFY an interpretation!

THE BIBLE BASH TRAP
This is very similar to the “skipping rocks” trap above, except it is a trap that YOU are much more likely to fall into than your “erring” friend might be. As soon as you hear a teaching that is obviously contrary to the Truth of Scripture, you may be tempted to begin immediately to quote other Bible passages to disprove it. At this point, your friend starts quoting passages just as enthusiastically, proving HIS point of view (and seemingly disproving yours). neither of you is really listening to the other – you’re just “spouting” Scriptures with no REAL reference to one another. Nothing is accomplished, except that, perhaps, some heat is generated, but little LIGHT. Stick to the original passage – it will get and keep your friend’s attention, as you are giving evidence that you are seriously listening to him. If you want to confirm the true interpretation, THEN and ONLY THEN, go on to other passages. But as before, all the material you really need has been provided by God to be at your fingertips, in the full context of the verses quoted – there is little need to go elsewhere.

A PRACTICE RUN
One of the most common errors is to teach that something besides Faith, alone, is needed for salvation in many of its facets. usually this takes the form of a faith PLUS some personal effort (a “work” to be added to what God has TOTALLY provided in Christ Jesus). The favorite passage to support this “works” theory is James 2:14-26 – “..faith without works is dead..” – and therefore, some sort of personal “work”, which is usually “gladly spelled out in detail by your friend, is needed to REALLY get into God’s favor. Although you could probably quote a good dozen verses to discredit that concept, for the time being, lets stick with the letter of James – particularily to the immediate context of James 2:14-26 – and ask an “expanded” form of the “journalism” questions we have mentioned already. get out your Bible, some paper and pen, and then answer the questions, looking at ALL of James, but ONLY JAMES! Ready? – Then start “rightly dividing the Word of Truth”!

• Who is the AUTHOR? What can you tell about him from this Epistle?
• Who are the original readers? What can you tell about them from this Epistle?
• HOW does he use and define his KEY WORDS in the passage? (Words like Faith, Works and Dead)
• HOW do his examples illustrate and clarify his meaning?
• WHAT is he talking about? What is his primary subject, concept, teaching or whatever?
• WHAT is he saying about what he is talking about? What is the point of the passage? What does he want YOU to know about his subject, concept or teaching?
• WHY is he saying this? Is there an error that he seeks to correct? Maybe a new knowledge to be revealed? WHAT is his purpose?
• WHY is he saying it to these particular people? What are they thinking or doing or believing or hearing or preaching that may have prompted this letter to be written.
• SO WHAT? What response should you have? What response did the Author expect from his readers?
• Is there ANY SUPPORT from the rest of the Bible for your conclusions?

  SOME HINTS Looking carefully for the following will help to answer the questions and keep you honest to he text and context:

• Watch noun and pronoun shifts – sometimes the other will include himself with the group that he is writing to or about, other tims he may remain silent or separate. The difference is often very important In additon, our example above didn’t include a couple of questions – the WHEN and WHERE – as they would not have added much to the interpretation. However; in some cases, they are most important, and for this reason are outlined below:
• WHEN was it written? What events took place just before, just after, or at the same time at this epistle?
• WHEN does the action described take place? Past, present or future? Eternal or temporal?
• WHERE was the Author when these words were first written? Why was he there?
• WHERE were the original readers? Why were they there? GET READY FOR BATTLE These basic questions, based on simple “journalism” questions of WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, HOW, WHY AND SO WHAT, with little variation, is all that is needed to determine the original intent of any Biblical author through an examination of the text, in context. They will enable you to detect and refute false teaching EVERY TIME! Your main responsibility, now, is to practice to make these questions automatic, so that you will always be ready to defend yourself when under attack by those who would lead you astray. Your own daily Bible study and reading would be a good place to start, or you could check out your pastor’s text after you get home from church (Believe it, or not, he would probably appreciate it)! Enjoy your training, as you learn to be an expert “soldier” in Service of the King (Ephesians 6:10-18). KEEP PRACTICING!

  —J. Steven Smith

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