When Scripture Gets Misheard, People Get Hurt.
Some mishearings are cute, but when scripture is misused people get hurt.
Some mishearings are cute, but when scripture is misused people get hurt.
My little sister carried a lovely tune at 4 years old, but she didn’t always get the words right. I remember her singing her heart out:
“On Christ the solid rock I stand!! All other ground is Sinky Sand! All other ground is Sinky Sand!!”
Those are not quite the words. A cute error by a child, but not all misunderstandings are not so harmless:
A friend of mine recently described how she had been taught the same hymn. When she heard the words “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness” she heard “Jesus, I am a good Christian because of your blood and my righteous behavior.”
My heart broke for her! In her community the message was “You’re in danger unless you behave well!” It was a sweet moment when I got to undo that terrible mis-hearing!
Far from depending on my righteous behavior for security, I stand confidently on Jesus’ love and forgiveness. Jesus is the unshakable floor of my world.
Sadly, many of us have experienced God’s words intentionally misused to control or abuse us. If that’s you, I am so sorry.
Here’s another common one I’ve encountered: 1 Thessalonians 5:22, “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (KJV).
I have seen this verse used to coerce people to monitor each other’s actions and to call out any behavior that “could be seen as sin.” It’s used as a demand for impeccable personal holiness — an “unblemished witness.” A “Christian” (in these systems) is a person with a perfect reputation.
Again, the false, destructive message is that my only hope is my own good behavior.
But we are not called to have a perfect reputation (Jesus didn’t!). We are not called to behave so well that God might accept us. No, we are called God’s beloved! It’s our name, not our duty. Jesus declares us righteous! Because he wants to.
What 1 Thessalonians 5:22 actually means is “avoid sin however it shows up.” Why? Because you are already God’s beloved! It’s almost an aside as the letter concludes with the gospel. The passage reads, (pay attention to the last line!) “Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (ESV)
Who sanctifies (makes you holy)? God does. Who is faithful? God is. Listen to his voice only, and know that you are standing on Jesus, the solid rock. “All other ground is Sinky Sand.”
How Do You Imagine Jesus’ Voice?
How do you imagine Jesus’s voice when you read the Gospels? Is it low, high, raspy, shrill?
What does it feel like to step into the stories with him?
What expression does his face show when he teaches his disciples, or rebukes the Pharisees?
Hey friend, it’s Ashley, and if you’re like me, you probably use your imagination to some degree when you read the Gospel. But even though I can picture the scene and almost feel the Middle Eastern sun beating down on my face and arms, I still sometimes read the stories in a very flattened sort of way. I read through the passage, and think to myself, “Ok, what’s the lesson for me here?” instead of allowing myself to look at Jesus.
And then I wonder why reading the Bible feels like a chore.
That’s why I’m so excited to invite you to our upcoming webinar, “Reading the Gospels with Your Imagination.” It will be an hour and a half of practicing using our imaginations to connect with Jesus, and encountering him in a new way through the stories of the Gospels. I hope you’ll join us!
This workshop will be hosted by Brandon and Liv on Saturday, March 21 | 11:00–12:30 PM Mountain Time | Located on Zoom
Provisions for the Road
"My Hope is Built/The Solid Rock"
In Liv's article above, she referenced the hymn "My Hope is Built on Nothing Less." Please enjoy a beautiful rendition of this beloved hymn by the Norton Hall Band, linked below:
Food for Thought
Things the team found interesting this week, no endorsement implied.
Stephen Meyer Reacts To VIRAL [Origin of Life] Science Lies
Despite the clickbaity title this short video is a great example of a real, thoughtful scientist responding to popularized “science” about the origin of life.
AI and the Four Faces of Anti-Intelligence
By John Nosta at Psychology Today
If America's So Rich, How'd It Get So Sad?
By Derek Thompson on Substack
“The American blues seem awfully curious to those who view the world through the keyhole of employment or income statistics. The unemployment rate has been below 5 percent for practically the entire decade, which is basically as good as you can ask for.”
