The emphasis of our teaching should seek to reflect the Bible’s own emphasis. We like to use our favorite passages, but what about the Scriptures that give us trouble? Do they also speak to us?
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
If all Scripture comes from God, then all Scripture should be considered on any given subject. We should pay special attention to those passages with which we disagree. Scriptures that fail to fit our neat theories are not wrong. Rather, they show where we are wrong. They “correct” us. They bring balanced understanding.
What happens when we emphasize only the Scriptures that please us? We set ourselves up to fulfill the prophecy of 2 Timothy 4.
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
To listen most to parts that suit our own desires (“passions”) is to hand to Satan his most effective weapon: partial truth. Jesus knew the value of every divine word. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4 quoting Deuteronomy 8:3 cf. Luke 9:26). The apostles knew the value of “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27 cf. Acts 5:20; 2 Corinthians 4:2; 1 Timothy 5:21). History has been plagued with imbalance and inaccuracy in the matter of faith and works.
I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).
It is time now, as we enter this study, to decide which kind of “worker” to be, with respect to the Scriptures. Ask yourself questions like these: Will I try to avoid the imbalance that Satan uses to throw us? Will I be honest and accurate with Scripture? Will I give fair consideration to all that the Bible says on the subject? If our answer is, “Yes,” we are ready to…