Context, Context, Context Part 1

When reading or teaching the Bible, there is an issue that has become very significant in our time. That is the issue of taking the text out of context. Now, I know some people will see that and agree, but mostly are only thinking of one way in which this is done. I intend to show that there are three ways in which this is commonly done.

The first way, which is most familiar to us, is to take a piece of a passage, a single verse, a phrase, or, in extreme examples, even a few words out of the text and teaching them as if they are totally self contained, and unrelated to the surrounding material. It is well known to most serious students of scripture that this can lead to many misunderstandings and even full blown false teachings.

A simple example of this first problem can be seen in the very common usage of Romans 8:28, which is as follows; “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” [ESV] The common usage of this verse actually tends to commit this error twice. First of all, this verse is one very small part of a fairly long teaching passage, although it does contain some truth that is able to be understood even apart from the rest of the passage, however, it is understood in a much more complete and full sense when it is understood in context. The gross error that sometimes tends to arise from the misuse of this verse however, and is very common, is people simply saying that, it’s all good, remember in Romans 8:28, it says that all things work together for good. But the fact is that it really doesn’t simply state that. The verse itself is very clear that the working together of all things for good applies only to “those who love God… those who are called according to his purpose.” That is to say that all things work together for the ultimate good of God’s elect, that is Christians (in the true sense—the Born Again). For any and all who are not Born Again the fact is that absolutely nothing works together for good, because those who die in an unredeemed condition will be cast into eternal hell. This is hardly the definition of things working out for good.