Misunderstood Verses When the Sadducees questioned Jesus about the resurrection and attempted to theologically baffle Him, the Lord responded, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God” (Matt. 22:29). While having a vast knowledge of the Law of Moses, these religious leaders failed to “understand” their real meaning. When Jesus gave the parable of the soils […]
Godly Sorrow or Worldly Sorrow? 2 Corinthians 7:10 “The sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.” We know that repentance is a chief consideration in salvation. Jesus used the term repeatedly (e.g. Luke 13:3, 5; 24:47) and the book of Acts is […]
2 Corinthians 3:6 “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Quite frequently we have heard this passage quoted to “prove” that it is unspiritual and displeasing to God to take the literal meaning of Scripture and seek to obey it. Recently, I was speaking to a zealous woman who was trying to establish the point that God is […]
Is Our Sincere Righteousness Like Filthy Rags? Richard Hollerman If you are like me, you have heard again and again that all of our good deeds are like “filthy rags,” thus we must not depend on them for our right standing with God. They count for nothing in regard to salvation. In fact, God abhors them, thus we too should […]
A Peculiar People? Titus 2:14 and 1 Peter 2:9 “. . . purify unto himself a peculiar people” (Titus 2:14; KJV); “. . . a peculiar people” (1 Peter 2:9; KJV). Have you ever listened to a teacher or preacher stress the need for the Christian to be a “peculiar” person in a sinful world? The speaker may urge us […]
1 Corinthians 11:2-16 Married Women and Merely Cultural? This section of Scripture is often misunderstood in different ways. Although there are some inexplicable portions to the passage, we should be able to avoid some of the common misconceptions. Bonnie Bowman Thurston wrote a book entitled, “The Widows: A Womans Ministry in the Early Church,” and in her volume Thurston makes […]
Did Jesus Sit for the Passover? Matthew 26:20 “Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve” (KJV) Most people who read this verse assume that Jesus “sat down” with the apostles in the upper room to eat the Passover meal on the night of his betrayal by Judas. They picture a scene similar to Leonardo Da […]
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This verse is one of the most misunderstood and misapplied verses in the New Testament. Frequently it is employed in a legitimate way to refer to sins that the Christian may commit and for which […]
A Crucial New Testament Verse: 1 Corinthians 14:37 How often have you read through the Bible and come to a verse that seems to carry a weight far beyond the normal? There are many verses like that—John 3:16; Romans 5:1; Romans 5:8; Romans 8:1; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Galatians 2:20; James 1:12; Revelation 21:1-2. Many others could be added. Just […]
Commonly Misunderstood Verses Revelation 1:8 Who is the “Lord God” in Revelation? We all know that there are difficult words, phrases, illusions, characters, and descriptions in the last book of the New Testament. Whether we call it Revelation (what which has been “revealed”) or whether we call it the “Apocalypse” (based on the Greek), every reader and expositor will find […]
Misunderstood Verses Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse Malachi 3:10 Does it mean to bring ones contribution to the local church? Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of […]
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Will God Destroy those who Misuse their Body? Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. Richard Hollerman […]
GUEST ARTICLE To Every Creature Under Heaven? Only about 30 years after the Lords church was established on Pentecost (Acts 2), the apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Colossae about their reconciliation in Christ. He then mentioned to them how the Gospel had been preached to every creature under heaven (Colossians 1:23). However, according to skeptics who have commented […]
1 Corinthians 15:31 “I die daily.” The person who comes to Christ must die to sin (Romans 6:2, 10) and continue through his physical life as dead to sin (v. 11). The members of our physical body must be considered as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry (Colossians 3:5). At the point […]
1 JOHN 5:7 Does Elimination of 1 John 5:7 Deny Christ’s Deity? . . . in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. And there are three that testify on earth. . . . This is the clearest verse on the Trinity in the Bible. Liberals have removed it from their Satan-inspired […]
2 Chronicles 7:14 If My People Pray . . . and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14) One of the basic principles of Biblical interpretation […]
