Does it seem possible that the Bible could be used in a negative way?
You wouldn’t think so, but it can happen and seems to happen all the time. I think of it this way, someone might use a Bible verse to lay guilt on someone else. Someone might use the Bible to try to “help” someone else and just crush them instead. I’ve seen that done more than once.
Today I was reading in Job (pronounced with a long o sound, its in the old testament). I came across this verse:
“If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression.” Job 8:4
That doesn’t seem like a terribly hostile verse does it? How about with this context? Job is 7 or 8 days removed from all of his children being killed while celebrating at his son’s house. They all died the same day. And how about this, in these days sacrificing to God because of your sins was a normal thing and Job would regularly sacrifice to God on behalf of his kids in case they had sinned without knowing it. Job was covering his bases. Then in a moment, he lost everything. His wealth, his family and eventually his health.
His friends came to console Job…at least they came to Job’s side when they heard about the tragedies. They sat silent for 7 days. Then Job spoke. One of Job’s “friends” then drops this bomb. “If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression.” You know it’s great to tell the grieving father, “hey your kids got just what they deserved.”
It was in the Bible, it must be good to say, right?
Not always. The Bible is full of wisdom, but wisdom must be dispensed by the wise.
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