II Timothy II
…rightly handling the word of truth. (II Timothy 2:15 ESV)
Rightly
I rejoice that the Bible is available in almost every language. I even have a Pirate Talk Bible.
But the commonness of Scripture sometimes leads to an unfortunate attitude. Since we all can read, since we all have the Bible in our language. since the message of the gospel IS clear and understandable…
We begin to think that we get to read and use the Bible in any way we desire… and make it say whatever fits our own worldview.
But Paul, in saying that it is important to RIGHTLY handle the Bible, implies that there are WRONG ways to use it.
Proof texting… lucky dipping… rarely opening it… reading ABOUT the Bible more than reading the Bible… all of these might be wrongly handling the Word of God.
Note… that the Bible will still touch us even if we use it wrongly.
It IS the Word of God.
But using it rightly is just as important as using our phone’s features rightly, or our ice skates rightly, or our engineering caliper rightly, or our espresso machine rightly, or our car’s brakes rightly.
Maybe more so, in fact.