Rubber Band Scriptures

by Van Robison

Volumes could be written on Bible scriptures that are taken out of context and stretched like rubber bands to comply with the interpretation of preachers and church institutions. If Bible readers all understood scriptures exactly alike, there could hardly be hundreds or thousands of denominations, and other church institutions that have their own personal interpretations of scriptures. It will never be otherwise. Not even among so-called scholars and Bible theologians is there agreement on many Bible related issues.

Preachers are often experts at taking scriptures out of context and stretching them like rubber bands to fit what they believe, but also what they want their parishioners and church members to accept as truth. Preachers have taught millions of Christians to read the mail directed to others thousands of years ago, and contend that those letters also apply today and for all eternity, and even add a little twist to it. Here is a classic example: Matthew 10:8 "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely you have received, freely give."

How often have preachers stood in the pulpits and quoted the portion of this verse that says "freely you have received, freely give", with the underlying motive of making church members believe they are to freely give to the pastor and the church in which they attend? But is that what it says, and is that the context in which Jesus spoke these words? First, it does not say "freely give to your pastor", nor does it say "freely give to your local church". However, the context of these words spoken by Jesus Christ, if anyone looks at the beginning of this chapter, and reads forward, is that Jesus Christ is instructing His twelve disciples to go and preach, saying "the kingdom of heaven is at hand", and he told these twelve individuals in essence, DON'T MERCHANDISE your mission, but go and give freely. In other words, Jesus is saying to these "preachers", if you want to call them preachers, YOU GIVE FREELY. Jesus did not say, go and teach people to "give to me, your pastor---freely". It helps to ask the question, "What does this passage of scripture not say?"

There are many "rubber band" scriptures in the Bible, and the scriptural caution for all believers is to "prove all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Truth may or may not be spoken from the pulpits of churches, and Jesus Christ specifically stated "For many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ; and shall deceive many." (Matthew 24:5). To each of us, the person who is deceived is not us, but the other person or people. Sometimes it pays to question our own beliefs, which most often come from listening to preachers.

Here is another classic rubber band scripture: Matthew 24:34 "Verily I say unto you, THIS GENERATION shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." The dispensational status quo says this verse cannot refer to the generation living then at that very moment in the lifetime of Jesus Christ, even though that's exactly what it says. Many so-called "scholars" rubber band this verse to thousands of years down the road for fulfillment, because that is the only way it can fit their theology and belief system. The reason they can't accept that Jesus Christ knew exactly what He was saying is because in the previous verses of this chapter, it talks about Daniel's prophesy, the great tribulation, the coming of the Son of man in the clouds, and they assure Christians, that none of these events have yet taken place, but are destined for yet future fulfillment. It is an astonishment to all Christians who have been bombarded with future fulfillment to have Matthew 24 pointed out as "been there, done that" already fulfilled long ago based upon the words of Jesus Christ/Almighty God, regardless of what "scholars" say. Matthew 24 was fulfilled in the lifetime of those living then, if we believe what Jesus Christ said. If we believe rubber band "scholars" and rubber band preachers, then Matthew 24 is not yet fulfilled.

If as Christians we blindly accept that those standing in the pulpits are expert Bible truth detectors, then we will be rubber band Christians. I would suggest that preachers may or may not be preaching truth, even if they are very sincere. Sometimes they are right, but sometimes they are sincerely wrong. The world is full of rubber band church institutions, Bible schools, seminaries, doctrines and traditions of men, "scholars", preachers and theologians, who come in the name of Jesus Christ as heralds of "truth".