InSlaveryToChrist
Puritan Board Junior
What are your thoughts on picking random verses from the Bible, especially in a situation where you're desperate for wisdom from God's Word? In which situations is this appropriate/inappropriate?
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Always inappropriate. The classic example being the guy who opens his Bible at random and picks a verse:
"And Judas went out and hung himself."
No, that won't do. Let's try again. Flip to a different portion of Scripture:
"Go, thou, and do likewise."
An extreme example, meant to be taken with some humor, but which also makes the point.
Instead, if you are looking for guidance from Scripture on some issue and don't know where to turn, that's one good reason why this Board exists. Come here and ask.
And first and foremost, don't forget to pray about it, whatever the issue may be.
I, too, do feel that it is inappropriate, but cannot think of any Biblical basis for my feelings.
The question in my mind is not whether this is forbidden, but whether this is actually looking at God's word.
Why not flip through the Bible and pick random words, stringing them together into a sentence? Or pick random letters, arranging them into words?
What is the difference? You're picking bits and pieces out of the Bible and arranging them to fit your situation rather than looking to see what God said. Pulling verses like that takes God's word and turns it into your own.
Can God use that? Sure. God uses lots of things, including our own sinful actions. Just because He's used it for us--or for someone else--it doesn't mean that's a valid way to find His will.
That said, I would not have a problem with flipping through the Bible randomly for verses if the verses you choose are carefully exgeted in context to determine what God meant when He wrote them.
The intention is that God would lead the desperate person to the location in the Bible that explicitly deals with the area that the person is struggling at in his life.
The intention is that God would lead the desperate person to the location in the Bible that explicitly deals with the area that the person is struggling at in his life.
Samuel:
My hope would be that this desperate person would have, in times before his current despair, have invested sufficient time and study such that when the crisis came,
he would know more accurately where in Scripture to turn for guidance and consolation.
Perhaps you could provide some Biblical support for your position?
You seek guidance from God's Word in the way that He gave it, and intended it to be used - as writings to His people. Not as random, wishful compilations of unattached word strings. To do so is not to seek God's guidance, but to mock Him. God is Person, who speaks in His Word, and speaks as He intended. Such mockery is more of the devil (see his use of Scripture to our Lord in Matthew 4) than of God.The intention is that God would lead the desperate person to the location in the Bible that explicitly deals with the area that the person is struggling at in his life.
Samuel:
My hope would be that this desperate person would have, in times before his current despair, have invested sufficient time and study such that when the crisis came,
he would know more accurately where in Scripture to turn for guidance and consolation.
Wayne,
We could always better prepare ourselves to the many struggles in our lives, but there will always be times when we don't know where to go in God's Word. So, would you suggest the struggling person should, instead of going straight to the Lord asking guidance in His Word, go to other Christians (especially elders) and ask their advice? Is this the way the body of Christ should function?
You seek guidance from God's Word in the way that He gave it, and intended it to be used - as writings to His people. Not as random, wishful compilations of unattached word strings. To do so is not to seek God's guidance, but to mock Him. God is Person, who speaks in His Word, and speaks as He intended. Such mockery is more of the devil (see his use of Scripture to our Lord in Matthew 4) than of God.The intention is that God would lead the desperate person to the location in the Bible that explicitly deals with the area that the person is struggling at in his life.
Samuel:
My hope would be that this desperate person would have, in times before his current despair, have invested sufficient time and study such that when the crisis came,
he would know more accurately where in Scripture to turn for guidance and consolation.
Wayne,
We could always better prepare ourselves to the many struggles in our lives, but there will always be times when we don't know where to go in God's Word. So, would you suggest the struggling person should, instead of going straight to the Lord asking guidance in His Word, go to other Christians (especially elders) and ask their advice? Is this the way the body of Christ should function?
If you can't see the difference between not reading random, finger-flipping selections out of context and having to read the Bible at all times starting in Genesis, I really can't help you. You don't understand basic principles of reading any book, let alone the Bible.You seek guidance from God's Word in the way that He gave it, and intended it to be used - as writings to His people. Not as random, wishful compilations of unattached word strings. To do so is not to seek God's guidance, but to mock Him. God is Person, who speaks in His Word, and speaks as He intended. Such mockery is more of the devil (see his use of Scripture to our Lord in Matthew 4) than of God.The intention is that God would lead the desperate person to the location in the Bible that explicitly deals with the area that the person is struggling at in his life.
Samuel:
My hope would be that this desperate person would have, in times before his current despair, have invested sufficient time and study such that when the crisis came,
he would know more accurately where in Scripture to turn for guidance and consolation.
Wayne,
We could always better prepare ourselves to the many struggles in our lives, but there will always be times when we don't know where to go in God's Word. So, would you suggest the struggling person should, instead of going straight to the Lord asking guidance in His Word, go to other Christians (especially elders) and ask their advice? Is this the way the body of Christ should function?
So, should all writings (including the Bible) be read chronologically? Are you of the opinion that Christians should read the Bible chronologically from Genesis to Revelation? You are forbidden to jump to the New Testament until you've finished the whole Old Testament first -- isn't that what you're implying? OR are you saying it is appropriate to not read the Bible chronologically as long as you proceed from the beginning of each book? Is that how one will prevent getting "unattached word strings?" Please, expound on the phrase "as writings to His people." Also, where in His Word has God revealed this hermeneutic?
If you can't see the difference between not reading random, finger-flipping selections out of context and having to read the Bible at all times starting in Genesis, I really can't help you. You don't understand basic principles of reading any book, let alone the Bible.You seek guidance from God's Word in the way that He gave it, and intended it to be used - as writings to His people. Not as random, wishful compilations of unattached word strings. To do so is not to seek God's guidance, but to mock Him. God is Person, who speaks in His Word, and speaks as He intended. Such mockery is more of the devil (see his use of Scripture to our Lord in Matthew 4) than of God.The intention is that God would lead the desperate person to the location in the Bible that explicitly deals with the area that the person is struggling at in his life.
Samuel:
My hope would be that this desperate person would have, in times before his current despair, have invested sufficient time and study such that when the crisis came,
he would know more accurately where in Scripture to turn for guidance and consolation.
Wayne,
We could always better prepare ourselves to the many struggles in our lives, but there will always be times when we don't know where to go in God's Word. So, would you suggest the struggling person should, instead of going straight to the Lord asking guidance in His Word, go to other Christians (especially elders) and ask their advice? Is this the way the body of Christ should function?
So, should all writings (including the Bible) be read chronologically? Are you of the opinion that Christians should read the Bible chronologically from Genesis to Revelation? You are forbidden to jump to the New Testament until you've finished the whole Old Testament first -- isn't that what you're implying? OR are you saying it is appropriate to not read the Bible chronologically as long as you proceed from the beginning of each book? Is that how one will prevent getting "unattached word strings?" Please, expound on the phrase "as writings to His people." Also, where in His Word has God revealed this hermeneutic?
It seems that almost every one of the commentators here have presupposed that picking verses at random must mean the person is going to interpret the verse without context. That's not the intention! The intention is that God would lead the desperate person to the location in the Bible that explicitly deals with the area that the person is struggling at in his life.
Any passage of Scripture should have helped, and some might have helped even more had we utilized better guidance.
Fascinating! I've also made that sort of observation.a mere housewife said:Yet I do think the Lord does in His mercy sometimes communicates with us this way, even 'out of context' -- He has that prerogative, and He knows how to use it for our good.
Any passage of Scripture should have helped, and some might have helped even more had we utilized better guidance.
Okay, so, does reading Exodus 1 help one understand justification? Is that what you would consider a "passage of Scripture?"
Also, where in His Word has God revealed this hermeneutic?
For what it's worth, James Durham....
7. When any take a word of scripture at the opening of the Bible, or by a thought suggested, as more befitting their condition, because of that, without weighing the word itself: and lay more weight upon that word than upon another that hath the same authority and suitableness to their case, which is to make a weerd or fortune-book of the book of God, for which end he never appointed it. Thus also men are guilty, when they account sacraments more valid, or lay more weight on them, because dispensed by some ministers than when dispensed by others, though having the same warrant, or because of the difference of the persons that partake therein with them."
What are your thoughts on picking random verses from the Bible, especially in a situation where you're desperate for wisdom from God's Word? In which situations is this appropriate/inappropriate?
That is a wonderful point about the devil's use of Scripture.
The pick-a-verse-at-random thing is at best a lazy approach to the Scriptures. It substitutes real study of the Scriptures, understanding verses in context and applying the whole counsel of God to a situation, and instead gives a supposed quick fix. Are we seeking spiritual guidance? Well, the Spirit has chosen to speak to us through an entire Bible. If we seldom open it except to randomly pluck out a verse or two, we really aren't very interested in what the Spirit has to say, are we?
That's at best. At worst it has similarities to pagan magic. We suppose that if we go through the proper ritual motions (in this case, blindly picking a verse) God will speak to us. That's using the Bible as a crystal ball or ouija board! This is not how the Spirit has chosen to speak. Properly spiritual Bible study does not suspend our intellect but engages it.