This might
sound like a strange title for a blog post, but I think you will see that it is
very apt as you read on. You see Paul called the Bible, God’s Word, a sword,
more literally the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). Now I don’t know how much
you know about swords, and I will admit that I am not an expert on sword
fighting, but I know this; you need training to use a sword, and if you use it
wrong you could cut off your own hand, or maybe some other part of your body.
Why be this so? Because swords are powerful and therefore dangerous; this is
also true of God’s word, which is dangerous if used wrong.
I will be
talking about this on Sunday night this week, but I want to give a little
snippet of my sermon now, because I know that not everyone will be there on
Sunday night. Many Christians use the sword of God wrong, often with great
intentions, but still wrong, and this is dangerous, you could hurt yourself or
someone else if you do this. The most common way people do this is by ripping
passages out of context and then making them a verse for their day, or week, or
life.
Let me give
you a very popular verse as an example: Jeremiah 29:11, which says, “For I know
the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to
harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (NIV). A wonderful verse right?
Sure, a great verse, and truth be told there is a lot in this verse and its surrounding
context which Christians can learn from, but here is the real kicker: This is
not a promise for Christians. God has never once promised Christians that he
will prosper them, or make them rise to the top of their game in whatever
career he places them. This is just not a promise for Christians, and though
there is much truth in this verse which is consistent with Christianity, God
has a plan for our lives (see Rom. 8:29), and we have a great future and hope
(see 1 John 3:1-3), we have never been promised prosperity, but the opposite
(see Acts 14:22, Phil. 1:29-30).
So are you saying
we cannot apply this inspired word from God through his prophet to Christians,
Matt? No, I am not, I am saying we should apply it properly, and to do that we
must understand its context. This verse was one sentence in a whole letter written
to the exiles in Babylon (Jer. 29:1), and it was written to encourage them and
challenge them to seek God and live according to his way while in exile and
then God would prosper them, not just spiritually, but literally. He promises
to restore their fortunes, aka make them financially better off and bring them
back from exile, aka restore them to their homeland (Jer. 29:14). In other
words this was a specific promise from God about a specific way he was going to
look after the Israelites in exile, so that he could fulfil his promise to
bring them out of captivity. He was going to make them rich (prosper them), and
he was going to do this so that he could bring them through and out the other
end safely. AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HE DID!
Read Ezra,
Esther, Daniel, or Nehemiah and you will see that God did fulfil this promise to
the full to those who sought the Lord with all their hearts, see how he raises
up Daniel to be number two in Babylon, which brings money and power, see how he
raises up Esther to be Queen and Mordecai gets all the honour that was Haman’s,
see how he blesses Ezra and Nehemiah, and all the Israelites whom he watched
over and prospered so that they can come out of exile safely and rebuild their
home city of Jerusalem. And herein is the application for Christians: God
fulfils his promises. He fulfilled his promises in Jeremiah 29, and all throughout
the Old Testament, therefore he will fulfil the promises he gives to
Christians. This is the proper way to apply this verse today.
How many
Christians have had their faith shipwrecked because some false teachers told
them God would prosper them, make them wealthy and succeed in their career
because of Jeremiah 29:11? A promise never meant for Christians, but for the
Israelites in exile in Babylon. Use a sword wrong and you may cut of your own
hand, or the hand of an innocent, use it right and you can bring power to bear
in your life and the lives of others.
God’s word
is a sword and as such we should respect it and use it correctly, not just rip
verses out of context and say they apply in a way they do not. When we use God’s
word correctly we unleash his power to transform our lives. I want to worship
and serve and trust in God who fulfils all of his promises, don’t you? Our God
is great, so let’s use his word in a respectful and careful way.
