Twisted Scripture

Untangling 45 Lies Christians Have Been Told

Andrew Farley

• Publisher: Salem Books
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9781621578116
• eBook ISBN: 9781621579021
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

Let's face it—the Bible contains passages that are challenging to interpret and can even incite fear. Sure, we want to believe God's grace applies to our unique troubles: addiction, divorce, habitual sins, or a feeling of distance from God because we don't measure up. Still, perplexing Bible passages eat at us. Bestselling author and radio host Dr. Andrew Farley is known to blitzkrieg legalistic and lifeless interpretations with his discerning take on controversial Scriptures. In Twisted Scripture, Andrew skewers sacred cows and shatters destructive lies, bringing the undiluted truth about God's love and grace in a colorful and conversational look at the most controversial passages in the New Testament. This book offers more than just encouragement and freedom. It may change everything about the way you see yourself and God.

PART I

CHURCH
DISCIPLINE,
TONGUES, AND
HEALTH-WEALTH

LIE 43

IF YOU COMMIT
BIG SINS, YOU
SHOULD BE
KICKED OUT OF
CHURCH

SPOTLIGHT:

In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. (1 Corinthians 5:4–5, 11)

Church discipline can be challenging at times. But it’s clear from Scripture that churches should avoid these two extremes: (1) allowing anyone to remain in the congregation, regardless of their life choices and (2) removing people from the congregation just because they’ve committed acts of immorality.

1 Corinthians 5 is essential to any conversation about church discipline. Clearly, from this passage, we see there’s a place for removal of a person from a congregation. However, it’s important to note just how extreme this case was. It involved a man sleeping with his father’s wife and “immorality of such a kind that does not exist even among the Gentiles” (1 Corinthians 5:1). Apparently, removing someone from a congregation is reserved for sins that even non-believers may find heinous.

THE CORINTH CONTEXT

Paul is writing to the Corinthians. A typical day in Corinth was like Las Vegas, plus spring break, plus Mardi Gras, on steroids. From pagan temples to prostitutes to bathhouses, Corinth housed all flavors of sin. But this man’s immorality set a record in the community. In Corinth, that’s saying a lot! In addition, we see there was no regret and even arrogance within the congregation and likely from the man:

This man’s immorality set a record in the community.

You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. (1 Corinthians 5:2)

Your boasting is not good. (1 Corinthians 5:6a)

This is very different from a believer struggling with a repetitive sin and seeking counsel. It’s also very different from a believer making a huge mistake, committing an outward and obvious act of the flesh, and then regretting what he has done.

In this case, it appears that the Corinthian man was not only continuing the sinful activity (sleeping with his father’s wife), but he was showing no signs of remorse. It’s possible that he was even boasting about it and telling people that God was okay with it. Can you imagine? It was on these grounds that Paul instructed the Corinthians to remove the man from the congregation. One can imagine similar extremes happening today, yet so many cases of sinful behavior in a congregation fall short of what is described here.

DON’T EVEN EAT WITH SUCH A ONE?

Many believers today are busy judging outsiders. We judge the behavior of those in the world, but what else should we expect? If they don’t have Christ living in them, why does it surprise us that their conduct reflects spiritual death? And what business do we have trying to reform their behavior, when their true need is Christ? When we judge the worldly behavior of unbelievers, we’re doing a serious disservice to Jesus’s work. Instead of presenting salvation as a gift, we give them the wrong impression that Christianity is nothing more than a to-do list and a behavior modification program:

I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves. (1 Corinthians 5:9–11)

Paul is not talking about all the immoral (i.e., unbelieving) people in the world. He’s not calling on believers to disassociate themselves from unbelievers. No, he’s specifically addressing the case of “so-called” believers who are in reality unbelievers whose entire lifestyle is characterized by immorality or drunkenness or swindling other people. And they use the name of Jesus all the while. Yes, they directly associate the name of Jesus with their open immorality and have no regret over doing so. For this reason, Paul instructs that they should be removed and that the congregation should not associate with them.

Paul is concerned about the reputation of the congregation. He doesn’t want the Corinthian community to think that the Jesus movement is characterized by an “anything goes” mentality.

Paul is concerned about the reputation of the congregation.

This doesn’t mean that we should stand at the church entrance with a clipboard in hand, taking note of people’s sins (the ones they’re willing to reveal) and then kick people out based on any findings of repetitive sinning. If we were to do that, no one would be left, including ourselves! We’re all growing, learning, and having our minds renewed. We all commit sins. Inward sins in our attitudes are just as sinful as outward sins. (In fact, remember that walking by the flesh can manifest in bad-looking behavior, but it can also be expressed in good-looking behavior.) This is why we’re urged to restore others to their senses with gentleness and respect, lest we too be tempted (see Galatians 6:1).

THE BIG PICTURE

On what basis should a congregation ask someone to leave? When someone is engaged in immorality so extreme that the outside world might be shocked by it and there is no sign of regret and no desire for counsel or change. In instances like this, Paul instructs that they should not be part of the congregation. He makes this decision not only for the congregation’s reputation but also so the person might see the error of his ways.

But what if there’s a change of mind and a turning from sin? In that case, the person should be lovingly restored to fellowship. Here, I do not mean fellowship with God. A believer’s fellowship with God can never be broken, no matter how heinous the sin. But fellowship with the congregation of believers should be restored. And that’s exactly what happened in Corinth:

Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. (2 Corinthians 2:6–7)

Eventually, it appears that this man returned to the congregation after experiencing sorrow and regret over his actions. What a beautiful picture of God working through a body of believers to do whatever it took to bring recovery, both to the congregation and to the man who was rebelling against truth.

REFLECTORS:

1. Considering church discipline scenarios you’ve witnessed, would a better understanding of this passage have helped? Why or why not?
2. How can the simple truth, “we all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2) factor into our view of church discipline?
3. Some churches have adopted an “anything goes” mentality. In your own words, what can this passage offer them in the way of correction?

A NEW FOCUS:

Thank You, Father, for allowing us to bear fruit in this life and to experience the fulfillment only You can bring us. And thank You for caring so much for us that You discipline us, mold us, shape us, invest in us, counsel us, and guide us into all truth. Thank You for loving us in this way. Amen.

LIE 44

YOU SHOULD
EDIFY YOURSELF,
AND TONGUES
IS EVIDENCE OF
SALVATION

SPOTLIGHT:

“And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?” (Acts 2:8)

So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers … (1 Corinthians 14:22)

No other spiritual gift has been more divisive than the gift of tongues. Some see having the gift of tongues as a second blessing, as if it’s arriving at a second tier of the Christian experience. Others go so far as to claim that if you don’t have the gift of tongues, then you’re not a true believer. So, what’s really going on with the gift of tongues? Is it a heavenly or angelic language? Are there two types of tongues? If so, does one type involve edifying yourself?

First, those who spoke in tongues in Acts 2 shared the Gospel in human languages with unbelievers around them. This is how the gift of tongues is a sign for unbelievers, not for believers (1 Corinthians 14:22). Tongues was (and still is, in some circumstances) used to persuade unbelievers by allowing them to hear the Gospel in their own tongue to which they were born (Acts 2:8). In Acts 2, tongues is a “missionary gift.” God miraculously enabled believers to speak in foreign human languages for the purpose of sharing the Good News.

However, the congregation in Corinth was abusing this gift by bringing it off the street (where evangelism was taking place) and into the church service. As a result, many were speaking in tongues at the same time, without an interpreter, and without any benefit to the congregation. Paul corrects their practices and instructs them to speak and pray and sing with their minds when they’re in church.

SPEAKING MYSTERIES

Much has been made of 1 Corinthians 14:2 in which Paul writes, “One who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.”

Some claim this must be evidence of a second type of tongues, a prayer language to be used privately or at home. However, the entire context of 1 Corinthians 14 is the corporate worship service. There’s no evidence of a heavenly prayer language for use privately.

There’s no evidence of a heavenly prayer language for use privately.

To better communicate what I believe Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 14, I have loosely paraphrased the passage below. This is not intended to be a translation of any kind. Instead, it’s an expansion of what the verses say to help us follow the train of thought as Paul was writing about tongues in the worship service:

v.2. If you choose to speak in tongues during a church service, only God understands. To everyone else, it’s a mystery.

v.4. You may be enjoying yourself, but you are not benefitting anyone else in the church service.

v.6. Think about it: If I walked into your congregation speaking loudly in a foreign tongue, what would it do for you? Nothing!

v.9. If people can’t understand what you’re saying, you might as well be speaking into the air.

v.11. After all, if they can’t get any meaning out of what you’re saying, you’re like a barbarian to them.

v.12. So make sure that whatever you do is for the building up of other peop...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• INTRODUCTION: Tradition and Truth
• PART A: Salvation
• PART B: Eternal Security
• PART C: The Old and The New
• PART D: Freedom From the Law
• PART E: Identity in Christ
• PART F: United with Jesus
• PART G: Once-for-All Forgiveness
• PART H: Judgment, Punishment, and Rewards
• PART I: Church Discipline, Tongues, and Health-Wealth
• EPILOGUE
• NOTES
• INDEX
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS