Something that I believe is most often misunderstood about the Bible is that it is not just sixty six individual books, but also one story.

This must be grasped before we can truly understand the importance of the context of each individual passage. Every single verse stands not alone, but in relation to every other verse. Just as no man is an island, so too is no particular passage an island.

Complicating matters is the fact that merely reading the Word of God does nothing.

If any true value is to be grasped from the Word, it must be done with prayer, and just as importantly it must also be given context to our daily lives. In this way, the Bible has both an inward and outward context, as well as a past and future context.

It demands to be understood in every dimension.

What this means for us is that we must be wary of anyone who relies solely on just one or two verses to make claims about God’s character and His love.

Just because the Bible says it, doesn’t mean we accept it at blind face value. I do not want to be misunderstood here: the Word of God is absolute truth, yet it can be very easily taken and abused to further an agenda or made to fit into someone’s personal beliefs.

Always be on the lookout for those who try to separate the truth of the Bible by confusing it with opinion.

Interestingly enough, that is exactly what Satan did with Adam and Eve, and attempted to do with Jesus.

In Genesis we see the Serpent actually add to God’s command not to eat the fruit.

Genesis 3:4 – 5

Then the Serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Here he adds opinion and so leads Adam astray through Eve.

So when you hear or see someone quote the Bible, be sure to investigate further from the Word itself, lest you too be led astray with false doctrines.

In the very start of the New Testament, we see a mirror of the temptation in the garden. The Holy Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness to fast for forty days and forty nights. Then the Serpent comes again to do his work.

Matthew 4:3- 10

Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

But He answered and said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:

‘He shall give His angels charge over you’ and , ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'”

Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'”

From these verses we see that our Lord uses His word to combat lies.

So what does this mean for understanding His love? The ultimate proof of His love for us is that he died on the cross. In relation to the Old Testament, He became the substitute sacrifice to pay for our sins. Animal blood was not enough.

But here’s the main thing: He did not have to do it.

Nobody forced Him onto the cross, though it may appear that way. He could have at any time walked away but He didn’t, and why? Because of love.

His death is the ultimate and irrefutable proof that love is and always will be a choice. People have warped love to be this thing that just kind of happens and we get dragged along for the ride. It’s simply a lie.

So choose today to love God and I promise you if you stick with that choice, your life will change drastically.

Until next time,

Colton Charles Mckay, a saint of God