“Proof texting is the
method by which a person appeals to a biblical text to prove or justify a
theological position without regard for the context of the passage they are
citing. Proof texting
is the method by which a person appeals to a biblical text to prove or justify
a theological position without regard for the context of the passage they are citing.” http://www.theopedia.com/Proof_texting It
stands to reason that such use of
Scripture does not result in biblical accuracy or what Schaeffer called true
truth. However, one should be careful to
not contend that quoting Scripture connotes that the one who quoted it is using
it without regard to how it was used by the original author. We should also remember that New Testament
authors quoted verses from the OT to support their arguments. Those who quoted OT passages of Scripture
included Jesus who quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 when he was being tempted by Satan
(see Matthew 4:4 and Luke 4:4). So, it
isn’t quoting Scripture that constitutes proof texting but rather
misrepresenting the original intent of Scripture or the principle that the
original Scripture represented.
What I am contending,
for example, is that an author stating that a Christian musician should not
music unto God with carnal songs, based on the use of pneumatikos oide (4152 5603) in Ephesians 5:19, does not
constitute the unwarranted use of Scripture which is called proof texting
because lexicographers generally agree that pneumatikos oide means spiritual
i.e. non-carnal songs. As we know, indiscriminate quoting of Scripture to try
to prove a point will many times result in incorrect conclusions, but so will taking
the usual meaning of an English word or words used in a Bible translation
without regard to the meaning of the word or words used by the original author. Words have meaning but their meaning is
greatly influenced by how they are used in sentences. However, how an author interprets what words
mean in context is many times a matter of opinion.
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