To what extent should we personalize scripture?

[SongOnTheWind]

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Jesus told His disciples that man cannot live on bread alone but on EVERY word which proceeds from the mouth of God. He is God's Word made flesh, and told anyone who would follow him to eat and drink of his flesh, which many did not understand.

Because of His Words we keep His commandments (we're supposed to, anyway), and take communion together in remembrance of Him.

But can we claim scripture, and replace pronouns with our own personal names as we see fit?

Here's a popular example of what I mean:

Philippians 4:13
I -insert name here- can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

What about, say, Ephesians 1? We could replace the us and we pronouns with I and me. Why not make it more direct? Talk to God the Father and every time that phrase comes up, replace it with You and Your?

I know a lot of christians who do this, and even go as far as substituting Israel for the Church, and claiming all of their promises as ours, when clearly God is not done with Israel yet and WILL fulfil all His promises concerning His nation. They are the firstborn, and we both stand as a living testimony of God's Word to the nations, past present and future.

So, yes, God's Word must be personal to us. But instead of cherry-picking which parts apply to us, I believe it is us who must apply our whole lives and our whole beings to it. So, how far is too far?

Let me know your thoughts, let's not fight

 

[Tolworth John]

But can we claim scripture, and replace pronouns with our own personal names as we see fit?

As we see fit, No.

The usual rules of common sence applies.
Someone with no real knowledge of scripture cannot claim Phhil 4:13 and go out to preach in a football stadium.

As a means of encouraging us to apply ourselves then yes we can adapt scripture.

 

[martymonster]

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Jesus told His disciples that man cannot live on bread alone but on EVERY word which proceeds from the mouth of God. He is God's Word made flesh, and told anyone who would follow him to eat and drink of his flesh, which many did not understand.

Because of His Words we keep His commandments (we're supposed to, anyway), and take communion together in remembrance of Him.

But can we claim scripture, and replace pronouns with our own personal names as we see fit?

Here's a popular example of what I mean:

Philippians 4:13
I -insert name here- can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

What about, say, Ephesians 1? We could replace the us and we pronouns with I and me. Why not make it more direct? Talk to God the Father and every time that phrase comes up, replace it with You and Your?

I know a lot of christians who do this, and even go as far as substituting Israel for the Church, and claiming all of their promises as ours, when clearly God is not done with Israel yet and WILL fulfil all His promises concerning His nation. They are the firstborn, and we both stand as a living testimony of God's Word to the nations, past present and future.

So, yes, God's Word must be personal to us. But instead of cherry-picking which parts apply to us, I believe it is us who must apply our whole lives and our whole beings to it. So, how far is too far?

Let me know your thoughts, let's not fight

Every single part of scripture applies to us. We must live every single word of scripture. This is what Christ meant when he said "man shall not live (be made alive) by bread alone (Reading and understanding scripture) but by every word (not just some) word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

We must live all of scripture. Obviously we cannot go back in time and fight the giants, in the land, but we can fight the giants, in our land. Scripture is spiritual... every part of it!

 

[tturt]

According to Rom 11, the church hasn't replaced Israel.

Believe every word is applicable and they have to be taken as a whole. Yes, we can do all things through Christ according to His purpose for us. Pro 19

Agree the giants can be overcome. The names in Scripture have a meaning. Regarding the giants in the promised land (OT), their names mean pride, rebellion, fear, sexual sins, greed, etc. Only with God's help, we can be overcomers.

 

[d taylor]

-​

Wrong, you personalize scripture and you end up not understanding what The Bible is saying.

Example is the blasphemy of The Holy Spirit found only in Matthew 12.
That was a sin that only the nation of Israel could have committed (which they did) when Jesus was on earth physically. Offering the Kingdom of God to the nation of Israel, that the nation believe and accept Jesus as the promised Messiah.

Jesus proved, He was who He said He was (The Messiah) by the miracles He preformed (especially the healing of the blind and mute). Which only The Messiah was prophesied, to be able to do.
Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
But instead of the nation of Israel (the rulers) accepting Jesus as the promised Messiah, they accused Him of doing His miracles by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” and in turn caused the nation to commit the the unpardonable sin.

But what has happen (in contemporary times) people take these verse out of the Biblical context and they apply to themselves. Believing they have committed the the unpardonable sin, when that is not what Matthew 12 is saying or teaching at all.

 

[RaymondG]

But can we claim scripture, and replace pronouns with our own personal names as we see fit?

Yes and no. You cant replace "as you see fit." But you should replace all. It is all about "you." Until we understand this....we will never understand "it."

As long as it remains history, it will always be a Mystery.

Anyone ready to be equal with God?

"5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:"

 

[2PhiloVoid]

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Jesus told His disciples that man cannot live on bread alone but on EVERY word which proceeds from the mouth of God. He is God's Word made flesh, and told anyone who would follow him to eat and drink of his flesh, which many did not understand.

Because of His Words we keep His commandments (we're supposed to, anyway), and take communion together in remembrance of Him.

But can we claim scripture, and replace pronouns with our own personal names as we see fit?

Here's a popular example of what I mean:

Philippians 4:13
I -insert name here- can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

What about, say, Ephesians 1? We could replace the us and we pronouns with I and me. Why not make it more direct? Talk to God the Father and every time that phrase comes up, replace it with You and Your?

I know a lot of christians who do this, and even go as far as substituting Israel for the Church, and claiming all of their promises as ours, when clearly God is not done with Israel yet and WILL fulfil all His promises concerning His nation. They are the firstborn, and we both stand as a living testimony of God's Word to the nations, past present and future.

So, yes, God's Word must be personal to us. But instead of cherry-picking which parts apply to us, I believe it is us who must apply our whole lives and our whole beings to it. So, how far is too far?

Let me know your thoughts, let's not fight

I try not to assume too much about the Bible's claimed applications, nor do I tend to personalize it.

 

[com7fy8]

Here's a popular example of what I mean:

Philippians 4:13
I -insert name here- can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Here, I would say Paul says "I", but with the intention that this becomes "we" all along with Paul, following his example.

A lot of things of God's word need to be "we" . . . since we are family in Jesus.

 

[com7fy8]

I know a lot of christians who do this, and even go as far as substituting Israel for the Church, and claiming all of their promises as ours, when clearly God is not done with Israel yet and WILL fulfil all His promises concerning His nation. They are the firstborn, and we both stand as a living testimony of God's Word to the nations, past present and future.

The church started with Jesus and His Jews who obeyed Him. So, the church now includes the obedient Jews. So, the church has not replaced Israel, because obedient Israelites have started the church.

But there are Jews who have refused Jesus. They are not part of obedient Israel. But we who were Gentiles have joined with . . . not replaced . . . the obedient of Israel.

But it seems there are ones who are trying to make it all the way, one way or the other > either Israel has been totally replaced by the church, or it has not. But the true Israel is obedient to God and non-Jews have obeyed these obedient Jews, by joining them in obeying Jesus.

And all is ours, because we have joined with God who owns all things. This includes all land, including the area of the promised land. It is already ours, with God, right while this evil world is fussing and fighting about who has what land >

"Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come---all are yours." (1 Corinthians 3:21-22)

Paul and Cephas are obedient Jews. And they are ours. So, they have not been replaced; but they have adopted us who were Gentiles. And any Jews who obey God will benefit from His promises. But if we have been grafted in with the obedient Jews . . . we can also benefit. But already, so much is ours >

We have "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" > in Ephesians 1:3.

And all God's spiritual blessedness is in His love > Heaven's love which is in the Holy Spirit who is Heaven's Spirit sharing God's own love with us > "in our hearts" > now >

"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5)

So, we are beyond "me, myself, and I", I would say

There are ones who possibly are saying that God is so about each of us . . . God loves "you", Jesus did all He did for "you". Well, this is true, how God does personally love each of us, but the main focus of God's attention is Jesus who is so pleasing to our Heavenly Father. And He is working to change us into the image of Jesus so we are pleasing to Him like Jesus is, and so we love one another as His family . . . the way Jesus has loved us. This, I would say, is the main focus and priority of God . . . certainly not keeping us the way we are now, so He can keep loving us while we stay the way we are or only get ourselves taken care of by God!

"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8:29)

So, I do not agree with anyone who really claims that we or unsaved Israel is the centerpiece of God's attention and delight. But how He will have us become like Jesus is what He is really about. And this is a "we" thing . . . sharing in this as His family . . . "that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." > "where there is neither Greek nor Jew" < as Paul, a man once a Jew, says. No one has been replaced, but we have been changed to better, all as one family

Our identity, then, is we are children of God . . . not Jews or Gentiles or Americans or Russians or Aussies or Afro or white or Hispanic or oriental. But we have denied ourselves with our human identities and human free wills > Luke 9:23 >

"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (in Luke 9:23)

 

[SANTOSO]

Let us contemplate Psalms 52:4-5

“Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.


God shall likewise destroy thee for ever,

He shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭52:4-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬


Contemplating Psalms 52:4-5, that we heard:


“You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue.


God shall likewise destroy you forever;

He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place, And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭52:4-5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬


Let us contemplate this:

“You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue.


Should we love all devouring words? Are our tongues deceitful?


We should not love all all devouring words but we should love all saving words, that build up or that raise up.


Then let us contemplate this:


“God shall LIKEWISE destroy you forever;

He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your DWELLING place, And uproot you from the land of the living.”


For we heard, God shall likewise destroy deceitful tongue forever;

He shall take him away, and pluck him out of his dwelling place,

And uproot him from the land of the living.


So also we can consider the opposite, that God shall save righteous tongue forever;

He shall hold him near, and dwell with him, plant him in the land of the living.


Paraphrasing for clarity:


He love all saving words, His righteous tongue.


God shall save Him forever;

He shall hold Him near, dwell with him,

And plant Him in the land of the living.Selah


Contemplating, we understand:


He who love all saving words, is Christ, that His tongue speaks rightly.


God save Christ forever, and we who are in His likeliness, God shall likewise save us.

He who hold Christ near, shall likewise hold us near.

He who dwell with Christ, shall likewise dwell with us.

He who plant Christ, shall likewise plant us in the land of the living.


Amen [ To God be the glory] and Amen.


He who love all saving words, is Christ, that His tongue speaks rightly.


He who hold Christ near, dwell with Him, plant Him in the land of the living, shall likewise shall hold us near, dwell with us, plant us in the land of the living.


Amen [ To God be the glory] and Amen.

 

[aiki]

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Jesus told His disciples that man cannot live on bread alone but on EVERY word which proceeds from the mouth of God. He is God's Word made flesh, and told anyone who would follow him to eat and drink of his flesh, which many did not understand.

Because of His Words we keep His commandments (we're supposed to, anyway), and take communion together in remembrance of Him.

But can we claim scripture, and replace pronouns with our own personal names as we see fit?

Here's a popular example of what I mean:

Philippians 4:13
I -insert name here- can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

What about, say, Ephesians 1? We could replace the us and we pronouns with I and me. Why not make it more direct? Talk to God the Father and every time that phrase comes up, replace it with You and Your?

I know a lot of christians who do this, and even go as far as substituting Israel for the Church, and claiming all of their promises as ours, when clearly God is not done with Israel yet and WILL fulfil all His promises concerning His nation. They are the firstborn, and we both stand as a living testimony of God's Word to the nations, past present and future.

So, yes, God's Word must be personal to us. But instead of cherry-picking which parts apply to us, I believe it is us who must apply our whole lives and our whole beings to it. So, how far is too far?

Let me know your thoughts, let's not fight

It's been wisely remarked that all of God's word is for us but not all of God's word is to us. In other words, we can derive spiritual benefit from every page of Scripture but what we read often has nothing to do with us directly. For example, the popular verse from Jeremiah where God is addressing national Israel, making a promise to the nation as follows:

Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Many, many modern Christians have claimed this verse for themselves, anchoring themselves to it as a "life verse," even. But the immediate context of the verse actually forbids our claiming the verse for ourselves today. It is a promise made to a very specific party (O.T. Israel) in a very specific situation (captivity in Babylon). But doesn't God feel toward His children today as He did toward captive Israel? Isn't the general sentiment of the verse true for us today? Can't we say that the Lord doesn't have plans for evil for we who are His born-again children? Can't we say He has a future and hope for Christians today? Well, yes and no.

Yes, God has a "future and a hope" for the born-again person that is located in Christ and his promised return to earth. But this promise isn't in view in Jeremiah 29:11. At all. Jeremiah gave God's promise to Israel to free the nation after seventy years of bondage in Babylon. Jesus and the Second Coming have nothing whatever to do with Jeremiah 29:11. The N.T. Christian person, then, has no place in this promise given by Jeremiah to an O.T. nation about to go into captivity.

What, then, of Christians thinking the promise can be made to protect them from immediate harm or hardship, or to soon deliver them out of the same? What happens when they are irremediably injured, or become irreversibly diseased? What of Christians who are martyred - as they have been more in this past century than in any before - who have, say, a radical Muslim saw off their head with knife, or burn them to death? What if their child is murdered in a school shooting? What if they are the victim of rape, or robbery? If they had claimed Jeremiah 29:11 for themselves, has God lied to them? No, God hasn't lied to them; they have taken God's word out of context and badly misapplied it.

Is Philippians 4:13 in the same category as Jeremiah 29:11? Was what was true of Paul as a Spirit indwelt believer 2000 years ago true of the Spirit-indwelt believer today? Yes, I think so. In Philippians 4:13, Paul was declaring the general state-of-affairs of a person in whom the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9-14) had taken up residence, a reality common to all genuinely born-again believers. (John 14:17; Titus 3:5-8; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 John 4:13)

Philippians 4:13, then, isn't a clearly-confined promise to an ancient nation of people within a particular, limited circumstance but a description of the condition of the Christian person made a "temple of the Holy Spirit."