The Top Ten Misapplied Verses

#10 Hebrews 13:5b

"for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

It is not that it is misapplied, but the interpretation is incomplete. The passage is mainly dealing with coveting. The reason we don't have to covet is because we already have the greatest possession we could ever have: Christ's presence. The emphasis of this verse is lost by only focusing on the second section.


#9 Romans 8:1

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Many preachers teach that Christians don't have to fear failing because there is no condemnation. Because we have Christ's righteousness imputed on us, it does not matter that we aren't really righteous. I won't get into disagreements over texts. Even if you accept the NA27 rendering of this verse, it still does not teach a blanket no condemnation. Romans 8:4 says that the righteous requirements of the aw are filled by those who walk in the Spirit. Romans 6:1 commands Christians to reckon themselves dead to sin. While God does give grace to those who messes up, he does not just overlook it as some preachers teach.


#8 Romans 3:23

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"

While most teachers get the immediate context right, the miss the point. This verse was not meant to be an island unto itself. It is the glue that holds 3:22 and 3:24 together. Romans 3:22 says "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference." Why is there no difference? Because a have sinned and come short of God's glory. But because of the finished work of God through Christ we are "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." When we just teach 3:23, we miss the context and a blessing.


#7 Proverbs 22:6

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Many parents fail to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Instead of admitting their failure, they claim that this verse is genera truth, not absolute truth. It is not fair to impugn God's word just because of our own failure.


#6 Psalm 118:24

"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

We sing it. We pray it. We should be thankful every day we live, but that is not what this verse is taking about. If you look at the previous and following verses, you see it is about the Lord's return at the end of tribulation, and the beginning of the millennial kingdom. That day has been the day the Lord has been waiting for and all creation has been waiting for. The day Jesus our conquering king will finally set things right.


#5 Psalm 2:8

"Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."

Missionaries claim this as their life verse. They say that God will save the heathen if they ask for it. But if you look at the context, that interpretation does not work. This chapter deals with nations revolting against God. In the previous verse, God the father says to God the son, "ask of me." The heathen are given for judgement not for salvation.


#4 Matthew 7:1

"Judge not, that ye be not judged."

Any time you comment on homosexuality, Catholicism, false doctrine, those who disagree with you quote this verse. Non Christians love this verse and hit us over the head with it every time. Later on this same chapter deals with how to spot false prophets. This verse is not condemning discernment, it is condemning hypocrisy. Verse three talks about how if you see someone with sawdust in your eye and you have a walking stick in your eye, you need to deal with your own eye before trying to take out the sawdust.


#3 2 Chronicles 7:14

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

This is the mantra of the revivalists. This whole verse hinges on the words "my people" Christians believe it applies to them because we're God's people. This verse, however, was addressed specifically to the people of Israel. The verse talks about their land being healed. and is central to the Abrahamic covenant. It has nothing to do with the church.


#2 Matthew 18:19-20

"Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

I have heard this verse prayed many times. The Bible does not teach that if we get two or three people together in a "prayer of agreement" God will do whatever we want. This section talks of discipline. It talks of how to deal with sin in the camp. When two or three come to Christ and bind or loose someone from discipline, God will honor it. Even when someone has to be cast out of God's redeemed assembly, God will be with them and bring healing during what is a difficult situation.


#1 Revelation 3:20

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

Evangelists love to use this verse as an invitation verse. This verse is talking about Jesus standing outside of the apostate church begging to come in. Paul washer has said that he has challenged evangelists who use this verse as an invitation. They will acknowledge that it is out of context, but they say wit works so well as an invitation. The Bible is God's truth and we must not handle it lightly.

God's word is just that. It's God's word. God breathed it out to us. We should not turn it into a bite sized couplet that is not faithful to the original text. We must rightly divide the word of truth. Taking these verses out of context does not do that.