Christianity, A Cult created out of Context.

OP Moved to Religion ~ MJM

R&I – FS

In a recent exchange, someone posted about the coach who got fired for praying in the middle of the field after games.

Someone said “Isn’t there a scripture about showing off ones piety?”
And a responder said “Prayer =/= piety. 1 Thessalonians 15:16-18 instructs Christians to pray continually…”
I responded with “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”
And then accusation of out of context “So, we are to remain in our closets continually? Once again, you ignore context…not surprised.”

What takes precedence the command to pray continually or the command to pray in private?  One line written by Paul in Thessalonians and the other a quote from Jesus by a gospel writer.

Is it more likely that the coach is parading their religiosity in  the middle of the field, in a manner Jesus abhors, or is the coach trying to do as Paul says to “pray continually”?

Also, this whole notion of quoting scripture and arguing “context” seems and untenable standard for Christians to hold others too.  One can find single verse quote after single verse quote of Paul plucking verses “out of context” to support a variety of his new age ideas.

For instance “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” …

Does that mean God values faith and belief?  Is that what you get from reading the Old Testament?  No, not at all! God defines doing good = to doing what he commands.  And God defines doing evil = to rebelling against his commands.

Like it or not, Judaism’s God likes his chosen people and His “perfect” commands.  In fact God says explicitly why he rewarded Abraham “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions.”

Notice none of that says “Because Abraham believed me”

Do you think Paul takes verses out of context to make points?

Isaiah 53 says “Suffering servant”

The entire book calls Israel the “suffering servant” multiple times.

Why do Christians take the OT out of context and make unsupported claims?

 

Roger Mills

Article URL : https://www.jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/articles/isaiah-53-explained/