The Cherry-Picking Problem

Have ever walked away from a conversation with someone from another Christian denomination feeling confused on why they believe what they believe? You are not alone. It is a baffling reality. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide share the exact same Bible, yet they arrive at drastically different beliefs about salvation, works, and the future. Just look at all the churches and denominations. There's nearly one on every corner.

How is this possible? The simple, yet sobering, answer is that many churches and denominations have learned how to selectively grab verses. They sometimes twist or spiritualize them to fit an existing theological framework. Essentially, one can make the Bible say almost anything to support just about anything.

We are taught that we should be after the truth. Often, however, the goal becomes finding just enough verses to prove ourselves right, rather than letting scripture speak for itself. Understanding why this happens is the first step toward finding clarity.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2 Timothy 4:3-4

The Apostle Paul prophesied this modern tendency. He warned of a time when people would not endure sound doctrine. Instead, they would find teachers just to satisfy their own "itching ears" (2 Timothy 4:3-4). This desire explains everything. It is why many prefer teachers who spiritualize difficult commands. Why they want verses applied out of context. Instead of accepting hard truths, they seek leaders who build pleasing theological "fables" that simply affirm tradition. They turn from the truth. Just as Paul warned. This is a direct cause of today's doctrinal confusion.

A Word on Translations: The Search for the 'Perfect' Word

Adding to the confusion is the vast landscape of Bible translations. You have likely heard pastors quote from the King James Version (KJV), then the New International Version (NIV), and perhaps the English Standard Version (ESV) all in the same sermon. This can be disorienting.

Why can't they just stay with one translation?

Pastors and teachers often flip between versions in a well-intentioned search for the best words and definitions. They may feel that one translation captures the nuance of a Greek or Hebrew word better for a specific point they wish to make. For example, the ESV might use a word that sounds more "theological," while the NASB might offer a more literal, word-for-word rendering of a verb tense that supports their argument. They pick and choose what they believe to be the strongest evidence for their interpretation from a variety of sources.

While this can be a valuable academic exercise, for the person in the pew it can create a sense of instability. It subtly teaches that the words on the page are not quite sufficient on their own. This constant search for the "perfect" word, while often done with sincerity, is another form of cherry-picking that can prevent us from simply reading and believing the text as it stands.

The Danger of Theological Tradition

Most people believe there is only one gospel throughout the entire Bible. They believe this because they were taught that tradition. The Bible itself does not teach this unity. This reliance on tradition, often coupled with a failure to study the scriptures deeply on one's own, results in Christians believing what their preacher teaches rather than what scripture actually says.

A major culprit in this confusion is Covenantal Theology. This theological structure posits that God has been operating primarily under a singular Covenant of Grace since Adam and Eve failed. This view suggests God is essentially doing the same thing throughout all of scripture. When Christians follow Covenantal Theology, they tend to take verses from anywhere in the Bible and apply them directly to themselves today.

This approach requires pastors and teachers to either avoid or manipulate any text that contradicts their doctrine. Often, they do this by deciding that literal meanings are not applicable.

If, however, you leave Jesus's earthly ministry to Israel, which is what he said... If you leave those verses to Israel, guess what? Every verse makes complete sense. Thus you must reconcile everything Jesus said with what Paul said. And this is impossible.

Spiritualizing the Text to Fit the Viewpoint

When scripture taken literally threatens a core doctrinal belief, churches often resort to spiritualizing or allegorizing the text. The primary way this twisting occurs is by mixing up God's distinct programs: the program for Israel (prophecy and the earthly Kingdom) and the program for the Body of Christ (mystery and the heavenly calling).

For instance, most of Christianity believes the "Kingdom of Heaven" preached by Jesus is the same as "Heaven," the destination of believers today. But because Jesus's teachings about the Kingdom were tied to an earthly kingdom promised to Israel (Luke 1:32-33), many of His literal statements make absolutely no sense when applied to our heavenly hope.

Here are examples of scripture commonly twisted or ignored by churches to maintain their viewpoint:

• Salvation by Works and Endurance: Many churches teach a loss of salvation or require works to maintain it. They do this because they misapply verses tied to Israel's Kingdom Gospel, which required works, law-keeping, and endurance.
  • Matthew 24:13: "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." This verse is frequently used to pressure believers into constant good works. But Jesus was specifically addressing Israel regarding the finite period of the Tribulation ("the end" of the seven years). If applied today, this creates immense insecurity. You would never be sure if you have done enough to be saved. This stands in contrast to Paul's gospel of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).
  • Matthew 7:19-20: "...by their fruits ye shall know them." This is used to make Christians "fruit inspectors," judging a person's salvation on outward actions. However, this concept applied under the Law, where works and fruit were evidence of righteousness. Our salvation today is solely by belief (John 3:16, Romans 4:5).
  • Matthew 6:15: "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." This verse clearly attaches forgiveness of others as a requirement for God's forgiveness. If applied today, it implies that unforgiveness could cost you your salvation. Paul's message, in contrast, says we should forgive because Christ has already forgiven us, based on love, not fear (Ephesians 4:32).
• Impossible Requirements for Heaven: Pastors often avoid or radically allegorize passages from Jesus’s ministry that present impossible requirements under our grace program.
  • Matthew 19:21: Sell all your possessions. Jesus told the rich young ruler, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor... and come and follow me". This requirement, which early followers implemented (Acts 4:32-35), makes literal sense for an earthly Kingdom. It makes no sense in the Age of Grace, where Paul instructs believers to work and provide for their own (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12).
  • Matthew 5:29-30: Pluck out your eye or cut off your hand. Jesus suggested mutilating offending body parts to ensure entry into the Kingdom. If applied literally to heaven today, this is bizarre. Spiritualizing it ("he didn't really mean that") avoids the critical realization that these radical demands only make sense in the context of an earthly Kingdom where stringent literal obedience was required for entry.
  • Matthew 10:5-6: Do not go to the Gentiles. Jesus explicitly commanded the twelve disciples to preach only to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel". This directive is impossible to integrate into modern global evangelism. Yet it perfectly demonstrates that Jesus’s earthly ministry was not directed toward the world but specifically toward Israel to establish their promised Kingdom. This is the opposite of the commission given to Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13, Galatians 2:8).

Finding the Truth Through Right Division

The confusion ends when we stop filtering scripture through tradition and denominational statements of faith. The Bible itself gives us the tool for clarity in 2 Timothy 2:15, which instructs us to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

The only way to overcome the tendency to twist, ignore, or spiritualize scripture is to embrace literal interpretation and rightly divide the Word.

1. Believe the Bible Literally

   If you believe every verse exactly as it is written, you must accept that there is more than one gospel and that teachings change based on the audience and time period. When a verse does not align with your current belief, the correct response is to challenge what you believe, not the verse itself.

2. Separate the Programs (Right Division)

   The key to understanding the Bible clearly is recognizing that God deals differently with mankind across different dispensations, or time periods. We must separate the prophetic program given to Israel (Law, earthly promises, the Kingdom Gospel) from the mystery program given to the Body of Christ (Grace, heavenly promises, the Gospel of Grace). When you separate what God separates, everything makes complete sense.

3. Follow the Spokesman for Today

   For believers today, who are members of the Body of Christ, our instruction comes primarily through the Apostle Paul. He received the mystery of the Gospel of Grace directly from the resurrected Christ (Galatians 1:11-12). Paul clearly teaches that salvation today is by grace through faith alone in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). It comes without any strings attached; no works, no law, no endurance. We are to build our spiritual lives upon the foundation Paul laid (1 Corinthians 3:10).

When we utilize right division, we can read the passages about works, the Law, and the earthly kingdom. We can believe them as written, because they were true for Israel. At the same time, we can understand that they are not applicable doctrine for us today.

In an age characterized by doctrinal confusion, the Bible offers absolute clarity. But it demands an honest reading, free from the shackles of inherited tradition. By committing to believing every word literally and rightly dividing the distinct messages meant for different people at different times, we step out of the fog of spiritualized confusion and onto solid doctrinal ground.

The choice is ours. We can continue grabbing verses out of context to support a predetermined viewpoint, or we can follow the biblical principle of right division to understand the entire story.

If you were to let every verse say exactly what it says, what traditions would you have to abandon?