Do I need a checksum for scripture? (May 2024)
Single bible verses are often fired at people to advise, help, persuade and provoke.
Subconsciously or consciously, these individual verses are often selected and compiled from our personal experience and current understanding. Fired from a cartridge, they can have devesting impact. Destroying the target completely.
The compilation of verses may not align with the big picture of God’s love repeatedly offered to the imperfect. All people.
Take the TEXT out of CONTEXT and you are left with a CON. There were no chapters, verses, and subheadings originally.
Checksum for Data.
It’s really hard to type a long list of numbers without a single mistake. Each number may be critical.
If these numbers represent the machine code for a computer program then the computer may crash out and die.
One way to check the numbers before execution is to know their total. The sum of the numbers added together. By checking the typed numbers add up to the checksum total, you can identify vital mistakes. Before it’s too late. (4 Exel 2 ETC)
Checksum for scripture.
Out of context verses may prevent me from, loving God with all my heart, strength and mind. They may excuse me from loving my neighbour as self.
If the sum of my understanding breaks either of the greatest commandments, I’ve got it wrong and need to read the full picture. Read it repeatedly and prayerfully.
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31 NIV)
To make sure you don’t miss the greatest commandments, they are repeated in both the Old and New Testament. e.g. Leviticus 19:18 Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22: 34-40, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 10:25-28…
Shooting the suffering.
Verses are often fired at those feeling low in the wilderness or valleys. Many have been hurt when these are fired thoughtlessly and repeatedly by different people. I have told people about bible verses being used in this way. I often get a smile and response such as, “Yes people do say things like that.”
To be blunt. Use of scripture in this way can be traumatic. Not amusing to the sufferers being shot at. Common ones are heard repeatedly and leave you peppered with self-doubt and feelings of failure.
I have mentioned shotgun theology on multiple posts for years. The misuse in relation to Mental Ill-Health is explained at my workshop for Christians.
The handout for the workshop is available here.