Biblical Illiteracy
By George Stroh
February 6, 2012
Uphold me that I may be safe, that I may have regard for Your statutes continually. You have rejected all those who wander from your statutes, for their deceitfulness is useless. (Psalm 119:117,118)
Speaking at the National Day of Prayer Breakfast, the President of the United States quoted a portion of Scripture trying to make a political point about tax fairness. The quote taken from the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Luke was; "From everyone who has been given much, much will be required."
In this chapter, the Lord Jesus Christ is teaching in parables, but this parable has absolutely nothing to do with tax fairness. Just like many others often do, the President misinterpreted and misused a Bible verse to support his own political agenda, ignoring the context and proper interpretation. This is another blatant example of "Biblical illiteracy". Here is the Lord's parable in context: "And the slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more." (Luke 12:47,48)
Jesus gave us this parable to warn those who have been privileged to hear the Gospel and the promise of His second coming. Those, who have heard the truth about Christ, but still reject Him, will be judged and will receive severer punishment in hell than those who have never heard.
What is surprising to me is that, while the President was critiqued for his inappropriate political comments at the Prayer Breakfast, no one seemed to recognize his inappropriate and out of context misuse of Scripture. Was there not a Bible teacher, Pastor or anyone else there who had actually read and really understood the Gospel of Luke?
The high rate of reading illiteracy in America is a major educational concern. But the high and growing rate of Biblical illiteracy is a far greater concern, especially among so called Christians. There are more than one hundred million Bibles sold each year and over 300,000 Churches in America who supposedly believe and teach the Bible. Yet only a very few people ever read and truly understand the Word of God; "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matthew 7:13,14)
Those who heard the President speak that day at that Prayer Breakfast, and everyone else, would do well to read Luke chapter twelve and heed the warning of our Lord Jesus Christ; "From everyone who has been given much, much will be required." Just like the master in the parable, He is coming soon to judge each of us. Not about our tax rate, but about our faith, or lack of faith, in Him alone. Maranatha!
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