In my book, The Door Is Open, I discuss several signs of antichrist or anti-messiah behaviors, beginning with the scripture from Matthew 23:4-38 in The Message translation. Let’s delve into the sixth sign, as described in verses 16-22 of Matthew 23:
““You’re hopeless! What arrogant stupidity! You say, ‘If someone makes a promise with his fingers crossed, that’s nothing; but if he swears with his hand on the Bible, that’s serious.’ What ignorance! Does the leather on the Bible carry more weight than the skin on your hands? And what about this piece of trivia: ‘If you shake hands on a promise, that’s nothing; but if you raise your hand that God is your witness, that’s serious’? What ridiculous hairsplitting! What difference does it make whether you shake hands or raise hands? A promise is a promise. What difference does it make if you make your promise inside or outside a house of worship? A promise is a promise. God is present, watching and holding you to account regardless.” MSG
This is Jesus speaking. He desires His people to depend on Him rather than on man. One of the ulterior motives behind nitpicking scripture is to control or manipulate people. God wants neither control nor manipulation. Instead, He values free will, self-decision, and a desire for us to trust in what He sent His Son to do for us. These objectives are fundamentally at odds, a theme I explore in depth in my book.
Have you ever been nitpicked with scripture? I have. I want to encourage others to delve into the deeper meanings of scripture on their own. This isn’t hard, but it does take time. You can ponder these aspects over time, look things up, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, and explore the Greek or Hebrew origins of the text. It’s also crucial to consider the context:
Who was writing?
Who was being written to?
Where were they located?
What was the letter in response to?
Was it written before or after the crucifixion?
Essentially, you’re examining the who, what, where, when, and how. I would also suggest asking the Holy Spirit why someone might be using scripture to nitpick you; perhaps there’s an ulterior motive that isn’t beneficial for you. I’m being somewhat vague here because our teacher and helper, the Holy Spirit, will guide you.
If you have questions, feel free to reach out. You can email me at [email protected] or send me a private message on my social media sites (links below).
I invite you to reflect on each of these points with God, and perhaps consider reading both Time To Really Live Free and The Door Is Open to fully grasp this concept, enabling you to live freely in God’s grace, love and freedom right now.
