While a quotation may be true, unless it is put in context, how it is repeated may come out being the exact opposite of the truth. This is often motivated by a newspaper wanting to sell newspapers or by someone on social media who intentionally or unintentionally repeats only what they wanted to hear. I’ve been falsely quoted in our local newspaper. It misrepresented me and what I said. Sadly, words are like fire that destroy and cannot be reversed, even though they may later be retracted—which rarely ever happens. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. James 3:5-6 (MSG)
When a highly sensitive incident occurred in our community, a reporter asked for my comments on it. Unfortunately for me, she took my comments totally out of context. It may have sold more newspapers but at my expense. The inaccuracy of what she wrote irreparably damaged my reputation and that of the church family I served. A false truth is compounded many times over because of the deeply sown suspicion of the truth. No one knows what to believe as truth.
This happens even when quoting words out of the Bible. A verse taken out of context with the rest of what the Bible teaches can seriously mislead others. An example of this can be noted in what Jesus taught.… Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. John 16:23b (ESV) Taken along with another passage like John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. Mark 9:38-40 (ESV) If these verses are singled out, they lead one to think if they just verbalize the words ‘in Jesus’ name’, they can get whatever they selfishly want.
However, Jesus also puts those words in context when He said; “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)
Jesus’ promise that incredible things will happen if we use His name is absolutely true. But we can’t write checks in His name for things we selfishly want. Using His name implies living as an authentic apprentice of Jesus. This means seeking to learn and practice thinking about how He thinks and responds to His guidance as He responded to that of His Father. In the context of the rest of what the Bible says, this does NOT mean if we unintentionally make a wrong choice, it nullifies His promise. He is so generous in giving us His grace. It does mean earnestly endeavoring to live as He lived and humbly confessing our sin when we do slip.