Commonly Misunderstood Verses of the Bible

Do believe that God wants you to be financially prosperous (Joshua 1:8)? Do you think that Christians must ""forgive and forget"" (Jeremiah 31:34)? Do you suppose that everything will work for your good (Romans 8:28), or wonder if God will ever give you more than you can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13)? If you do, best-selling author Robert Van Voorst will help you to reexamine these verses, and many others, to see what they really mean. This book treats twenty-four of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible. Each is given concise but careful treatment, including an explanation of how they are misunderstood, what their meaning is, and what this meaning says to us today. Each chapter has questions for reflection and discussion. Written especially for use in church classes and Bible study groups, but also suitable for individual reading, this book will stimulate your growth in the Christian faith and give you more confidence in understanding the Bible and applying it to your life. FOR BACK COVER (Delete Soards endorsement for metadata): ""If you teach the Bible, preach regularly, or are a student of the Bible with a growing desire to know it better, this is a must-have. Commonly Misunderstood Verses of the Bible corrects the false interpretations we often uncritically accept about many biblical verses and concepts. It is another sterling example of the first-rate scholarship Robert Van Voorst makes accessible to the life of the Church."" –Brand W. Eaton, United Methodist pastor, Board Certified Chaplain ""With exegetical skill, clear prose, and pastoral warmth, Van Voorst looks at two dozen such passages. Just skim through the table of contents, and you will not be able to put down this book without reading a chapter Van Voorst will make you think carefully about how to handle the Scripture."" –Robert L. Plummer, Founder and Host, www.DailyDoseOfGreek.com ""Robert Van Voorst has created an indispensable resource for both clergy and laity. He delightfully combines astute biblical insights with contemporary illustrations as he provocatively, yet graciously, overturns many of our long-held misunderstandings of key Bible verses. I have read similarly-themed works; this is by far my favorite. I look forward to using this wonderfully readable book as the foundation for an upcoming small-group Bible study."" –Lou Kaloger, Pastor, Tampa Covenant Church ."" . . a rich mine of enlightening information and significant wisdom."" –Marion L. Soards, Professor of New Testament, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary FOR FRONT MATTER: ""This new book by Robert Van Voorst is a rich mine of enlightening information and significant wisdom. Van Voorst demonstrates courage and awareness in addressing the common misunderstandings of twenty-four well-known Bible verses. Misunderstandings exist and are perpetuated because inadequate or even erroneous information obscures sound interpretations of key biblical passages. Indeed, the misunderstandings of these verses are not only poor interpretations; they also generate problematic applications of the misunderstandings to the concerns of everyday life. In his enlightening Introduction, Van Voorst discusses the frequently encountered problem of understanding verses of the Bible. He considers the reaction of certain people when questions are raised concerning the legitimacy of their own particular interpretations of Bible verses, and he then offers suggestions for how to read the Bible better. Van Voorst steps into this ongoing process of misunderstanding and misapplication with important and accurate information, insight, and much commonsense for understanding these commonly misconstrued parts of the Bible. The book does not simply identify and challenge problems in comprehension; the chapters work clearly and carefully in an encouraging way to teach factual materials, to demonstrate how to identify the plain sense of the Bible, and to model sound ways to think about and to relate