Why is it important to study the Bible in context? What is wrong with taking verses out of context?

We learn the true sense of a verse by its context. If we ignore the context, we are apt to miss the mind of God.

We find this text quoted so many times nowadays that it is well to observe carefully the connection in which it was originally used. You cannot cut up a scripture in snippets, and expect to understand each snippet individually. Scripture is put together in a Divine order and for a Divine reason by its Divine Author.

In divorcing a part of Scripture from its context, we can cause it to bear any construction which the subtle mind of man cares to put thereon. Similarly, it is not uncommon to see isolated passages from the great writers of the nineteenth century adduced to justify courses which are foreign to the general trend of the life works of these writers. As having been engaged largely in the presentation of such extracts, we have endeavoured to lay under contribution only such passages as may be considered representative of the general outlook of the writer in question. — Editor.

Once more, if anyone comes to you with doctrines, to support which he has to twist Scripture either by giving strained meanings to words in our English version, or by continually referring to the Greek or Hebrew original and translating to fit with his ideas, or if he tears texts away from their contexts or surroundings, which always decide their meaning, you have every reason for considering his doctrines with the gravest suspicion. "No prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation" (2 Peter 1:20). Remember, also, that the Bible is one whole; thus one part dovetails into the rest, not only agreeing but explaining.

It is important also to notice that this verse (Phil. 2:12) is one of the texts which is used by the enemies of the truth to deny that one can know that he has the salvation of the soul. They say, "Even Paul tells the Philippians to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling." When the context is seen this assumed difficulty disappears. It is most disastrous to take words or passages of Scripture out of their connection; for, if kept and read where God has placed them, the harmony and beauty of the whole is preserved; and what is more, the enemy is often defeated by the very text with which he sought to, defeat us. No one need fear to look at the passages of Scripture he quotes. H. C. A.

He warns us against disputes of words and recalls us, not only to the word of truth, but to the word of truth rightly divided. All Scripture is the word of truth and yet what disaster may be wrought by giving Scripture a private interpretation, or by using texts out of their context, and thus, as Peter says, wresting Scripture to our destruction.

What, then, is the practical application of this? We see it right here. Is there not a distorted view of love that really equates to latitudinarianism? It is sometimes possible for people to support their false views from Scripture – provided they can find a suitable verse to agree with them. Here's an example of one from 1 Corinthians 13: “Love… believes all things”. By taking this verse out on its own you can make it say almost anything you want. But take it in connection with the entire scope of the revealed mind of God in His word and it starts to take shape within boundaries that He Himself has set. The apostle of love, the disciple whom Jesus loved, says here, “believe not every spirit”.

79 Again I have proved your doctrine by scripture, and I find you have left out that on which the whole relationship of God with Israel was based. Secondly, that which in the New Testament is elaborately applied to Christ, which the Lord applies unto Himself, and one apostle after another applies to Him-I find that your doctrine totally denies this fundamental truth. And, thirdly, in quoting the one or two passages of scripture you do, you again omit the context or some part of the passage, which, if it were admitted, makes the passage mean just the contrary of what you quote it for.

Those, who fasten on Scriptures they think will support their teaching, that a true Christian can fall away and perish after all, generally do so in a haphazard way without the least attention to the context of the passage. The way this Scripture is twisted to suit this theory is a glaring example of this. We read,

Oh that it might be understood that he who chooses any passage he pleases, the meaning of which in its connection he has not learned, for the foundation of a system, either betrays gross ignorance as to the character of God, or shows such presumption as human language can scarcely characterize!