Over the past few weeks, I have found myself reflecting on Scripture, on conversations with others and, perhaps most importantly, on my own heart. One thought has continued to return to me.
Sometimes, without even realising it, we can use one biblical truth to avoid another biblical truth.
When God’s Word challenges something we think, believe or do, our first instinct is not always surrender but explanation or justification. Rather than allowing Scripture to search our hearts, we can find ourselves reaching for another verse that feels more comfortable.
The longer I have reflected, the more I have realised that spiritual maturity is not only about knowing more verses, but about allowing the whole counsel of God’s Word to shape every area of our lives.
God’s Truth Is Never in Conflict
One of the beautiful things about Scripture is that it is unified. God’s truth does not contradict itself. However, we often read Scripture through the lens of our experiences, our traditions, our preferences or even our fears. At other times, we are drawn to the passages that bring comfort while avoiding those that call us to change.
Without realising it, we can begin to build our faith around selected truths, holding tightly to one biblical truth while quietly overlooking another.
Truth Must Be Held Together
Scripture is full of truths that are not meant to compete with one another but to complement one another. When we separate them, we risk misunderstanding God’s heart and reducing the richness of his Word.
Paul provides a good example in Ephesians 2. In verses 8–9 he reminds us that we are saved by grace through faith, not by our own works, so that no one can boast. Some could read these verses and conclude that because salvation is not earned by works, good works are therefore unimportant or optional.
In James 2:17 we learn that “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” At first glance, Paul and James may appear to be saying different things. Paul teaches that we are saved by faith, not by works, while James highlights that genuine faith is never without works.
When we continue reading Paul’s letter, we discover that he is not contradicting James. In Ephesians 2:10 he writes that we are “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Paul makes it clear that grace was never intended to produce passivity. Rather, we are saved not only from something, but also for something—a life of good works.
Paul makes a similar point in Romans 8. We rightly rejoice that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). That is one of the most liberating truths in Scripture. Yet the same chapter goes on to call us to “put to death the misdeeds of the body” and warns that “if you live according to the flesh, you will die” (Romans 8:13). Freedom from condemnation is not permission to continue in sin or become complacent in our walk with God. Rather, it is an invitation to live a new life through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
In John 14:15, we find that Jesus does not separate love from obedience but holds relationship and obedience together when he says, “If you love me, keep my commands.” Love is not opposed to obedience. Rather, obedience is love expressed in action. It is the visible outworking of a heart that knows, trusts and loves God.
These examples remind us that God’s truth was never intended to be separated or held in isolation. Scripture is at its richest when we embrace its truths together rather than allowing one truth to silence another.
When God’s Word Challenges Us
One verse that has become increasingly meaningful to me through this reflection is Hebrews 4:12:
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
I find it striking that Scripture does not merely expose our behaviour. It reaches much deeper. It searches our motives, our attitudes and the condition of our hearts.
When God’s Word confronts us, we have a choice. We can allow Scripture to search us, or we can begin looking for other passages that seem to explain away, soften or outweigh what is challenging us. Without even realising it, we can become more interested in defending our position than allowing God’s Word to transform us.
Perhaps that is one of the reasons Hebrews describes the Word of God as “alive and active.” It does more than inform our minds; it searches our hearts. It reveals not only what we believe, but also the condition of the heart from which those beliefs flow. Sometimes that process is uncomfortable, but it is also one of the ways God lovingly shapes us into the likeness of Christ.
Learning from Scripture
Throughout Scripture we see people responding in very different ways when confronted by God’s truth.
The Pharisees knew the Scriptures exceptionally well. They were deeply committed to God’s law and sincerely believed they were honouring God. Yet Jesus repeatedly challenged them because, despite their knowledge, they had become skilled at justifying themselves while missing the heart of God. He said, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts” (Luke 16:15). On another occasion, Jesus rebuked them for allowing their traditions to take precedence over God’s commands (Matthew 15:1–9). They knew the Scriptures, but they struggled to allow the Scriptures to transform them.
The rich young ruler presents another powerful example. He came to Jesus sincerely wanting to know what he must do to inherit eternal life. He had kept the commandments from his youth and appeared to be living a morally upright life. When Jesus exposed the one area he was unwilling to surrender, “he went away sad, because he had great wealth” (Matthew 19:22). His encounter reminds us that sometimes God’s Word does not simply challenge what we know; it challenges what we are holding onto.
David models a very different response. Rather than assuming he already understood everything, he repeatedly prayed, “Teach me your ways, Lord.” He recognised that walking with God was a lifelong journey of learning, correction and growth. His desire was not merely to know God’s commands but to understand and be guided by God’s heart.
A Prayer for a Teachable Heart
As I continue to reflect on this, I find myself praying a simple prayer:
Lord, help me never to use one part of your Word to avoid another. Give me the humility to receive the whole counsel of your Word, even when it challenges my assumptions, my preferences or my way of living. Help me to love your truth enough to let it change me.
Amen!
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Until next time, be blessed.