Be Careful with Those Quotes

I was providing a reference for a ministry student this week to a Bible college. Out of curiosity, I checked the institution’s statement of faith. All seemed well until I got to the section on final things. It appears like this:

We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value. Of the Resurrection, we believe that Christ rose bodily “The third day according to the Scriptures”; that He ascended “to the right hand of the throne of God”; that He alone is our “merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God”; “that this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven,” bodily, personally, and visibly; that the “dead in Christ shall rise first”; that the living saints “shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump”; “that the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David”; and that “Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under His feet.”

Psalm 72:8;

Isaiah 11:4-5;

Matthew 24:27,42;

Matthew 28:6-7;

Mark 16:6,19;

Luke 1:32; 24:2,4-6,39,51;

John 14:3;

John 20:27;

Acts 1:9,11;

1 Corinthians 15:4;

Philippians 4:20;

1 Thessalonians 4:16;

1 Timothy 2:5;

Hebrews 2:17; 5:9; 8:1; 9:28; 12:2

Do you see it? Every statement in quotes can be connected to a verse in Scripture. Except one. The last phrase, in quotes like the seven Scripture verses before, is not a single passage of Scripture. It is a paraphrased conglomeration of Revelation 20:4,6 (well, close anyway), Psalm 9:8; 96:13; Acts 17:31; Revelation 19:11 (if we replace “judge” with “reign”), and 1 Corinthians 15:25 (this one’s the most accurate). I don’t mind summary statements of biblical doctrine, but don’t put it in quotes like your summary is Scripture, especially when it’s the eighth phrase in quotes and all the others are clearly Scripture! Further, none of the proof-texts for the statement match the final phrase. I can almost ascribe to the phrase: I believe it is happening now (that Jesus is reigning during this Gospel Age, putting His enemies under His feet). Right or not, though, don’t put it in quotes like you are referencing a single verse (as in the case of the previous seven quoted phrases).

I know oversights happen. I also know many people don’t seem to know how to use quotation marks properly. This could be a harmless thing, and I have no trouble granting that.

Here’s the point I want to make about it, though: I believe doctrinal statements/confessions are good things, but don’t equate them with Scripture. Don’t give the impression that your interpretation has even close to equal standing with the Bible itself – especially in areas like eschatology.

Mildly-concerned rant over. Thanks.