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📖 A Lesson in Preaching

Early in my ministry, I was assigned to share a message. I opened my Bible, thought of a theme I wanted to preach, and then searched for verses that seemed to support my idea. The message came together, and at the time, I felt confident—it seemed to go well.

But later, I began listening to faithful preachers expound on the very same passages I had used. To my surprise, their sermons were strikingly different from mine. While my message felt pieced together, theirs carried depth, clarity, and consistency that I couldn’t ignore.

Curious, I started watching men known for their credibility and faithfulness in preaching—John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, James White, John Piper, and others. What stood out to me was that although their styles varied, their messages rarely contradicted one another. They consistently drew out the same truths from Scripture.

That contrast made me ask: Why does my preaching sound so different from theirs?

It was then that I discovered the problem. I had been practicing what’s called proof-texting—starting with my own idea and then pulling verses to support it. These preachers, however, weren’t bending Scripture to fit their thoughts. They were practicing hermeneutics and exegesis—carefully interpreting the text in its context and letting God’s Word itself set the agenda.

That realization changed everything for me. I learned that faithful preaching doesn’t begin with our ideas; it begins with Scripture. And when we handle the Word rightly, the truth shines with a consistency that transcends personalities and styles—because it is God’s truth, not ours.

❓ What Is Proof-Texting?

Proof-texting is the practice of pulling verses out of context to support a point we already want to make. Instead of letting Scripture speak, we use it as a tool to back up our own ideas.

At first glance, this might not seem harmful—after all, we’re still quoting the Bible. But in reality, proof-texting undermines the authority of God’s Word. It treats Scripture as a collection of slogans rather than the living revelation of God.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” —2 Timothy 3:16–17

Notice Paul doesn’t say “some verses” or “whatever fits your idea.” He says all Scripture—meaning the whole counsel of God is necessary for faithful teaching.

⚠️ Why Proof-Texting Is Dangerous

1️⃣ It Distorts God’s Word

The Bible is not a grab bag of inspirational one-liners. Each verse belongs to a larger context—whether a covenant, a narrative, a prophecy, or an apostolic teaching. When verses are ripped from their setting, they can be made to say things God never intended.

Reformed theology emphasizes the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). Proof-texting reduces Scripture to fragments, robbing it of its richness and coherence.

2️⃣ It Elevates Human Opinion Over Divine Authority

Proof-texting often begins with what we want to say, then searches for verses to back it up. This is manipulative because it bends God’s Word to fit our agenda.

Faithful preaching, however, is expository—it unfolds what God has already said.

“The whole counsel of God…is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture.” —Westminster Confession of Faith 1.6

The preacher’s task is not to win arguments but to proclaim God’s truth.

3️⃣ It Weakens Biblical Literacy

When sermons rely on isolated verses, listeners never learn how to read the Bible as a unified story of redemption. They miss the depth of covenant theology, the unfolding of God’s promises, and the Christ-centered unity of Scripture.

The Bereans in Acts 17:11 were commended because they examined the Scriptures daily to see if Paul’s teaching was true. That kind of careful study is impossible if we only hear verses in isolation.

📚 The Reformed Alternative: Expository Preaching

Instead of proof-texting, Reformed preaching begins with Scripture itself. The text sets the agenda, not the preacher’s imagination. The goal is to let God’s Word shape the sermon, showing how each passage fits into the grand narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.

This approach honors the authority of Scripture, protects the church from error, and builds believers who know how to handle God’s Word with care.

“They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.” —Nehemiah 8:8

That is the essence of expository preaching—reading, explaining, and applying God’s Word in its context.

🛡️ How to Avoid Proof-Texting in Your Own Study

Here are some practical steps to guard against proof-texting:

• 📖 Start with the text, not your idea. Let Scripture set the agenda. Ask: What does this passage say? before asking How does this apply to me?
• 🔍 Read in context. Study the verses before and after, the chapter, and even the book as a whole. Scripture interprets Scripture.
• ✍️ Practice exegesis, not eisegesis. Exegesis means drawing meaning out of the text; eisegesis means reading your own ideas into the text.
• 🕰️ Use sound hermeneutics. Consider the genre, audience, historical background, and covenantal framework of the passage.
• 🎙️ Compare with faithful teachers. Listen to trusted preachers and theologians. If your interpretation consistently contradicts theirs, it may be a sign you’re bending the text.
• 🙏 Pray for humility. Ask the Spirit to guard you from pride and to open your eyes to God’s truth, not your own.

✨ Conclusion

That early lesson in ministry taught me something I’ll never forget: faithful preaching doesn’t begin with our ideas—it begins with God’s Word. Proof-texting may sound biblical, but it distorts, manipulates, and weakens the church.

The Reformed tradition calls us back to Scripture itself. A good sermon doesn’t just use the Bible—it teaches it. And when we let God’s Word speak in its fullness, His truth shines with a consistency that transcends personalities and styles—because it is God’s truth, not ours.