Greetings B-A-C,
May i add a little more to your thread here?
Sometimes we can have a pre-conceived idea about what certain Scriptures mean and so when we look at other Scriptures we might only see clearly those that support our ideas.
Sometimes we hear what 'everybody' says concerning certain Scripture enough times that we find ourselves in agreement with what the majority say. This is quite often the case very dependent on the denomination we might affiliate with OR the ones we definitely don't want to affiliate with. Certain replies or answers that get regurgitated, we start to regurgitate also. We can also find ourselves in a position of not wanting to 'rock the boat' or go against the commonly accepted 'doctrine', 'teaching' or 'theology' or whatever one wants to call it. [there are a few more technical terms used by those who have learnt what they mean]. So we don't voice what we might see, or even what the Lord reveals to us. For many, they get caught in cult like 'demoninations' and they are oblivious to the fact that they are, by fear of being cast out from God's presence or favour, because of the threats of the 'teachers'. "if you listen to any other teaching contrary to this, you are listening to the devil" "If you leave this 'church' you will go to hell!" or that sort of thing.
In those cult groups, cherry picking is the tactic used to deceive the recruits.
Sometimes we can get 'hard headed' about certain words we read in translations in our language. Here we find that depending on our tongue, that is, our grasp on what certain words or phrases mean, we might find ourselves setting our understanding as if in concrete, but we don't realize that the 'language' used is not according to our dialect, that is, according to the understanding we have of words used, In situations like that we don't so much cherry pick as filter everything or weigh down the Scriptures according to the ideas set in concrete.
While these sorts of scenarios are sadly quite common, most won't ever want to either admit it or else be brave enough to venture into, what is to them, unknown territory of Scripture and revelation of it from the Lord.
There are now thousands of 'teachings' on the internet and often one can read at least two opposing lines of interpretation about any given verse or passage or doctrine. Sometimes many differing takes. We can get 'cherry picking' those, too. The one that tickles my taste buds the most usually get attention. Seldom does one willingly accept or choose anything that might taste bitter and seldom do we want to accept that bitter to the taste is sweet to the stomach, whereas , sweet to the taste is bitter to the stomach, which is what most choose because they only want to 'enjoy' a momentary sweet taste and don't want to have to endure anything bitter, no matter how good it may be for them - they 'can't do it'.
Another messy scenario is when we have a nice cherry but want to lay claim to it as our own 'wisdom' or our 'stand' or our 'belief' and rather than offer it in a way that would be at all appetizing to the hearer, we use it to condemn all that do not agree or to make it the only cherry available and so if you do not agree with my cherry, and only my cherry way of seeing things, you are either in error or a heretic or a wolf or a false prophet or an unsaved brute or a rebellious spirit or even simply one who has not been baptised in the Holy Ghost.
Going back to the generally accepted understanding of passages or verses etc, a classic case is the cherry we find in the account of the two thieves crucified alongside Jesus and the one asking the Lord to remember him. Some groups like to argue that the comma is the problem and that in the original, there were no commas so the 'real' way it should read is today i tell you..... not, i tell you, today.... , but while we can dispute and study and analyse that line of thinking, we miss something else because we have already got some preconceived notion about 'paradise'. Rather than even explore any other possibility of what paradise is in this context, we see instead another argument over what paradise is according to our gleaned 'knowledge'. Meanwhile, back at the ranch..... everybody has gone running and hopping over imaginary fences like sheep do, all following each other, and the Shepherd is left standing there with a sigh.... because He knows now He has to try to get them all back again without rounding up any wolves in sheep's clothing in the process.
As it stands, we use 'paradise' now, having had between umpteen decades and a few hundred years of 'our' understanding of what 'paradise' means and so having been hardened by our long-term traditional take on it, we miss what may be a valuable message in that little cherry we find in the account of the crucifixion of Jesus. Instead we invent a weight of 'Scripture' to settle the matter unattested. But what if we allow ourselves to have our understanding expanded and try to get hold of what it all means from the Scriptural weight of the Bible?
For instance, the word used that we read as 'paradise' means more, 'a park or garden'. What if we keep it simple and take the cherry and savour it before we swallow it and we read it rather revolutionarily as, "Truly, I tell you, Today you will be with Me in the Garden"?
But!!!! That is not right!!!!! [because i have always been led to believe it reads ONLY as 'paradise' ]
But.... let's be brave enough to look at the possibility of what that might mean....
The paradise of God, as it was in the Garden.
Oh no !!!! they all say, almost tearing their clothes in disbelief that such a thing might be uttered! Sour cherries!!! Gnashing of teeth.
So, let's go organic.....
In the Garden, as in the Garden of Eden, there were no poisons and toxins, as such [ IN FACT, the Garden was only 'closed off' from man, but because it was shut to man does not mean it is no longer 'there'. Who walked around the Garden? God.
Now, back to this 'repentant' thief being told he will be with Jesus in the Garden. Does it still seem so far fetched or can we start to see the 'weight of Scripture' working on the pulley's of our minds? We need a little oil, perhaps?
This is something to consider and i do not expect you to swallow it without chewing it over. [Don't choke on the seed or swallow it because you would be better off planting it, in due season.]
But, if we go with this line of understanding, we might return to your original example of 'cherry picking' that you used in this thread, namely of 'keeping the commandments' or as some might extend it to, the Law, and looking to balance the weights in favour of what Scripture tells all who will hear, we can see that in the Garden, Adam was at liberty and, in living, [ no sin = no death], he had but one warning, which boiled down to believing what God told him, having faith in the God Who told him and walking accordingly.
Interestingly, Jesus is the Way and the Door to Life, and He made it quite clear that we need only believe to enter in. We are told elsewhere, enough times, that our access is in believing and trusting in the shed Blood of the Lamb and that same Lamb is mentioned in Revelations, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.... that by grace we can be saved, through faith... faithful believing in Him Who gave His life, Who tasted bitter death, that all who believe would not perish but receive or have everlasting or eternal life..... which is the Life we saw back in the Garden. No laws and no sin. No needing laws, in fact. Man doing as he was created to do. Jesus restoring us, redeeming us back to that which was lost and shut because of one man's sin. Yet, by one Man, we have by God's grace, a rest, eternal and secure, and all those who would practice ungodliness will not be found there.... yet those who seek after and practice righteousness, Jesus style, as the Son of Man, will enter the Kingdom of God and He will be their God and may i be so bold to say, their God, Who walks with them in His Garden, His Paradise, that He has made for His beloved, Who He made in His image.
Is there a 'work' for us to do in order to enter? Perhaps but one. Come to the Cross. Even if you are burdened by the weight of sin, or the weight of the knowledge of good and evil through many years of studying the Bible and hearing condemnation from pulpits... yea... come to the Cross and see that Christ died for you and beckons that you be crucified with Him... in fact, you have already, in that your sentence of guilt has been paid for, fully, once and for all, that you may be set free from the weight that so easily besets you, that you might live under that perfect law of liberty with Him, not any longer in Gethsemane but in Eden.
Have a look around the Garden.... see more fruit on the Tree of Life, Another 'cherry'..... The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ has made me free from the Law of Sin and Death..... O Death, where is your victory. Who in their right mind, the mind of Christ, being transformed, being quickened, would want to be entangled again, would partake of that other tree?
And He sends us into the world.... be in the world but not of it, have your conversation as if in Heaven, go about doing good, plant some of those seeds..... Yes, there are sorcerers without, and dogs.... they might try to bewitch you, they might seek your blood..... but your life is hid in Christ because you have been crucified and raised with Him.
Those who are His do not do wickedly, not because they read it, but because the Life they now live is Christ, Christ in them, the hope of glory. They know their God, they are yoked with Him, the burden lifted, they are at rest from striving and have His Peace. They meet together with other Believers and encourage them reminding each other of who they are in Christ, at times needing to rebuke them sharply and keep them from the fire. Together they can pray, can rejoice, can love one another as Christ loved them. They are the Gospel made manifest for all to see the fruit thereof. And all, not because they are back under the Law to serve it, for Christ in the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes, but because they have indeed tasted and seen that the Lord is good and refuse to serve any other for they know to Whom they belong, Who will not, and does not, leave them comfortless.
Sometimes we get all busy with matters of the law but we so easily forget that there are weightier matters that we ought be busying ourselves with..... the weightier matters of the law..... judgment, mercy, and faith. Had the Scribes and Pharisees done these things, they might have been justified [a debatable suggestion] but, by nature, they were too busy, too entangled, too preoccupied with wanting to be seen and wanting for others to 'do as i say', that they were not inclining their ears, to hearken to the Lord, to make it at all possible that any should enter, swallowing camels instead of enjoying the fruit of the Spirit.... no, they even would prohibit the picking of cherries and more than likely would have said that to eat them on the Sabbath was work because those who eat them must remove the seed... that precious, incorruptible seed, denying anyone should enter into God's rest before them, while all the while not being able to enter themselves.
So, in closing, how do we go about our quoting of Scripture? Perhaps we need ask of our reason and purpose and by so doing, we might better be able to tell a sweet cherry from a sour one?
The stone which was weighty was rolled away. He is risen. Go tell the world of the Resurrection Life that God has for everyone who will believe.
And you who He hath quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; perhaps tell them of the Garden..... and tell them [as we ought also to remind ourselves often].... that it is by grace that ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God
Bless you ....><>
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10
