Luke 6:37-45

Luke 6:38

I was just watching a TV minister that I respect, who teaches the Word of GOD with accuracy, he was teaching about giving, but not in the sense of giving to get. He started in Proverbs 3:5-10 yet he used this scripture to emphasize his point on GOD’s bounty. “Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use it will be measured back to you.” While many take this verse out of context to use it for a financial giving and reward verse, it is in context about self discerning and judging.

“Judge not and you will not be judged. Condemn not and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use it will be measured back to you.” And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will then not both fall into the ditch? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye and do not see the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother let me remove the speck from your eye.’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye. For a good tree does not produce bad fruit; nor does a bad tree produce good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns not do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:37-45

The problem is not in just using certain verses out of the context of the full message to emphasis their point; but that those who do not study or meditate or even read the Bible contextually do not learn and understand what our LORD was teaching. So what happens is that people learn that Luke 6:38 is a financial blessing verse so they think the surrounding verses are also about financial blessings, but they are not. In verse 45 the treasure is not financial but moral, JESUS was teaching that our real wealth is our morality, if our heart’s desire is GOD’s will then we will produce good fruit and bring blessings to others. JESUS was teaching about not judging others, judging ourself, discerning others and getting our life in order so that we can help others.