All Scripture Is for You, but Not All Scripture Is to You

Imagine sitting down to write a personal, intimate letter of instruction to a loved one. You put pen to paper, carefully addressing the recipient of the letter, and record your heart’s thoughts. Once completed, you seal the letter in an envelope, address it to your intended audience, apply the necessary postage, and entrust the postman for its proper delivery. Yet, something goes awry during delivery as the letter is inadvertently opened by someone other than the person to whom it was specifically intended.

What could be the consequences if that letter was not only opened by the wrong individual but also presumed by that person to address him or her directly? This individual might benefit from the letter, yet there could be some things within the letter pertinent only to the intended recipient. In fact, reading someone else’s mail could bring forth some unexpected outcomes should the reader indiscriminately apply every aspect of the letter to himself. The fact is that if misapplied by the wrong audience, some parts of the letter may turn out to be quite problematic. Now consider these same principles as they relate to scripture.

In essence, every portion of scripture serves as a personal letter, message, or epistle from God written to and focused upon a primary intended audience. This is not to imply that others outside God’s primary audience cannot benefit in some way from every portion of scripture. However, individuals and groups outside of God’s intended audience should realize that portions of the letter do not directly apply to them. For this reason, identifying God’s intended audience becomes as crucial as identifying the God-appointed spokesman. It is important to note that regardless of the reader, the biblical admonition applies that “All scripture … is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).