The Fallacy of Proof-Texting
Here, Floyd uses Genesis 1:26-28, 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, Matthew 25:14-30 to correctly follow “God is the owner of everything” by accurately declaring “we own absolutely nothing.” He uses Genesis 1:26-28 to correctly show that God owns all and entrusts us to manage or steward His creation: “Understand clearly: God is entrusting you with everything you have in your life; not for your personal ownership, but for you to demonstrate your stewardship.” (Floyd, 30) To further the point that we do not even own our own lives, he references 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “’Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.’ (CSB).” (Floyd, 32)
The second fallacy influences adherence to the required at least 10% tithe and relies on proof-texting. As Floyd addresses 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, Matthew 25:14-30, he begins using what is commonly known as, proof-texting. This is the common practice of taking a word or verse(s) of Scripture out of its original context and using it to prove a point. A humorous example of this would be if I tried to proof-text a belief in the biblical validity of suicide I could say that Jesus said to Judas, “’What you are about to do, do quickly’” (John 13:27) and Judas “went away and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:5) and that Jesus told the expert in the law, “’Go and do likewise.’” (Luke 10:37) So, “bingo,” biblical proof of the validity of suicide. While comical, this practice is more common than we admit and further elevates tone over truth.
How about the verse often quoted to insist that believers can do anything they dream or desire: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Let’s take a look at the actual context in surrounding this verse in vv 8-20. We see Paul concluding his letter to the Philippians by both encouraging them in holiness and expressing thankfulness in their gifts to him as well as his appreciation for their sharing in his sufferings:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Nowhere in this text do we understand Paul to claim a Joel Osteen-type of “pie-in-the -sky” promise of health, wealth and limitless fulfilled dreams for believers, but this verse is often used, through proof-texting, to do just that.
In dealing with I Corinthians 4:1-2, Floyd directly uses proof-texting in answering the question, “What does God require of us”:
God requires from us, as v. 2 says, to be found “faithful.” This means we are to be faithful, committed to what God asks us to do. We do not represent ourselves or others, but God. God rules ultimately, not us. We lean on Him for wisdom and trust Him for the power to be faithful stewards to carry out His will and commands. Faithful means dependable. God can depend on us in the way we handle little things and the way we handle big things. God demands our faithfulness.
Ronnie Floyd. TEN PERCENT: A Call to Biblical Stewardship (Nashville: Convention Press and Ronnie W. Floyd, 2020), 33.
Regrettably, Floyd removes the word “faithful” from its context here to make a point.“Faithful” in what? The context here clearly states we are to be “faithful/trustworthy” (πιστός v. 2) in the “mysteries of God” (οἰκονόμους μυστηρίων θεοῦ v. 1): “This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” The broader context from chapters 1-5 reveals Paul’s stern warnings to the Corinthians regarding their problem of sectarianism (1:10-17) caused by their misunderstanding of the nature of the Gospel and lack of wisdom (1:18-2:16) which resulted in their spiritual immaturity (3:1-9) and an acceptance of worldly wisdom and loss of heavenly rewards (3:10-23). It is in 4:1-2 where Paul lays out the solution to their problem- being faithful stewards of the mysteries of God. While Paul addresses being “stewards” (οἰκονόμοις) and the crucial nature of being “faithful,” the clear context is not dealing with financial stewardship but doctrinal stewardship.
In further use of proof-texting in dealing with Matthew 25:14-30 Floyd asserts, “Stewardship is the practice of managing properly all that God has entrusted to us; whether it be time, talents, money, resources, influence, or our total lives.” (Floyd, 33) Examination of the parable of the talents here reveals an emphasis on faithfulness rather than results of being faithful as the one with five talents receives the same result as the one with two. Also, the word “talents” (τάλαντα) is actually a measure of monetary weight and not a broader modern concept of natural abilities or gifts. So, this parable cannot be used for his broader assertion on stewardship.
In conclusion to sermon 2, Floyd suggests using an illustration of a reception of “good service” and provides his own as a “reference.” (Floyd, 34-25) He mentions restaurant servers one time that provided such service that, as he reflected, “met my every need.” He then claimed, “Good servers don’t just sit and wait. Good servers realize the best tips come as a result of active, effective service! Their job is serving tables. Their reward is based upon their faithful service.” (Floyd, 35) While this provides a valid description of the earthly work/reward dynamic in capitalism, it both reinforces this erroneous broader assertion on stewardship and seems to contradict Floyd’s earlier assertion in his introduction to sermon 1:
I did not say you would get rich. I did not say you would be healthy for the rest of your life. By no means do we believe or preach a health and wealth philosophy…what some call a prosperity gospel. What I did say is that these biblical principles will change your life. You will enter into an attitude of peace, contentment, and blessing. You will be a blessing to other people. You will live a life of certainty over a life of uncertainty.’
Ronnie Floyd. TEN PERCENT: A Call to Biblical Stewardship (Nashville: Convention Press and Ronnie W. Floyd, 2020), 14.
So, there appears to be a dual and contradictory position presented here that tithing is BOTH a work (tithing)/reward-based requirement with a verifiable financial reward for obedience AND a requirement with a verifiable non-financial reward of things such as “peace” and “contentment.” Sadly, the “prosperity gospel” foundation remains a strict adherence to tithing from its adherents in support of their work/reward structures. Here, Floyd appears to broadly deny acceptance of this unbiblical foundation then clearly delineates his acceptance of it personally and practically. Again, further evidence that truth is being replaced by a focus on tone.
The companion small group lesson to sermon 2 continues to proof-text this acceptance. While Floyd correctly demonstrates the word “seek” in Matthew 6:33 and “require” in 1 Corinthians 4:2 and Luke 12:48 (Floyd, 39) are the same in Greek, ζητέω, he incorrectly removes this word from its context in Matthew and redefines “all these things” (ταῦτα πάντα). While, indeed, ζητέω means both to seek something and to express a striving to get something done or expressing a desire or demand, its usage depends on context. First, what is the context of “seek” in the Matthew passage? Chapter 6 is within Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount,” and the immediate context of v 33 is His discussion on handling perceptions on wealth and well-being. Starting in v 19, Jesus makes the following statements:
‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ’(vv. 19-21)
‘No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.’ (v. 24)
‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?’ (vv. 25-26)
‘So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’ (vv. 31-34)
So, we are to seek “his kingdom and his righteousness” and “all these things” will be given. All what things?- life, food, clothing. Again, there is no mention of a work (tithing)/reward dynamic here either. In the small group lesson on sermon 2, Floyd, however, incorrectly links “all these things” to stewardship when his two bullet points for Matthew 6:33 ask what does this “refer to in the context of what He had just taught?” and states “Stewards and their stewardship is one of the most frequent subjects in Jesus’ parables.” (Floyd, 39) Even though Floyd provides answers to most of the questions in this lesson, he cannot directly answer his own question here because it would not fit into his continued reliance on this work(tithing)/reward dynamic.
Second, what is the context of “require” in Luke 12:48? Well, Floyd insists that the “insight” we gain from the use of “require” in this verse is “God seeks to bless the one who seeks to bless God.” (Floyd, 39) So, does the context of this verse support this “insight”- No! Starting in vv. 22-34 Jesus provides similar statements regarding the perception on wealth and well-being as we observe earlier in Matthew 6:19-34. Then Jesus continues tells the parable of the “Expectant Steward” in Luke 12:35-40:
‘Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.’
The context of Floyd’s proof-texting verse, v. 48, is Jesus’ parable on the “Faithful Steward.” Starting in vv. 41-48, we find a different description on stewardship than Floyd suggests:
Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?” The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.’
After this, Jesus declares in vv. 49-53:
‘I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’
So, how do we get and stay “ready” (v. 40)? Is it through tithing?- No! Nowhere in these passages does Jesus insist on tithing but He requires that we ready our hearts for His return through seeking His kingdom first and continuing to relying on Him for our earthly provisions. How can we remain in a perpetual state of tithing? we can’t! Therefore, it is only through proof-texting rather than truth that Floyd arrives at his work(tithing)/reward “insight” here that “God seeks to bless the one who seeks to bless God.” (Floyd, 39)