Relevance

Via Justin Taylor and Douglas Wilson:

John Stott:

To search for [Scripture's] contemporary message without first wrestling with its original meaning is to attempt a forbidden short cut.

• It dishonours God (disregarding his chosen way of revealing himself in particular historical and cultural contexts),
• it misuses his Word (treating it like an almanac or book of magic spells) and
• it misleads his people (confusing them about how to interpret Scripture).

John Stott, Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1982), p. 221.