When Scripture Is Twisted for Personal Gain

One of the earliest and most dangerous tactics used against the people of God is the twisting of Scripture. It does not begin with rejecting the Word but with altering it just enough to distort its meaning. Satan himself used Scripture when tempting Jesus, yet he quoted it in a way that served his agenda instead of God’s truth. This pattern continues today through false preachers who misuse the Bible to justify greed, deceive believers, or elevate themselves.

Peter warned the church that some people “wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction” in 2 Peter 3:16. To wrest Scripture means to bend it, twist it, or force it to say something it was never intended to say. False teachers do not rely on the authority of the Word itself, so they must manipulate it to support their teachings, agendas, and promises. When Scripture becomes a tool for personal advantage, it ceases to bring life and instead becomes a snare.

A common motive behind twisting the Bible is financial gain. Paul warned Timothy that corrupt teachers would arise, using religion as a means of profit. He said that some would suppose “that gain is godliness” in 1 Timothy 6:5. These teachers often isolate scriptures about blessing while ignoring the scriptures about repentance, holiness, self-denial, and suffering for Christ. The full gospel transforms the soul. A selective gospel enriches the preacher.

Another motive is to justify sin. Instead of calling people to repentance, false preachers soften or alter the Word to make people comfortable in rebellion. Jude warned that certain men would turn “the grace of our God into lasciviousness” in Jude 1:4. Twisting grace to excuse immorality is one of the most destructive forms of deception, because it makes sin appear righteous and repentance unnecessary.

Scripture is also twisted for the sake of power and control. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because they used the Law to burden people while refusing to help them. They appeared righteous while exploiting others. Jesus said in Matthew 23:4, “They bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne and lay them on men’s shoulders.” Instead of freeing people with truth, they weaponized Scripture to dominate them.

The antidote to scriptural distortion is not emotionalism but understanding. God expects His people to know His Word so they may not be easily manipulated. Hosea 4:6 declares, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Believers who do not study the Bible for themselves become vulnerable to any voice that sounds spiritual. It is not enough to hear Scripture quoted. It must be interpreted in context, aligned with the whole counsel of God, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Paul commended the believers in Berea because they tested the teachings they received. Acts 17:11 states that they “searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so.” True discernment compares every sermon, prophecy, or teaching against the Word of God. Scripture is not measured by the preacher. The preacher is measured by Scripture.

The Word of God is pure, complete, and powerful. It does not need modification, exaggeration, or manipulation. When it is preached truthfully, it convicts, renews, and transforms. When it is twisted, it confuses, corrupts, and destroys. The responsibility of every believer is to be a hearer and doer of the Word so that no counterfeit teaching may take root.