God's Word was written for us, not to us. This is common sense to anyone who actually reads God's Word and is plain to see throughout the New Testament especially.
For example, the book of Romans was written "To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints." (Romans 1:7) So unless you are living in Rome, that book was not written *to* you. Even if you do live in Rome, are you going to help Phoebe "in whatever she may need from you" (Romans 16:2) or will you "Greet Prisca and Aquila" (Romans 16:3)? Of course not, because Romans was not written *to* you, it was written for you. The same applies to all of God's Word.
Paul addresses each of his letters to a specific church body in a specific location at a specific time period to address specific and general doctrinal issues. We accept his letters as inspired by the Holy Spirit and "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16), however we should not attempt to apply the details of his instructions to our 21st century lives, because they were not written *to* us.
We should consider the purpose of these instructions for the believer at that time, glean principles from them, and apply these principles to our lives. We should do this because God's Word was written *for* us. This requires much study, prayer, and meditation in the power of His Holy Spirit. To attempt to follow the letter of these laws is pure, Pharisaical legalism and is dead works. It requires no power.
Aside from all the specific references to historical figures mentioned above, if you want to follow God's Word legalistically, are you kissing your brother when you greet him according to Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20, 2 Corinthians 13:12, and 1 Thessalonians 5:26? If not, why not?
Proverbs were written in large part to Solomon's son.
If we are to reject the command to greet the brethren with a holy kiss, we can also disregard all of the commands to the churches and the people to whom specific letters were written. We need not pray without ceasing. We don't need to worry about loving our brothers, as it says in 1 John. We don't need to drink up the pure milk of the word, or be bothered to grow by it, as Peter said. We don't need to take up the full armor of God and husbands don't need to love their wives, nor children obey their parents in the Lord, as Paul wrote to the Ephesians. By this obscene doctrine that is presented by this man, who refuses the authority of God's word, there is very little instruction for the church.
Matthew was written to the Jews, Oops There goes your falsely interpreted exceptions.
Mark was written to the Romans.
Luke was written to the Greeks.
The truth is, that while most of the scripture was written to specific groups, each has general principles and commands for all. What is written to each of the churches, is written for the entire church, and there is no excuse for rejecting the authority of the proverbs to guide out lives.
One person has a particular worship issue, and thinks that the failure of a large segment of the church in the United States, to obey one specific command, overrules the command for the church as a whole. That is utter nonsense. He falsely assumes this command is ignored in the rest of the world. It is very common in large portions of the church around the world to obey this crystal clear command, and greet the brethren with a holy kiss.
Yes, there are specific promises to specific groups which have no specific application to today's church. As the saying goes, "Don't throw out the baby with the bath water."
Listen to what Jude says:
Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: 2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. ... But you, beloved, ***remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:*** 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. ..."
The letter, this epistle, is written to every believer.
Psalm 119 is all about the effectiveness of God's word in our lives. There is no specific target group. And keep in mind, gentiles were allowed to come along side the Jews and live among them as one of them if they accepted the faith, and everything written to the Jews was for them as well.
If anyone tries to get you to reject the authority of God's word in your life, or any portion of it, reject that person.
