As I said in my initial response here, a text, out of context, is a pretext.
With such in mind, I might as well get this party (or lynching) started by giving an actual example of what I mean.
There are so many different verses of scripture that I've heard "quoted" totally out of context over the years, but this one might be the one that I've heard pulled out of context the most, so it's the one that I'm going to comment on now.
In context, the verse that I'm about to cite has an EXTREMELY NEGATIVE MEANING.
How extremely negative?
So extremely negative that it's actually describing why certain people were not saved, but lost instead.
However, I've personally heard this verse "quoted" totally out of context dozens of times (at least) where it has wrongly been given an EXTREMELY POSITIVE MEANING instead.
(He pauses momentarily to strap on his spiritual armor)
Without further ado, here is the verse that I'm referring to:
"For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:" (Isaiah 28:10)
Before documenting its actual meaning in context, let me tell you how I've heard this verse interpreted/used by professing Christians dozens (at least) of times over the last 33 1/2 years since I became a Christian.
Every single time I've ever heard it "quoted", it's been used in a positive sense or in the sense that we, as Christians, basically need to form our beliefs or lay out our arguments by having "precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little". In other words, we take a portion of scripture from here, and add it to a portion of scripture from somewhere else, etc., etc., and then we form our beliefs or present our arguments accordingly.
Now, unless I'm living on a completely different planet than the rest of you, I have to believe that at least one of you has heard this portion of scripture interpreted/used in this manner, and some of you may have interpreted it or used it in exactly this manner yourselves.
Here's the problem.
This is not at all what it means in context, and, again, it actually has an EXTREMELY NEGATIVE MEANING as I'll now document.
Here is the verse when it's NOT cherry-picked out of context, but when it's actually read in context:
Isaiah chapter 28
[9] Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
[10] For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
[11] For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
[12] To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
[13] But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
IN CONTEXT, this verse is actually talking about certain Jews who "would not hear", and who refused the rest wherewith God causes the weary to rest, and the refreshing, THAT THEY MIGHT GO, AND FALL BACKWARD, AND BE BROKEN, AND SNARED, AND TAKEN.
Got it?
In fact, this "rest" is the rest that is found in Christ whom they rejected while seeking to be justified by the law instead or while following "precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little".
Matthew chapter 11
[28] Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
[29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
[30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Furthermore, Paul quoted Isaiah 28:11 in his first epistle to the Corinthians in relation to the gift of speaking in tongues when he said:
I Corinthians chapter 14
[21] In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
[22] Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
Again, IN CONTEXT, Isaiah 28:10 is talking about certain Jews who not only rejected the rest which is found only in Christ while embracing the law instead, but who also missed the refreshing of the Holy Spirit because they would not hear, and whose end was to GO, AND FALL BACKWARD, AND BE BROKEN, AND SNARED, AND TAKEN.
Here's the saddest part of all that I'll say in this post:
I've personally pointed this out to dozens (at least) of professing Christians over the last 33 1/2 years, and not one of them could care less.
Does that describe you?
Do you believe that you're at liberty to just make God's word say whatever you want it to say?
Have you no fear of God whatsoever?
Anyhow, this is but one of dozens of examples of cherry-picking a verse out of its actual context that I could give.
Let the chips (or the hand grenades) fall where they may...