What is 'proof text'?

[Elzee]

I see this term a lot and I know this is a very basic question, but what does it mean to ’ proof text’? (I just saw a response on another thread where someone quoted a verse to prove salvation by faith alone and the responder said something like ‘can’t proof text’. Does it mean you just can’t take one verse to prove a theory?) Anyone know where the term originated? Thank you!

 

[piety101]

Elzee

There is no individual “proof text” for any doctrinal subject in the bible. Rather ALL the scriptures pertaining to a subject must be consulted before one reaches a scriptural conclusion. Evangelicals are notorious for taking ISOLATED texts of scriptures and propping up a straw man to support their faith alone doctrine of salvation. Acts 16:31 is a prime example.
But is this the only scripture in the New Testament that speaks about being saved and receiving remission of sins and being born again. No, it isn't. Mk 16:16, Acts 2:38 and John 3:3-5 show this is not the case at all. This is how we must confront those who would pull out so called proof texts to bolster their false doctrines.

 

[Dan-Man916]

the problem with proof text is that it assumes a particular interpretation of the bible.

Just because people cite Romans 10:9 as proof text for Once saved always saved, doesn’t mean that their particular interpretation of Romans 10:9 is correct (or any other verse for that matter.

Scripture cannot be interpreted in a vacuum, and it certainly cannot be interpreted on it’s own. Nowhere does the Scripture say that it is self interpretive.
Some evangelicals use 2 Tim 3:16 to say its self interpretive and a proof text for the bible alone.
But if you really read the exact words, it’s the **interpretation **that they’re trying to peddle, not the text itself.