Tuesday, December 30, 2008

I bear witness to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If Anyone Should Add [Words] To It, God Will Add To Him The Plagues That Are Written In This Book, And If Anyone Should Take Away From The Words Of The Book Of This Prophecy, God Will Take Away His Part In The Tree Of Life and in the holy city, things that are written in this book. Rev. 22:18, 19.

We noticed in the previous day's reading that the Bible, as it reads, has been fitted by God for its purpose. To tamper with it, to ignore one part or another, would be to interfere with its divine mission. Having said that, I doubt that very many people have ever done this intentionally. Most of us sense that it would be wrong to cut large portions out of the Bible or add things that we or someone else had written. That kind of tampering is not really a major threat.

What concerns me more is the way we often add to or subtract from the Bible without even realizing that we are doing so. For example, take a passage such as Matthew 6:25-34. It tells us not to worry about our lives-what we will seat, drink, or wear. It even suggests that to spend a lot of time in anxiety about such things indicates weak faith (verse 30). Taken by itself, such texts can read well-meaning Christians to conclude that whenever they are depressed, anxious about the future, or feel stressed, it indicates something wrong with them spiritually.

The bigger picture of the Bible, however, tells us that even the most faithful of God's servants have had episodes of depression, anxiety, and stress. Fueled by pain and depression, Job says some nasty things about God (Job 9:16-24; 10:3-17; 27:1-6)! Was there something wrong with him spiritually? His friends thought so (Job 8; 15:5, 6; 22:1-11). But God recognized differently. He said there was no one like Job in all the earth(Job 2:3;42:7)!

Elijah became deeply fearful and depressed after his victory on Mount Carmel (1Kings 19:3, 4). Did the Lord abandon Him? Absolutely not (verses 5-18). Paul came under such pressure that he was convinced his life was over (2Cor. 1:8, 9). was there something wrong with him spiritually? No, God continued to work with him (verses 9-11). Even Jesus felt deeply troubled emotionally on more than one occasion (Mark 14:32-34; John 11:33, 38; 12:27). Was there something wrong with Him spiritually?

Revelation 22:18, 19 implies that before we assert, "The Bible says," it would be wise to read everything Scripture has to say on the subject. Whenever we take isolated texts and use them to support our ideas, we run the danger of adding to or subtracting from the Word of God.

Lord, I don't want to add or subtract from the Bible's picture of You. I want to be attentive to Your whold counsel and not give distorted pictures of You to others.

Singleness of purpose, wholehearted devotion to God, is the condition pointed out by the Saviour's words. Let the purpose be sincere and unwavering to discern the truth and to obey it at whatever cost, and you will receive divine enlightenment(TFMB 91).