Cutting Up The Word of God

Cutting Up The Word of God

“And it happened when Jehudi had read three or four columns that the

king cut it with the scribe’s knife and cast it into the fire that was on the

hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the

hearth” (Jeremiah 36:22)

Cutting Up the Word of God

• Many today, like Jehoiakim, are dissatisfied with God’s word

• Many exalt themselves over God’s word and reject it (Prov. 1:29-30)

The Bible is Special

• We are to stand in awe of it Psa. 119:161

• We are to tremble at it Isa. 66:2,5

• We are to speak it faithfully Jer. 23:28

• We are to search it Acts 17:11

• We are to speak it boldly Acts 4:29, 31

• We are to preach it Acts 8:25

• We are to receive it Acts 11:1

• We are to glorify it Acts 13:48

• We are to teach it Acts 18:11

• We are to obey it I Pet. 3:1

• We are to handle it correctly 2 Tim. 2:15

• We are to do what it says Jas. 1:22-23

• We are to suffer for it Rev. 1:9

• We are not to use man’s wisdom with it (1 Cor. 2:4,13)

• We are not to use it deceitfully (2 Cor. 4:2)

• We are not to alter it (Rev. 22:18-19)

The Bible is Special

Four Ways to Cut Up the Word of God Today

• Continuous, or Latter-day Revelations

• Traditions and Creeds of Men

• Altering the Scriptures

• Liberalism

Continuous or Latter Day Revelations

• Mormonism – believes the Bible to be the word of God as it is translated correctly; the Bible is not enough (2 Nephi 29); the Book of Mormon is the word of God

• Seventh Day Adventism – believes that the writings of founder Ellen G. White to be inspired and equal to the Bible

• All latter-day revelations – if true, they are not new; if new, they are not true (Gal. 1:6-9; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Jude 3)

Traditions of Men(Catholics)

• Council of Trent (A.D. 1545) – the scriptures do not contain all truth; tradition is also truth

• James Cardinal Gibbons – Faith of Our Fathers – old edition – p.111 “The Scriptures alone do not explicitly enjoin all the duties a Christian is obliged to practice.”

• James Cardinal Gibbons – ibid. p. 112 “…scripture does not contain all the truths necessary for salvation.”

• Infant baptism• Sprinkling and pouring as a substitute for

baptism (immersion)• Mechanical instruments of music• Titles, clergy, women ministers• Lord’s supper quarterly• Faith only salvation• Tithing, bake sales, etc.• Political, social works• Hierarchal church structure

Traditions of Men(Protestants)

• We’ve always done it that way

• Faithful brethren, or well-known preachers have done it that way

• The pioneers of the restoration did it that way

• Look at the “good” it will do

Traditions of Men(Churches of Christ)

Human Traditions Are Condemned in the Scriptures

• Matt. 15:3 – “He answered and said to them, ‘Why do you transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?” (see also verse 9)

• Col. 2:8 – “Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ”

Corrupting the Scripturesby Adding to Them

• Deut. 4:2 “You shall not add to the word which I command you.”

• Deut. 12:32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it…”

• Rev. 22:18 “If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues…”

Corrupting the Scripturesby Taking Away from Them

• Deut. 4:2 “…nor take away from it that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.”

• Deut. 12:32 “…nor take away from it.”

• Rev. 22:19 “and if anyone takes away from the words of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life…”

Corrupting the Scriptures by Using Liberal Arguments

• Liberalism considers the Bible a fallible, human book with errors (Ac. 1:1-4)

• Liberalism believes the Bible is just a book of history (Jn. 12:48)

• Liberalism denies Bible truths (Jn. 17:17)• Liberalism robs the Bible of its miraculous

power (2 Tim. 3:16)• Liberalism takes out all limitations from

the Bible (2 Jn. 9)

The Bible Should Be Special to All People

• God will not allow his word to be cut up and destroyed (Jer. 36:27-32; 1 Pet. 1:25)

• Are you studying God’s word regularly in order that you can appreciate its value?

• Do you know God’s word well enough that you can identify any corruptions to it?

• Do you fully believe that God’s word, and our obedience to it, is what will save us?