by Bill Brinkworth -
September 1, 2009 (used with permission)
There is teaching that is at the crux of why many disobey God, and it has been the cause of many deaths and tragedies since man’s beginning. This doctrine insists that the Bible is not the only means of instructions from God to man. In its place, religions add to or interject their own writings, teachings, traditions, and even their own ideas. Many even integrate these with the Bible, but still it only leaves “… a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof ...” (2 Timothy 3:5). Watered-down religion or one with non-biblical beliefs does not have the full power that total obedience to the Bible would bring.
Mormonism adds their Book of Mormon, along with some usage of the Bible. Jehovah Witnesses also add their pamphlets and Watchtower publications to their edited “bible”. Roman Catholicism adds traditions of the church, catechisms, leadership of the Pope, and other church hierarchy to their own edition of the Bible. Islam rejects the Bible by using their own Quran (although some of it contains some of what Mohammed learned from the Word of God and the Jews). There are some additional teachings taught in some Baptist and Protestant churches. Too many add something; rather than put all their faith and obedience in the Word of God only.
The King James Bible clearly states in 2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” The root of the word “inspiration” is “inspire.” “Inspire” means “to breathe into”. The entire Bible is breathed into by God. His truth is breathed into it. His likes and dislikes, desires for us, and the way for us to live are breathed into the Book that He has preserved for us from man’s beginning. The Bible teaches us all God wants us to know. God was not absent-minded and forgot to add something or had the wrong word recorded. The doctrines within the Bible’s pages tell us when we are wrong, and tell us how to live correctly. Adding to the Word of God, or even subtracting from it, negates what God “breathed” into.
Forty-eight times the King James refers to the “word of God.” Two hundred and fifty-six times the “word of the Lord” is mentioned. The same God that spake to His people in the past breathed into the copy we have preserved for us today. Just the fact that it is called “the Word of God” should make one shudder at changing it or adding other teachings. If God has recorded His Word for us to have today, what business does any man, leader, or religion have in altering or adding to it?
God said in Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” He promised that we would always have His Word with us. It has always baffled me that folks would believe that their religion’s recent additions or traditions could be from God when they were not always with us; as Isaiah 40:8 promised His Word would be.
The biblical writer, Paul, also had similar problems with people adding more to their beliefs other than the scriptures. When the Apostle Paul wrote to Titus he wanted the Cretians reminded not to give “heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth” (Titus 1:14). Paul boldly called them “liars” and “evil beasts” for their adding to what the Word of God taught. Although they said they knew God, Paul discerned they were denying God by their disobedience to the Word of God only (Titus 1:16).
Today, as God’s tolerance of man’s sin is nearing an end, we are facing more and more of changed doctrine — just as the Bible prophesied! In 2 Timothy 4:3-4 we were forewarned, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” More people are changing from pure, Bible-only teaching to adding things as they see fit.
The act of diluting, distorting, and adding to the Word of God is certainly confusing many today. Intellectuals and “scholars” are swaying many to their traditions and beliefs with their different translations, revisions, and interpretations of the Bible. The key to easily understanding who is probably behind the different bibles is in the word “confusion” Since “… God is not the author of confusion.” (1 Corinthians 14:33), it cannot be He that is behind the altering of His Word in the over 200 different English bibles in the last 75 years. Although, the count varies depending on who counts and how it is counted, it is safe to say that there are 10,000’s of words changed or omitted in the new versions; such as the New International version (NIV), New King James Version, and other perversions of God’s Word..
It probably is the same influence that got Adam and Eve to question what God really had said in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1) – “… Yea, hath God said …” The same Satan that got the first man and woman to question God’s commandment is hard at work in changing God’s Word today and getting modern man to doubt it. Not one of the modern perversions of God’s word says exactly the same as another, and not one agrees with what the oldest, preserved King James says — including the New King James Version. Satan knows he can confuse man regarding what God wants if the Word of God is changed or hidden from him. A God that never changes would not breathe differently into the different translations, revisions, and interpretations; as the publishers of the many bibles would like us to believe.
If one word of the Bible were to be changed, that would be serious non-preservation of God’s Word. Yet 10,000’s? God is certainly not changing His teachings all the time. As the title of Dr. Mickey Carter’s book on biblical preservation states, Things That Are Different Are Not the Same.
We are to read, believe, and obey only the Word of God. We are not to add nor subtract (Deut. 4:2, Prov. 30:5-6, Rev. 22:18-19) any teachings from His Word as preserved in the King James Bible. If it is done, we will not get God’s full guidance and message. God’s Word should be the only word that guides us through this life and into the next eternal one! After all, it is His Heaven and His eternity; only He knows all about it!
“God’s Word is pure and sure, in spite of the Devil, in spite of your fear, in spite of everything.” — R. A. Torrey
