Weekly Devotional 3-21-22 Changing God’s Word
Recently a friend asked me about a certain denomination; whether it would be a good denomination for him to associate himself with. Turning to Wikipedia, I found that whatever this denomination was in the past it certainly is not Christian today. A denomination that is truly Christian is a denomination that follows the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ. This denomination has left the clear teaching of the Bible, God’s Word, and has adopted practices that are in opposition to His commands.
As I read Wikipedia’s information about this denomination, I began thinking about others who claim to be Christian, but their practices and teaching are far from what the Bible proclaims. Now there are some who will say that the Bible is a living document, that is, if the human writers were alive today their message would be different than when they penned their first-century messages. They should be reminded, it was not their messages, but God’s message and His message does not change. For instance, the writer of Hebrews tells us, “1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2a has in these last days spoken to us by His Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2a). The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2nd Timothy 3:16a). Every word of the Bible therefore was not sourced in man, but in God. Peter confirmed this in his second letter to those who had been dispersed into the lands of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia see (1st Peter 1:1-3).
Peter wrote, “19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2nd Peter 1:19-21).
Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). In context, within the week Jesus would be crucified, He was assuring His disciples that His death would not be the end of His kingdom. What He had told them would come to pass. During the next 40 days following His resurrection and before His ascension into heaven, He did not change His message. What He told them was decreed and it would not change forever. Paul wrote, “8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8-9).
Paul’s Gospel was Jesus’ Gospel. They were and are one and the same. He confirmed this by what he wrote next, “10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. 11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ” (vv. 10-12).
In that Paul spoke with the authority of God, and Jesus being God, it would do well for all who claim to be Christian to not change what God has said. The denomination spoken of above has done just that. According to Wikipedia, they name the name of Christ, saying that salvation is of Him, but they deny His authority over them. That denomination has changed His word to fit the world of our day.
This denomination asked about by my friend is not peculiar. Many other denominations have also changed the Word of God to fit their worldview of our Holy God. May it not be so with your or with my denomination. May God give us the gift of discernment as we progress down the path.
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