Mark Twain is quoted as saying, “Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please”. Unfortunately, through the centuries, many people have taken the facts of the Bible and have distorted them as much as they have pleased. If distorting facts can lead to much trouble as it pertains to earthly matters, how much more so when considering the eternal?
Indeed there are warnings in the Scriptures about distorting the truth of God’s Word. Two such instances are:
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at[a] His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5
So as believers, what are we to take from these warnings?
- God takes His Word very seriously.
- His Word is complete. Man need not add anything to it or take anything away from it. To do so it to position oneself for judgment.
- That we should always be ready to share God’s Word with others and to do it accurately.
- That the world will seek after a version of God’s Word that is pleasing to the ear, but a gross distortion just the same.
- We are not to be passive defenders of the Truth, but we are to rebuke those who profane the Truth.
The sad truth is that many have turned away from the Truth and turned aside to fables. I wonder how many people have received a water-down or inaccurate version of the truth of God’s Word and have either believed it, or vowed never to have anything to do with God again. How many people now live under the false-gospel of good works, believing that salvation is not a gift, and they should either boast or cower over their standing with God.
The Apostle Paul did not take such distortions of the Truth lightly when he wrote:
“ I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 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 6-9
Hmm….accursed. I don’t think Paul took such an offense too lightly.
So who are we to be? Defenders of the Truth! You don’t have to be a church leader, pastor or teacher to be under this charge. No, you just need to be a believer. There is much at stake when we open our mouths about God. Let us be diligent in our study of His Word, that we may accurately proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
For Him,
Rob