July 5 -- "Don't Mess With God's Commands"

 Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1-24

"Don't Mess With God's Commands"

The Lord says it is okay to copy His word, to speak it, to tell others about it, but not to change it.

Moses urged God’s people to listen to and to obey the laws of God.  Not to analyze them, criticize them, spiritualize them, compromise them, liberalize them, modernize them, or trivialize them.  They were exhorted to learn His commands, memorize them, and put them into practice.  And never. Ever. Ever to add to, or take away, from God’s words.

It is unnerving how some people like to mess around with the word of God, adding or taking away. Perhaps there is a command or doctrine that they don’t particularly care for, so they ignore it or delete it or twist it to fit their whim.  But that is something that we have been forbidden to do.  We are not to add or to diminish from that which God has declared. This warning is repeated over and over again in Scripture. Proverbs 30:6 says, “Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.”

In the final book of the Bible we read, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18-19)

Every word of the Bible has been written for a Divine reason.  Every command of God is pure.  God has been very precise in the revelation He has given us.  He has told us all we need to live a life pleasing to Him.  And He is very protective of His word. As God is the author, He holds the eternal copyright. He says it is okay to copy it, to speak it, to tell others about it, but not to change it.  Be very careful about this.  Make sure you aren’t listening to those who produce their own version (or perversion) that agrees with their man-made heresy, to lead others astray. And make sure you listen to and obey God’s word, without compromise.  

“Whoever is of God hears the words of God.”  (John 8:47)