What man is to believe concerning God, and what duties God requires of man, that is the purpose of the Word of God, the Bible.
There is no room for conjecture here, no guesswork, and it is one of the reasons that each day we must study the Scriptures, and all during the day contemplate His words. There is no other Book more important, no other words that the Lord has given to us, He who gave us life is the One who has blessed us with the way that our lives should be lived. Here is where the folly of man has stepped in though, with little or no fear of Revelation 22:18, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.” How many different interpretations, how many modified words “because the times have changed,” the vernacular is different than it was when the texts were written.
The man who led me to Christ was quite adamant about the King James Bible, the last church that my lovely wife and I attended said it really didn’t matter which book one used. The Lord has promised to reveal Himself to us, and that is not possible if you are not reading His words, but instead have decided to use a different translation, without first checking that translation against the King James. The same can be said about the duties that God requires of man, especially when we are speaking about being profitable or an unprofitable servant. It is no less than Paul said in Romans 10:14, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”
Opinions, to a degree, is why there are so many different religions, notwithstanding those who for filthy lucre (Titus 1:11) have determined to earn their way in this life by modifying the Scriptures. And of course, with many, in fact I would dare to say most of these so-called churches, works are required for salvation, if salvation is even possible at all, according to some of them. “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matt. 7:20) These fruits are the evidence of our salvation, they are action oriented, another word for visible works, without them, there is no proof for others to see Christ in us, they have nothing to do with our salvation. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9)
The necessity of our duty toward God is shown by this, for we will be judged by our works, (Romans 2:16) God does not judge Himself in our salvation through Christ, that is grace, and it is His alone to give to whomever He will. In Proverbs 1:7 we are told that the fear of the Lord will lead to the knowledge of God, and in Psalm 147:11 the Scriptures say that the Lord takes pleasure in them that fear Him and hope for His mercies. You will understand none of this unless you search for Him diligently, (Heb. 11:6) you will never understand how to be pleasing in His eyes unless you open up the Scriptures and search for Him, it will not happen. You will not know how to serve Christ well by only showing up to church and listening to the short sermon, the after-church socials will avail you nothing in this area.
The wrong Bible, and there are many, the wrong television or internet teachers and preachers, all of these and more will lead you down the wrong path if you are not grounded in the Word.
This verse, in this area, has assisted me much in doing all that I can to stay on the path that is pleasing to the Lord. “The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.” (Prov. 21:12) To doubt everything is not always the best path, it is the only path, unless what you are hearing, seeing, and studying can be verified as truth in the Scriptures, you should throw it away, or at least be able to highlight those parts that are against His inerrant Word. “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?” (Prov. 1:22) Until we beg for the Lord’s mercies to reveal Himself to us, until He is the sole reason for our existence, that’s how long.
