Last week, we pointed out that God does not need editors to clarify what He meant when He said what He said. Tragically, we live in a time when individuals think they have the right to read what the Bible says or to hear someone show what the Bible says and then say, “Well, I just do not believe that is the way it should be.” They have become, perhaps unwittingly, editors of the Bible. Look at the following paragraphs to see four truths about editors of His word.
Editors cause religious division. When the church began there was perfect unity. The reason for this was because, “. . . they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching . . .” (Acts 2:42). On the day of Pentecost there was unanimous agreement in the church on what one had to do to be saved. This was because every Christian followed the apostles’ doctrine. On the next day, and the one after that and the next and the next and the next, there was perfect unity for they continued following the apostles’ doctrine. It was only when men sought to “edit” the teaching from the apostles that division occurred.
Editors’ “Bibles” have fewer or more pages than the one the apostles gave. When the revelation of the will of God was complete, there was no provision made to alter it in any way. When individuals come to the Bible to edit it, they do so by either adding additional thoughts or subtracting from the thoughts found in the divine book. The end result is one that has more information than God gave or less than what He revealed. Any such “Bible” that has more than God originally gave has too much in it. Any which has less than what God gave has too little in it!
Editors cause compromise and results in “dumbing down” the truth which God gave. Editors exist because they want a more popular belief for one’s own use or one that will be more popular with those around them. The spirit of compromise is one which asks each side to give up a little so a common ground can be found. Since God has affirmed He will not move from what He has taught, there can be no common ground found. He owns all the ground and simply asks us to come and stand beside Him on that ground.
Editors face severe judgment. What the Holy Spirit affirmed about the book of Revelation on the last page of the Bible has application to the entire Bible. “If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life . . .” (Rev. 22:18-19). We must not edit the Bible; our task is to follow it!