You Shall Not Add… Nor Take Away From It

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You Shall  Not Add…  Nor Take Away  From It

When somebody has  a perfect recipe,  it is a pleasure  to partake  of what was made.     The goodness  is memorable  and everybody  really wants  to eat more  of it.     But,  if someone else  changes  that recipe  by adding  to it  or taking away  some vital ingredients,  it becomes  totally distasteful  and ruined.

The same thing happens  when people  arrogantly imagine  they can add  to God’s given word,  or take away  from it, according to the evils  in their heart.     They make up  their own doctrines  and deny  the plain  and definite teachings  in God’s word.     By so doing,  they totally ruin it  for all those  who listen  to them.     They take away  God’s proclaimed grace  and forgiveness.     They take away  God’s promises  of righteousness through faith  and eternal life  through believing  in Jesus.     But,  they will add  all sorts of man-made rules  and laws  by which they claim  a person has  to be saved.     They add  their own made-up rituals  and claim  their rituals  are necessary,  supposedly being  the only way  to please God.

There are many places throughout the Bible  where we are warned  about adding to God’s word  or taking away from it.     A few examples include:

Deuteronomy 4:2    
You shall not add  to the word  which I am commanding you,  nor take away  from it,  that you may keep the commandments  of the LORD  your God  which I command you.

Proverbs 30:5-6    
Every word  of God  is tested;
He is a shield  to those  who take refuge  in Him.
Do not add  to His words
Lest He reprove you,   and you be proved  a liar.

Revelation 22:18-19    
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.

Along with these verses  are many warnings  throughout the Old and New Testaments  about false prophets  and teachers,  who malign  and change  the word  of God.

So,  how can we know  if someone  is trying  to mislead us  by preaching  a message  that adds  to God’s word,  or takes away  from it?     We’ve got  to open up  our Bibles  and get  to studying.     We cannot be lazy  or uninterested  in what happens  to people  after this earthly life.     We need  to be  like the people  who lived  in Berea.     Acts 17:11-12  says  about them,

Now these  were more noble-minded  than those  in Thessalonica,  for they received  the word  with great eagerness,  examining the Scriptures daily,  to see  whether these things  were so.     Many  of them  therefore  believed…….

When we have reverence  for God’s word  to us,  we will value  what God teaches us,  and handle His word  with great care — neither adding to it,  nor taking away  from it.

Then  in the freedom  and glory  of God’s love  for us,  we say,  “Hallelujah!     Lord Jesus,  Your word  truly saves us  from all our sins.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional  to glorify  the LORD of lords  and GOD of gods.

A 2.67 year old says  I Pledge Allegiance

Pray for our country.

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… Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus …

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Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus by the Yupiq Eskimo village of Quinhagak, Alaska

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The LORD  made this day, let us rejoice  and be glad  in Him.

Psalm 118:24

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The word of the LORD is tried;

He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.

Psalm 18:30

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Sing for joy  in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;

Praise is becoming  to the upright.

Psalm 33:1

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How blessed are those  who dwell  in Thy house!

They are ever praising Thee.

Psalm 84:4

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Just as a father  has compassion  on his children,

So the LORD  has compassion  on those who fear Him.

Psalm 103:13

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O give thanks  to the LORD,  for He is good;

For His lovingkindness  is everlasting.

Psalm 107:1

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Glory in His holy name;

Let the heart  of those who seek the LORD  be glad.

Psalm 105:3

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Not that I have already obtained it,  or have already  become perfect, but I press on  in order that  I may  lay hold  of that for which also  I was laid hold of  by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12

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