The Authoritative Word

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“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, 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 ESV)

Among those of us who believe in the authority of Scripture, there is a strong emphasis on its inerrancy. There is a strong emphasis on its infallibility. And this is both right and fitting.

Scripture, after all, is God's Word, and not that of man. As God is perfect, so too is his Word. And as God is unchanging, so too is his Word.

Believing as we do, we react strongly when others take from God's Word. We react strongly when people seek to alter his Word. And we react strongly when people seek to strip it of its meaning.

When those of the liberal Church, or those of society, want to deny the clear teaching of Scripture, the hair on our neck bristles. When they argue against the clear teaching of Scripture, our stomach turns. And when they take a position that contradicts Scripture, we find it upsetting.

However, as we see in the passage above, not only is it wrong to take from God's Word. It’s equally wrong to add to it. It’s equally wrong to read into Scripture our own ideas and beliefs.

This is why Jesus reacted so strongly to the religious leaders of his day. Their tendency was not to take from God's Word, but to add to it. And they did so by making their traditions, they did so by making their teachings, as authoritative as Scripture itself.

Their interpretation of God’s Law became as authoritative as God’s Law. It was equated with God’s Law. And therein lies the problem.

This, you see, is the mistake we often make in the conservative Church of our day. We tend to add to the Word of God by way of legalism. We, at times, read into Scripture. And we make our understanding or our interpretation as authoritative as Scripture itself.

If we truly stand under the authority of God’s Word, and if our faith is guided by God’s Word alone, we will do neither. We will not take from it. But neither will we add to it.