Bible Idolatry

Today I would like to touch on what may very well be the number one idolatry in the body of Christ. That idol which may be the biggest of its kind among God’s people, is none other than the Bible. Oh yeah, I know a lot of folks are gulping in disbelief at such a statement, and maybe some will quit reading here, and dismiss me as a lunatic. But for those who are willing to hear the truth, let’s go from here and see what I’m talking about. First of all, what I am NOT TALKING ABOUT is that there is something wrong about the Bible. There is not. The scriptures are inspired by the holy Ghost, and the scriptures themselves say that they are (II Tim. 3:16; II Pet. 1:20,21). Again let me say clearly, I AM NOT SAYING THAT THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BIBLE!! In fact I don’t think I’ve met anyone who loves the scriptures, or believes them as they are, more than I do. Neither do I believe that I’ve met anyone who reveres the infallibility of the scriptures more than I do. Bold statements? Yes they are, but I’ve been around a while now, and God has been very gracious to me for his name’s sake, to give me the understanding that he has given me; and I simply love the truth that he has revealed to me over these past many years, and I fear God too much to mess around with the scriptures in a frivolous manner. Unfortunately, a lot of people’s ‘understanding’ of the scriptures has been shaped by erroneous, modern Christian tradition, and not by the revealing power of the holy Ghost; which THE SCRIPTURES say we must experience in order to know the truth about the things of God (Jn. 14:26; Jn. 16:13; I Cor. 2:11,12; I Jn. 2:27). So a WHOLE lot of folks who think they revere the scriptures, don’t revere the scriptures so much as they revere the Christian traditions and doctrines that have been dictated to them by man. Which brings me to the point. “Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? … The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms… The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man” (Isa. 44:10,12,13).

In ancient times, this is how an idol was formed, by the cunning skill of workmen who for hire would make an idol for anyone who would pay them, and they would make it any way the people wanted it. Nothing has changed my friend. Today, Christian ministers do the same exact thing, except now it is done by erroneous usage of the holy scriptures. The apostle Paul dealt with these heretical teachers even in his day, explaining that they taught “every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness” (Eph. 4:14). In fact, most of the modern doctrines and traditions of Christianity are founded on this kind of teaching, and not on the power of the holy Ghost (I Cor. 4:20). The result is a 'Gospel’ that has been formed “after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man,” and NOT according to the true “beauty of holiness” (Psm. 29:2).Truth is, you don’t even need a minister or teacher to make an idol out of the Bible. You can do it all by yourself. Just read and put your own “private interpretation” to what you read, and whalah! You can see it any way you want it. After all, it doesn’t really matter what we believe, seeing we’re “all serving God in our own way, and we’re all going to the same place.” Right? NO, WRONG!! How can we be saved if we are serving God in our own way, or according to someone else’s perception of the way it is; when Jesus said, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him MUST worship him in spirit and in truth?” (Jn. 4:24) And how can we be saved by serving the Lord according to our own personal perception of his truth, or according to Christianity’s traditions; when the apostle Paul told the saints that he wrote to, “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to SALVATION through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of THE TRUTH” (II Thess. 2:13). For many, 'the truth’ just means whatever they think about the scriptures, or what Christianity has dictated to them about the Bible. And that goes to the root of Bible idolatry, which is to believe that the Bible is the word of God. The Bible DOES NOT CLAIM to be the word of God, but rather the scriptures inform us that the word of God is both “alive and powerful,” and something that must ‘come to’ someone (Heb. 4:12; Jer. 42:7; etc.).

Remember what I said about modern Christianity teaching a Gospel contrived by man’s cunning craftiness, and not by the revealing power of the holy Ghost? Listen to what Jesus said about the word of God: “He that hath an ear, let him HEAR what the SPIRIT SAITH unto the [congregations]” (Rev. 2:7; etc.). In fact Jesus ended all seven of his admonitions to the messengers in Asia, which he sent by the hand of John, with those same words. Reason being that the word of God is what the SPIRIT of God SAYS! The word of God is not written, it is SPOKEN, and that by the mouth of God (Prov. 8:6-8, etc.). Jesus did NOT say, “He that hath eyes to read, let him read how the word of God is written.” The word of God cannot be READ, but rather it must be HEARD! And you can trust me when I tell you my friend, that when you hear God’s word, it WILL line up perfectly with the scriptures, and will impart the ONLY TRUE understanding of the scriptures that exists. Without the experience of HEARING God’s word with our heart, it is not possible to understand the truth of the scriptures. And that is why the Bible has been projected today to be the word of God; because Christianity has not HEARD the VOICE of God. It is much easier and more convenient to casually ‘read the word,’ than to truly humble one’s self and come clean before God, and seek him with great diligence and urgency for his word; as the BIBLE clearly shows that we must (Prov. 2:3-5). Yes friend, referring to the Bible as the word of God is inherently idolatrous, and this is just one of a totality of Christian traditions that must be forsaken by those who would truly “be led by the Spirit of God” back to the homeland of the love, and power, and unity of God’s holy Spirit; for which he sent his Son to suffer and die, in order to provide it for you and I (Mk. 1:7,8; Acts 4:32; Rom. 5:5; Acts 1:8; Jn. 10:10; Jn. 17:22-24; I Cor. 1:10). “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Mat. 11:15). Note that Jesus did NOT say, “he that hath eyes to read, let him read.” Amen.