It is our intention to consider the most important theme of all. Basically it is one that should interest everybody. Indifference can lead to one’s undoing. Everyone knows that there are a variety of religions. However, it must be asked: Is there one that is true? All claim to be correct. But doubt has understandably spread itself where religion is concerned. People turn aside from denominations and also desire to have nothing to do with God. Generally God and religion are regarded as belonging to one another. Nevertheless there are people, who quietly reflect on whether there is not a living God, Who concerns Himself with us. But how is one to find one’s way among all the religious divisions? How can a definitive answer be given to open questions? Or is everything really deception? Are the Hindus right? Are the Moslems right? Or the Buddhists? Did any of those that founded religions rise from the dead to tell us? Until now, humanity has only heard of the resurrection of One. All others were buried with their doctrines.

That which is true can only come from a truthful source. Did He ever found a religion? If so, when, where, and which? If not, then no one has the right to use His Name. It is not only possible for a person to err, but to be wrong in actual fact. We can accordingly rely on religious founders and church leaders just as little as on ourselves. Apart from the other well known world religions, there are in Christianity some hundreds of different church confessions. Each of them has special doctrines and offers its members salvation in its own particular way. Of course no one accuses a religious institution of deliberately leading men astray, but the fact that there are so many spiritual currents forces us to reflection.

Each person who desires to attain a goal, must start out on the journey. But how do we find the way that leads us with certainty to that eternal goal? How do we find the truth upon which we can rely absolutely? In the midst of all human confusion, there must be a possibility of discovering the divine pathway. Who in the enlightened age is able to trust himself blindly to a faith? To represent something as divine is not sufficient; it needs to be legitimised from above. Everyone should assert his right to orientate himself spiritually. There is surely more at stake than this short life on earth.

We are appointed to fellowship with our heavenly Father. There is not merely a temporal life, but also one that is eternal. As certainly as there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual. Just as it is self-evident that life exists on earth, so is it self-evident that life exists in heaven. The same God created heaven and earth and all that therein is. The majesty of the Creation certainly provides a powerful testimony to the Creator.

Many believe that membership of a church or religious assembly is bound up with salvation. This view is more or less promoted in the religions. Are all making empty promises?

Whoever ambles through a cemetery can read the comforting in­scriptions on the grave-stones: “Here rests in peace …”, “Departed in the joy of salvation…”, “Hidden in God …”. The death announcements in newspapers also sound well: “… blissfully fallen asleep”, “… called home by God”, “Died after receiving the last rites of the Roman Catholic church …” One obtains the impression that all the dead are with the Lord. But how is it in reality? Did those who have passed on actually have a personal relationship with Him?

To those that remain, the comforting words are spoken in the grave-yard: “It had pleased the Lord to accept this brother or sister into His Kingdom.” Within the church it is then ceremoniously disclosed to the mourners, that the departed is not in paradise, but in purgatory. Aside from the fact that the concept of purgatory is frankly a human invention and not once mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, the question must still be seriously asked, what is then true? Where in reality is the departed one now? Can it be that men and women from their birth to death are held fast in an error and are merely comforted? During their life on this earth they are pronounced blessed; after they are dead, they have apparently not attained their goal. Is religion not after all an opium that only pacifies people, until the time for the fearful awakening comes?

Year after year they receive sacraments of saving grace without apparently having received salvation. From infant baptism via confir­mation to the last anointing they are prepared for salvation. After all the many efforts the sad end-result remains: the one who has died has not been received up, but has moved downwards.

In this field, no one can put in a word better than doctors and nurses, who repeatedly experience human deaths. Irrespective of religious allegiance, a death struggle sets in. The despair of many dying is not generally recognised. Of faith, assurance and joy is not the slightest trace. Assuring all that God requires has been done according to one’s best knowledge and conscience, it then becomes apparent that it is not a matter of what God requires at all, but what churches claim and impose upon their members.

Since we are here dealing with a matter of life and death, all should undergo a self-examination. Every person, no matter of what race or nationality, has a right to learn the truth concerning God and himself. Everyone, who is not indifferent to his eternal destination, even has a duty with the help of Holy Scripture to make a comparison of the same with that which is taught and practised. Only that which originates from God will lead to the Lord and can stand before Him. Whoever says, “It’s all one to me. I don’t care if another flood or even destruction is coming. I shan’t be around to see it!” is not aware of what he is saying.

The Bible is in reality the only book on earth which informs us about God and His intentions. It contains from beginning to end confirmed facts of divine origin.

We should take life and our dying seriously. We are not intent on giving the living a fear of death; on the contrary. Rather we wish to present the way and the true goal. Faith and trust in God and in His Word must be restored at all costs. God is true (ever-present) and His Word is exalted above every doubt. In all religions man is instilled with a fear of God, and simultaneously acquires a trust in human religious institutions. Our task is to shake trust in all religions and restore the trust in God and His Word.

The Almighty has a blue-print, a plan for humanity. Regrettably, men have made their own plans and, within God’s Kingdom, have erected their own religious kingdoms. The human and the divine are in direct opposition to one another. Whoever desires to participate in the eternal counsel of God, must separate himself from all religions which have been devised in the course of time.

The omnipotent God is simultaneously omniscient (all-knowing), and He formulated His plan for mankind before the foundation of the world. The temporary interruption which arose through human failure, dis­obedience and trespasses, will not set His eternal purpose at naught. Since the Lord has known everything from the beginning, He was able in His original concept to plan for this in advance. The Word of God is just as true and infallible as God Himself.

The way of God with mankind is clearly described in His Word. Regrettably is was obscured and made unavailable by religious teachings and traditions. Even though dogmas are hundreds or thousands of years old, they remain what they are: namely doctrines inserted by man and nothing more. They cannot automatically become right simply because they are promulgated by a religious institution. What is human will never become divine and vice versa. Truth and lies exclude each other. We are either dealing with truth or with error. The origin of all truth is God; the originator of every lie is Satan. A perfect lie is a false presentation of the truth, and the religious world is filled with such. Every theory or practice which does not agree with Holy Scripture can never be of divine origin. The Word of God contains the collective testimony which the Lord has delivered to mankind.

The Old Testament prophets announced the coming of the Messiah and thereby God’s salvation. The apostles were eye-witnesses of the fulfilled prophecies in the Redeemer. By the preaching of the Gospel the offer of divine grace to all men is propagated. A reality confirmed by God can surely be believed by anyone. Between the original church and modern Christianity there exits an enormous difference. Everything that existed in the early church is lacking in the modern church; and every­thing that is in established Christianity today was not present in the original church. A comparison makes that clear.

The proclamation of the Gospel in the earliest days of Christianity was according to the Word. The apostles were instructed by the Lord Himself and were placed under the leading of the Holy Spirit. Anyone reading the early chapters of the Acts of the apostles gains an insight into the life of the original church. In her was manifest a fullness of the Spirit and of God’s blessing! The first Christians were of one mind and one accord, shared all things in common, and formed a large family of God. The original church was not a rigid organisation, but a living organism. Our Lord said, “… I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” He is still busily occupied with this task.

Just as God revealed Himself through Christ, Christ revealed Himself through His Church. The same proclamation, the same ministry was continued. Great miracles and signs took place. Unbelievers became believers, those possessed of devils were freed and the sick were restored to health. All was still valid; the Word of God was still the valid criterion to those who became believers. They placed their trust in the Lord, Whom they had seen in His ministry, His suffering and death, and after His Resurrection. Reverence for Him was in them, for they had experienced everything with Him and gathered together in His Name.

In the early church were found apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists and teachers (1 Cor. 12: 28; Eph. 4: 11). These offices were set by God in His Church. They were necessary for spiritual edification and comple­mented each other. In those days a pope, cardinals, archbishops, priests, monks and nuns were completely unknown. All these things, which the Christian world regards as a matter of course today, did not exist at that time.

According to the will of God, the church of God was originally thought of as a divine establishment on earth. No one has the right to introduce into her anything unscriptural. By all means she consists of men and women with weaknesses and infirmities, and of forgiven sinners that have become God’s children, but her doctrine and practice has to agree with the Word of God from beginning to end. Everything that cannot stand the test of the Word here will be unable to stand at the Judgement of God at the Last Day. For a person who believes the Bible, there is no possibility of accepting doctrines concocted and introduced independently of it. The only valid confession of faith rests not on a catechism, but on the Holy Scriptures alone.

The Apostles had also absolutely nothing to do with the coming into existence of the Regula veritatis, which was represented as an apostolic statute. On the contrary, immediately before the end stands merely about believing “… in the Holy Ghost; one holy Church; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body. Amen.” Every Sunday millions from most denominations throughout the world repeat the words, “I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints …” This compilation does not even stem from the immediately post-apostolic time, but was drafted for the first time after the Council of Nicea and completed in subsequent synods. In order to lend it importance, the authority of the apostles was in a completely unjustified manner ascribed to it.

It is the same with the book known as the Didache, which was first found in a monastery in 1883, but arbitrarily back-dated to the end of the 1st century. It has nothing in common with the teaching of the twelve apostles. For example, on page 29 stands, “If you have earned something with the work of your hands, then you should also give something for the remittance of your sins.” Is that Gospel? The Apostles knew the One Who had forgiven our sins personally. Today in every point they would say exactly the same as then. It was written down in the New Testament so that we could prove everything. Who today complies with the instruction, “Prove all things …” (1 Thess. 5:21)? God does not contradict Himself. His decrees are perfect. All seeming contradictions are in the thinking of the scholars, not in His Word.

Any man that is not looking through religious spectacles must be shocked when he perceives what a deviation has taken place. The original collective belief has been altered until it has become unrecognisable. A completely different Gospel is being preached.

Admittedly, it may be supposed of all men that their intentions are sincere; but this makes nothing false right. As far as questions of faith and teaching are concerned, or the practice of the church, these matters are not to be learnt from a council; rather the only valid source of information is what the original church has left us. Ecclesiastical questions and church problems may be discussed by the relevant bodies, but the doctrine and practice of Christ and of the apostles has long been firmly established. To the Diet of Worms on 18th April, 1521, Luther said, “Since I believe neither in the Pope nor in Councils, because it is a fact that they have often erred and entangled themselves in contra­dictions, therefore, if I am not overcome by Scriptural evidence and clear reasons, I am convinced by the Scriptural evidence I have cited and am a captive to God’s Word. Recant I cannot and will not, because to act against one’s conscience is not safe and not wholesome. May God help me. Amen!”

We are concerning ourselves with the eternal counsel of Almighty God for mankind, and by comparison desire to contribute to clarification. It is a matter of two fundamentally different things that are absolutely separate from one another. The one is the divine realm, the other the human. Whoever acknowledges God will believe what God’s Word says, irrespective of what is decided in Councils and Synods. The Word of God is not subject to the changes of the times, it is for all time conclusive.

It must be evident to everybody, that the Holy Scriptures contain the definitive collective testimony of God. God has forgotten absolutely no­thing. First, in the degree that the divine was omitted, the human was substituted in its place. All resolutions that were passed in the course of church history will never become a constituent part of the divine will, because they did not belong to the original doctrine of Christ and the apostles which was founded on the prophetic Word.

The most serious warnings in the Old and New Testaments may not be ignored or passed over. It is written, “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish anything from it” (Dt. 4:  2). Later the Lord said to the Pharisees and scribes, who failed to recognise what Moses and the prophets had said, but followed the interpretations and traditions, “This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mk 7: 6-7).

In addition, denominational churches fail extensively to consider the Word of God and are entangled with the doctrines of men. Nevertheless there is now more religious activity than ever before. But over all unbiblical practices and proclamations the same words ever stand: “In vain!” In vain are all prayers, all services; in vain all the songs and ritualism; in vain all the massive evangelisation plans and church fixtures — everything not according to the Word of God that is done in the Kingdom of God is without validity before God. For how many programmes should He declare Himself? With whom should He take sides?

The Lord permits no adulteration. His desire is that the pure Seed of His Word is preserved in its original form and is sown. Today as formerly, He upbraids the religious leaders, who perhaps enjoy high respect among the people, very sharply with the words, “Full well ye reject the com-mandment of God, that ye may keep your own traditions” (Mk. 7: 9). One has to set aside the one, in order to be able to replace it by the other.

The penetrating warning is addressed to us by the Lord Himself: “Every word of God is pure; … Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Prov. 30: 5-6). All who add something to the definitive testimony of Holy Scripture, the Old or the New Testament, will stand there as liars and be called to account by God and be condemned. Since the garden of Eden, Satan, the old liar, has exercised his influence among mankind by interpreting the Word of God in a different sense. Until the end he will twist the Word and so fool mankind. Only those who see through it and withdraw themselves from his influence can place themselves directly under the divine influence, which through the Spirit proceeds from the Word alone.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and the Word of God alone is the Word of truth. In the last chapter of the Bible is placed the final warning, “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in the book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

Who can want only dismiss these words? As certain as was fulfilled what God said in the beginning, “In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die,” as most definitely will this word prove itself to be true. God means what He says, and says what He means. The Scriptures cannot be broken. All His decisions are unchangeable and perfect.

It is our intention to consider the most important theme of all. Basically it is one that should interest everybody. Indifference can lead to one’s undoing. Everyone knows that there are a variety of religions. However, it must be asked: Is there one that is true? All claim to be correct. But doubt has understandably spread itself where religion is concerned. People turn aside from denominations and also desire to have nothing to do with God. Generally God and religion are regarded as belonging to one another. Nevertheless there are people, who quietly reflect on whether there is not a living God, Who concerns Himself with us. But how is one to find one’s way among all the religious divisions? How can a definitive answer be given to open questions? Or is everything really deception? Are the Hindus right? Are the Moslems right? Or the Buddhists? Did any of those that founded religions rise from the dead to tell us? Until now, humanity has only heard of the resurrection of One. All others were buried with their doctrines.

That which is true can only come from a truthful source. Did He ever found a religion? If so, when, where, and which? If not, then no one has the right to use His Name. It is not only possible for a person to err, but to be wrong in actual fact. We can accordingly rely on religious founders and church leaders just as little as on ourselves. Apart from the other well known world religions, there are in Christianity some hundreds of different church confessions. Each of them has special doctrines and offers its members salvation in its own particular way. Of course no one accuses a religious institution of deliberately leading men astray, but the fact that there are so many spiritual currents forces us to reflection.

Each person who desires to attain a goal, must start out on the journey. But how do we find the way that leads us with certainty to that eternal goal? How do we find the truth upon which we can rely absolutely? In the midst of all human confusion, there must be a possibility of discovering the divine pathway. Who in the enlightened age is able to trust himself blindly to a faith? To represent something as divine is not sufficient; it needs to be legitimised from above. Everyone should assert his right to orientate himself spiritually. There is surely more at stake than this short life on earth.

We are appointed to fellowship with our heavenly Father. There is not merely a temporal life, but also one that is eternal. As certainly as there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual. Just as it is self-evident that life exists on earth, so is it self-evident that life exists in heaven. The same God created heaven and earth and all that therein is. The majesty of the Creation certainly provides a powerful testimony to the Creator.

Many believe that membership of a church or religious assembly is bound up with salvation. This view is more or less promoted in the religions. Are all making empty promises?

Whoever ambles through a cemetery can read the comforting in­scriptions on the grave-stones: “Here rests in peace …”, “Departed in the joy of salvation…”, “Hidden in God …”. The death announcements in newspapers also sound well: “… blissfully fallen asleep”, “… called home by God”, “Died after receiving the last rites of the Roman Catholic church …” One obtains the impression that all the dead are with the Lord. But how is it in reality? Did those who have passed on actually have a personal relationship with Him?

To those that remain, the comforting words are spoken in the grave-yard: “It had pleased the Lord to accept this brother or sister into His Kingdom.” Within the church it is then ceremoniously disclosed to the mourners, that the departed is not in paradise, but in purgatory. Aside from the fact that the concept of purgatory is frankly a human invention and not once mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, the question must still be seriously asked, what is then true? Where in reality is the departed one now? Can it be that men and women from their birth to death are held fast in an error and are merely comforted? During their life on this earth they are pronounced blessed; after they are dead, they have apparently not attained their goal. Is religion not after all an opium that only pacifies people, until the time for the fearful awakening comes?

Year after year they receive sacraments of saving grace without apparently having received salvation. From infant baptism via confir­mation to the last anointing they are prepared for salvation. After all the many efforts the sad end-result remains: the one who has died has not been received up, but has moved downwards.

In this field, no one can put in a word better than doctors and nurses, who repeatedly experience human deaths. Irrespective of religious allegiance, a death struggle sets in. The despair of many dying is not generally recognised. Of faith, assurance and joy is not the slightest trace. Assuring all that God requires has been done according to one’s best knowledge and conscience, it then becomes apparent that it is not a matter of what God requires at all, but what churches claim and impose upon their members.

Since we are here dealing with a matter of life and death, all should undergo a self-examination. Every person, no matter of what race or nationality, has a right to learn the truth concerning God and himself. Everyone, who is not indifferent to his eternal destination, even has a duty with the help of Holy Scripture to make a comparison of the same with that which is taught and practised. Only that which originates from God will lead to the Lord and can stand before Him. Whoever says, “It’s all one to me. I don’t care if another flood or even destruction is coming. I shan’t be around to see it!” is not aware of what he is saying.

The Bible is in reality the only book on earth which informs us about God and His intentions. It contains from beginning to end confirmed facts of divine origin.

We should take life and our dying seriously. We are not intent on giving the living a fear of death; on the contrary. Rather we wish to present the way and the true goal. Faith and trust in God and in His Word must be restored at all costs. God is true (ever-present) and His Word is exalted above every doubt. In all religions man is instilled with a fear of God, and simultaneously acquires a trust in human religious institutions. Our task is to shake trust in all religions and restore the trust in God and His Word.

The Almighty has a blue-print, a plan for humanity. Regrettably, men have made their own plans and, within God’s Kingdom, have erected their own religious kingdoms. The human and the divine are in direct opposition to one another. Whoever desires to participate in the eternal counsel of God, must separate himself from all religions which have been devised in the course of time.

The omnipotent God is simultaneously omniscient (all-knowing), and He formulated His plan for mankind before the foundation of the world. The temporary interruption which arose through human failure, dis­obedience and trespasses, will not set His eternal purpose at naught. Since the Lord has known everything from the beginning, He was able in His original concept to plan for this in advance. The Word of God is just as true and infallible as God Himself.

The way of God with mankind is clearly described in His Word. Regrettably is was obscured and made unavailable by religious teachings and traditions. Even though dogmas are hundreds or thousands of years old, they remain what they are: namely doctrines inserted by man and nothing more. They cannot automatically become right simply because they are promulgated by a religious institution. What is human will never become divine and vice versa. Truth and lies exclude each other. We are either dealing with truth or with error. The origin of all truth is God; the originator of every lie is Satan. A perfect lie is a false presentation of the truth, and the religious world is filled with such. Every theory or practice which does not agree with Holy Scripture can never be of divine origin. The Word of God contains the collective testimony which the Lord has delivered to mankind.

The Old Testament prophets announced the coming of the Messiah and thereby God’s salvation. The apostles were eye-witnesses of the fulfilled prophecies in the Redeemer. By the preaching of the Gospel the offer of divine grace to all men is propagated. A reality confirmed by God can surely be believed by anyone. Between the original church and modern Christianity there exits an enormous difference. Everything that existed in the early church is lacking in the modern church; and every­thing that is in established Christianity today was not present in the original church. A comparison makes that clear.

The proclamation of the Gospel in the earliest days of Christianity was according to the Word. The apostles were instructed by the Lord Himself and were placed under the leading of the Holy Spirit. Anyone reading the early chapters of the Acts of the apostles gains an insight into the life of the original church. In her was manifest a fullness of the Spirit and of God’s blessing! The first Christians were of one mind and one accord, shared all things in common, and formed a large family of God. The original church was not a rigid organisation, but a living organism. Our Lord said, “… I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” He is still busily occupied with this task.

Just as God revealed Himself through Christ, Christ revealed Himself through His Church. The same proclamation, the same ministry was continued. Great miracles and signs took place. Unbelievers became believers, those possessed of devils were freed and the sick were restored to health. All was still valid; the Word of God was still the valid criterion to those who became believers. They placed their trust in the Lord, Whom they had seen in His ministry, His suffering and death, and after His Resurrection. Reverence for Him was in them, for they had experienced everything with Him and gathered together in His Name.

In the early church were found apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists and teachers (1 Cor. 12: 28; Eph. 4: 11). These offices were set by God in His Church. They were necessary for spiritual edification and comple­mented each other. In those days a pope, cardinals, archbishops, priests, monks and nuns were completely unknown. All these things, which the Christian world regards as a matter of course today, did not exist at that time.

According to the will of God, the church of God was originally thought of as a divine establishment on earth. No one has the right to introduce into her anything unscriptural. By all means she consists of men and women with weaknesses and infirmities, and of forgiven sinners that have become God’s children, but her doctrine and practice has to agree with the Word of God from beginning to end. Everything that cannot stand the test of the Word here will be unable to stand at the Judgement of God at the Last Day. For a person who believes the Bible, there is no possibility of accepting doctrines concocted and introduced independently of it. The only valid confession of faith rests not on a catechism, but on the Holy Scriptures alone.

The Apostles had also absolutely nothing to do with the coming into existence of the Regula veritatis, which was represented as an apostolic statute. On the contrary, immediately before the end stands merely about believing “… in the Holy Ghost; one holy Church; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body. Amen.” Every Sunday millions from most denominations throughout the world repeat the words, “I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints …” This compilation does not even stem from the immediately post-apostolic time, but was drafted for the first time after the Council of Nicea and completed in subsequent synods. In order to lend it importance, the authority of the apostles was in a completely unjustified manner ascribed to it.

It is the same with the book known as the Didache, which was first found in a monastery in 1883, but arbitrarily back-dated to the end of the 1st century. It has nothing in common with the teaching of the twelve apostles. For example, on page 29 stands, “If you have earned something with the work of your hands, then you should also give something for the remittance of your sins.” Is that Gospel? The Apostles knew the One Who had forgiven our sins personally. Today in every point they would say exactly the same as then. It was written down in the New Testament so that we could prove everything. Who today complies with the instruction, “Prove all things …” (1 Thess. 5:21)? God does not contradict Himself. His decrees are perfect. All seeming contradictions are in the thinking of the scholars, not in His Word.

Any man that is not looking through religious spectacles must be shocked when he perceives what a deviation has taken place. The original collective belief has been altered until it has become unrecognisable. A completely different Gospel is being preached.

Admittedly, it may be supposed of all men that their intentions are sincere; but this makes nothing false right. As far as questions of faith and teaching are concerned, or the practice of the church, these matters are not to be learnt from a council; rather the only valid source of information is what the original church has left us. Ecclesiastical questions and church problems may be discussed by the relevant bodies, but the doctrine and practice of Christ and of the apostles has long been firmly established. To the Diet of Worms on 18th April, 1521, Luther said, “Since I believe neither in the Pope nor in Councils, because it is a fact that they have often erred and entangled themselves in contra­dictions, therefore, if I am not overcome by Scriptural evidence and clear reasons, I am convinced by the Scriptural evidence I have cited and am a captive to God’s Word. Recant I cannot and will not, because to act against one’s conscience is not safe and not wholesome. May God help me. Amen!”

We are concerning ourselves with the eternal counsel of Almighty God for mankind, and by comparison desire to contribute to clarification. It is a matter of two fundamentally different things that are absolutely separate from one another. The one is the divine realm, the other the human. Whoever acknowledges God will believe what God’s Word says, irrespective of what is decided in Councils and Synods. The Word of God is not subject to the changes of the times, it is for all time conclusive.

It must be evident to everybody, that the Holy Scriptures contain the definitive collective testimony of God. God has forgotten absolutely no­thing. First, in the degree that the divine was omitted, the human was substituted in its place. All resolutions that were passed in the course of church history will never become a constituent part of the divine will, because they did not belong to the original doctrine of Christ and the apostles which was founded on the prophetic Word.

The most serious warnings in the Old and New Testaments may not be ignored or passed over. It is written, “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish anything from it” (Dt. 4:  2). Later the Lord said to the Pharisees and scribes, who failed to recognise what Moses and the prophets had said, but followed the interpretations and traditions, “This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mk 7: 6-7).

In addition, denominational churches fail extensively to consider the Word of God and are entangled with the doctrines of men. Nevertheless there is now more religious activity than ever before. But over all unbiblical practices and proclamations the same words ever stand: “In vain!” In vain are all prayers, all services; in vain all the songs and ritualism; in vain all the massive evangelisation plans and church fixtures — everything not according to the Word of God that is done in the Kingdom of God is without validity before God. For how many programmes should He declare Himself? With whom should He take sides?

The Lord permits no adulteration. His desire is that the pure Seed of His Word is preserved in its original form and is sown. Today as formerly, He upbraids the religious leaders, who perhaps enjoy high respect among the people, very sharply with the words, “Full well ye reject the com-mandment of God, that ye may keep your own traditions” (Mk. 7: 9). One has to set aside the one, in order to be able to replace it by the other.

The penetrating warning is addressed to us by the Lord Himself: “Every word of God is pure; … Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Prov. 30: 5-6). All who add something to the definitive testimony of Holy Scripture, the Old or the New Testament, will stand there as liars and be called to account by God and be condemned. Since the garden of Eden, Satan, the old liar, has exercised his influence among mankind by interpreting the Word of God in a different sense. Until the end he will twist the Word and so fool mankind. Only those who see through it and withdraw themselves from his influence can place themselves directly under the divine influence, which through the Spirit proceeds from the Word alone.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and the Word of God alone is the Word of truth. In the last chapter of the Bible is placed the final warning, “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in the book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

Who can want only dismiss these words? As certain as was fulfilled what God said in the beginning, “In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die,” as most definitely will this word prove itself to be true. God means what He says, and says what He means. The Scriptures cannot be broken. All His decisions are unchangeable and perfect.