“I love God as much as you do,” said the religious man. “It’s just that I don’t limit God to the Bible like you do.” When informing him that God has nothing to say to us outside of the Bible, he said, “That’s enough! I don’t want to hear any more.” True, Psalm 19:1 tells us, The heavens declare the glory of God; and, the human conscience was given us by God to make us God-conscious, but one can never discover the will of God or ever get to know Him on a personal basis, unless one submits one’s self to the revelation of God, found in the Bible alone. One can be religious and outwardly moral, but nevertheless, godless and inwardly immoral .
People who don’t limit God to the Bible may have a zeal for God, but it will not be according to knowledge. When that is so, they become self-righteous people. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God Romans 10:2-3. That was the problem with the Pharisees and the Jewish people; they would not limit God to the Bible of their day either. Disobedience to the written revelation of God was the primary reason they were driven from the land 40-odd years after Jesus ascended to heaven. This is also a primary explanation as to why perversions and corruptions run rampant in religious circles as much as they do in secular circles.
The levels of perversion and corruption will vary of course; for some, that’s limited to their thought life, but essentially, such people do not like to retain God in their knowledge Romans 1:28. What might that lead to? At the least it will lead to religious idolatry; the god of one’s imagination or creation will be worshiped, not the God of truth. At the worst it will lead to the possession of a reprobate or debased mind. If they themselves don’t do those things which are not fitting, they will give approval to those who do. For new Christians wondering how on earth it was possible for perverted and corrupted men and women to get a stranglehold in church pulpits, that is how. Those who do not limit God to the Bible become spiritual prisoners of leaders who will use, but abuse the Bible.
It was the apostle John who wrote it, but it was the Holy Spirit of God who spoke it, I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth 3 John 1:4. Elsewhere on this blog I have often said of those who don’t limit God to the Bible, they do not love the truth. That’s why they’re spiritual prisoners; imprisoned by the devilish doctrines and dictates of their leaders. Think of the gross sexual perversion and corruption that now has a stranglehold on many churches; it would never have been allowed to enter if love for truth was paramount. Leaders introducing it would have been prayed out immediately. To the argument that says the Bible says this is what the last-days church would be like, I agree, but there’s no indication from Scripture that we have to be the generation that allows it.
From time to time I read of concerned brothers and sisters in Christ who are praying for their leaders that God would show them their “errors.” Not knowing the background to the problem it’s difficult to say what the result of their prayers will be. If it’s been going on a long time, and if only a few people among them are disturbed but the majority are not, it would seem the best plan of action for them would be to confront the leaders, tell them they’re dishonoring God, and then leave. Don’t fight the religious system; God has left that place, so they should leave too. If the leaders are new and those disturbed are the majority, the latter should confront the former and tell them they’re dishonoring God and if this is not repented of, they will be prayed out of the church.
I suppose the question should be asked, if the majority in the church are truth lovers, how did such leaders get a foot in the door in the first place? Answer: they got in in the same way managers and CEO’s do it in the secular world; they dressed the part, they acted the part; they told the interviewers what they wanted to hear with each question. However, rarely are the questions asked based solely on the Bible. Right questions to ask then: What is your position on the inerrancy and sufficiency of the Bible? Do you believe the Bible is word-for-word God given and God inspired? Do you believe Genesis Chapters 1 to 11 to be actual or symbolic or mythical or something else? How is a person made right with God? What is the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you believe Jesus Christ is the only way to God? John 14:6.
More questions: Do you believe Jesus Christ is God the Son (God Almighty Incarnate) and was born of a virgin? Do you believe in the literal return of Jesus to earth, bringing judgment plus His kingdom rule? Do you believe in a literal hell? What is your stand on abortion, inter-faith unity, pedophilia, homosexual and lesbian church ministers, same-sex marriage and euthanasia? Do you believe in systematic, expository preaching? Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved of God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness 2 Timothy 2:14-16.
Of course, the above questions are not limited to leadership applicants; Christians are free to ask them any time to any leaders, new or not new. One reason leaders are not asked is because the people with the questions believe they would be looked upon as disrespectful. Another reason is the clergy/laity setup in the church; the “laity” believes the “clergy” are the Bible experts, not themselves. Not so though, if “No” is their response to the questions or if weasel words are expressed to get around them. In addition, leaders led by the Holy Spirit would welcome such questioning; it shows them their people have limited God to the Bible and are not willing to compromise. It’s also an encouragement; they know they’ll have people standing with them when everybody else is standing against them!
To limit God to the Bible in no way means we limit God. God is unlimited – absolutely so! But everything He has specifically revealed about Himself that He wants us to know – His will, His ways, His nature and character, His plans, His purposes, His commands, His statutes and precepts – all are confined to the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. That’s why Christians who confine themselves to the Bible don’t suffer the apprehensions and uncertainties that others suffer from. Natural disaster, economic disaster, war, famine, terror – God is in control. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear…… Psalm 46:1-2. Notice, it is not a vague “future” help in trouble, but a very present help; a right here, right now help! How’s that for control!
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand Isaiah 41:10. There’s not a religious book in the entire world containing a promise such as that! When God gives His people His promises, they’ll go where angels fear to tread. Not so, the one who doesn’t limit God to the Bible; anxiety, fear and confusion will rule that day no matter how much they say they love God, “as much as you do.” Again, that doesn’t make us better than them; it makes us more faithful than them; our faith being grounded solely upon divine reality, not religious opinions. This is what separated Jesus, His apostles and the early Christians from the religious people of their day.
Christians who limit God to the Bible are charged with being narrow minded. It’s not true. It is our critics who are narrow minded. Take the kingdom of God, for example. Jesus said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God Luke 18:27. He said this in relation to how impossible it is for people to enter the kingdom of God – a total impossibility without the will, the power and the mercy of God. This is what the religious man was trying to do. He thought that by not limiting God to the Bible, but embracing also, non-biblical doctrines and traditions of his church, that this would get him into heaven. Not only that, but by me not embracing those things, I was headed for hell, in his mind. He still believes that, as do all religious people who believe their church or group is the One True!
The Bible’s primary enemies are religious people of all faiths, not non-religious people of no faith. The latter do no spiritual harm; the former do plenty – especially do those who speak biblical truth out of one side of their mouth and lies, deceit and deception out of the other side. Sons and daughters of hell they are! Avoid them at all costs no matter how often they invoke the name of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Limit God to the Bible and discover the unlimited God. Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables 2 Timothy 3:2-4.