Who speaks?

God, after he spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature

Hebrews, first chapter, verses 1- first part of verse 3

There was a time when God's truth may have been variable for various people. If so, that time was long past long before the final writers of the Holy Scriptures departed this vale of tears. In the final age, often referred to as the Christian Age as opposed to the Mosaic Age or the Patriarchal Age, there is but one way God speaks to us; through His Son.

Jesus left behind a record of the attitudes and teachings He dispensed while on earth, most of which was passed on to us through the writings that compose the New Testament. To the best of our knowledge, Jesus left no written record of His own, but rather entrusted His message to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, the writer of Hebrews, James, Jude and Peter.

There are many people, then and since, who believe they are wiser than Jesus. Oh, they will not say as much and, in fact, would find such an accusation ridiculous at best and highly offensive at worst.

Yet when we try to bind on others teachings which are not to be found in the Word which Jesus left, that is exactly what we are doing. If people would simply read the Word for what it is instead of trying to prove their great wisdom by finding in Scripture things which other Christians have overlooked for lo, these two millenniums, there would be much less confusion and problems within the Christian world.

The phrase, "We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent", attributed to Alexander Campbell, bears a great deal of truth. Consider the thought given oin the closing verses of Revelation 22, particularly verse 18.

I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book:if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book;

Even the most cursory examination reveals that he is speaking specifically of the book of Revelation, yet the concept is one that runs throughout the whole of the Bible.

Think on what happened when Balaam made a 'slight modification" to the message he had received.

Consider how Saul had his entire line wiped out when he took upon himself the authority and offices he was not qualified to take.

Consider how Jesus said not one jot or tittle would pass from the Law until all was accomplished (Matthew 5:18).

Galatians 1 is quite clear about the outcome for any who teaches a different Gospel. And one with things added to the teachings of Jesus is equally guilty of this charge as a teaching that takes away.

There is a reason things such as the "Boston Movement" are considered heretical by those who actually read the Scripture. Just as those who take away things such as the need for immersion (I Peter 3:21), those who add responsibilities not found in Scripture stand condemned before God, yet were you to ask anyone in the Boston movement, I suspect they would not think they were acting as if they were wiser than Jesus.

However, adding on to the Word of God is still doing just that. No man has the right or authority to do so. It is Jesus of whom God said He is the exact representation of the nature of God.

It would therefore behoove us to take that wisdom under advisement and seek only the purity of following the teachings of the representation of the nature of God, not the interpretations of fallible man, speaking where the Scripture is silent.