Adding To or Taking Away?

Conversations with a local Pastor#3.

During the discussion I had with a local pastor, our conversation was directed to Rev 22:18-19: "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this 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..." He believed that these verses meant that no one was able to add to or take away from the revealed word of the Bible. He claimed that this is expressly forbidden in the Bible, and used Revelation 22 as his only source.

This criticism is very old and has been beaten like a dead horse! But since the Pastor thought it was so important to bring up during our conversation, I thought I would once again confront this issue. Since Rev 22:18-19 is put at the very end of the entire Bible, it has proved too much of a temptation for those who do not believe in continuing revelation to leave alone. Those that claim this is God's final warning about adding or taking away any additional scriptures are disingenuous at best!

This same warning is repeated at least two other times in the scriptures.  Deut 4:2:"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." If the same view of Rev 22:18-19 is applied here then the Bible would only consist of the Torah! (The first five books of Moses) Yet, no critic would agree with such a limited Bible, and yet this is exactly what they want us to believe Rev 22:18-19 means! 

So what does Deut 4:2 and Rev 22:18-19 mean? Look at Prov 30:6 "Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." Once again God is not saying that the Bible stops at the book of Proverbs, it means that the word of God ought not to be changed by men! (This is important because God can change his word).

So, was the canon of scriptures meant to end at some point? In Heb 13:8, the critic always reminds us that “Jesus Christ (is) the same yesterday, and today, and forever." If this is the case then why would God stop having men write down these experiences which become scripture to us?  He wouldn't! 

The critics who believe the canon of scripture is closed, are also very quick to announce that the Bible does not need any other information added to it.  Is this what the Bible teaches? Paul, in writing to the Colossians, informs them “and when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea."(Col 4:16) Where in the Bible is this epistle of the Laodiceans? It is not to be found in our current Bible and yet Paul put as much emphasis on this scripture of the Laodiceans as he did on the epistle of the Colossians. If the true letter of the Laodiceans was found, would the critics reject it?

Look at Jude 1:14: "and Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints." We are left without this important book of scripture that was quoted by Jude. And in the epistle of 3 John 1:13-14 he said "I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face." Would not those items of instruction be just as important as this chapter in 3 John?

John also informs us in his gospel, "and many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book."(John 20:30) In the next chapter John tells us how many other signs Jesus gave: "and there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written."(John 21:25) And this isn't all, Jesus continued to teach his apostles after he was resurrected "also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."(Acts 1:3) According to the critic no one will ever know of these wonderful teachings of Jesus during these forty days, because the Bible cannot have this information added to it! From these verses we can see that the Bible doesn't contain a complete account of the works of God. Would the critic really deny themselves from having more of the miracles and teachings of Jesus? 

The Book of Mormon (another testament of Jesus Christ) prophet Nephi saw the attitude of the people in our day about additional scriptures and asked "wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word?" Then Nephi continued "know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another."(2 Ne 29:8) 

The truth is that God has always spoken to his people and will continue to speak unto his people. And God will continue to make more scripture available to his people because "all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."(2 Tim 3:16-17)

John was right when he said that "there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written...even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written"(John 21:25) The Book of Mormon claims to be only one of those books! The Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price claim to be just two more of those other books. This hardly seems like enough books to fill the world. The Lord warns those who reject receiving more of his word, "and he said unto them, take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath."(Mark 4:24-25)

The critic cannot show from the scriptures that the Lord intended to stop speaking to his people! Maybe the real problem is that they have just decided to stop listening!