Golden Nuggets

Author's Website:
http://donfrazier.com

God’s Will Has No Codicil

First, we had the eraser. Then following in succession came correction tape, “Wite Out,” “Liquid Paper” and finally the indispensable “delete” key on the computer. All these have one thing in common: they allow you to fix your mistakes. Mistakes can be in the form of errors or omissions. Accuracy is no big deal now since writing is no longer indelible. “Do-over’s” or “Mulligans” are part of everyday life in the business, professional and scholastic worlds.

Many years ago a young man believed that God needed to make a correction, by addition, to His Sacred Book. This man must have believed that the Bible was severely deficient and needed an addendum to upgrade the canon of Scripture. This Bible, that had served so well, for so long, seemed insufficient and incomplete in his estimation. God’s Word, which is His Will (“Testament”), needed a codicil or a supplement, to cover breaking news that did not make His “first edition.”

This young pseudo-prophet inferred that, as a result of his concern, he was given a vision by an angel. This visitation produced what he called Another Testament of Jesus Christ. This “supplement” to Scripture became the primary body of sacred literature for an entire religious movement. The Bible was relegated to a lesser position of the two books, and this codicil became their primary will. In the arena of estate law this practice may be commonplace but not with the Holy Word of God.

The Bible is the final authority, and it, like its Author, is Sovereign, inerrant and immutable. Since God and His Word are inseparable and since God never changes, His Word can never change. Therefore, anyone or anything that seeks to alter His message is actually challenging the authenticity and the immutability of God’s Revelation to man through the Lord Jesus Christ
(Hebrews 1:1-2).

The question may be posed: “Why would another Gospel or Revelation of Jesus not be helpful or acceptable? After all, things change and doesn’t society need a religion that can keep up with these changing times?” The answer is simple and found contained within the pages of God’s Word. Let’s do some digging in the Greek to see what we can find.

In Galatians 1:6, 7 Paul writes “I marvel that ye are so soon ‘removed’ [metatithemi, SC 3346, “to transfer, exchange, to change sides, places, conditions or parties, pervert, turn away from someone”] from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto ‘another’ [heteron, SC 2087, “another in a qualitatively different kind, altered, foreign, strange”] gospel: Which is not ‘another’ [allos, SC 243, “another of the same kind, qualitatively the same, another numerically but of the same kind”]; but there be some that trouble you, and would ‘pervert’ [metastrepho, SC 3344, “to turn across, transmute, corrupt, turn or pervert, to turn into something else, to change, distort, twist”] the gospel of Christ.”

In the First Century Church, Paul had to deal with those who wanted to alter the Word of God. Alterations always seem to be for the benefit of the editors. People who have personal agendas are the ones who want to modify God’s Word. Their changes are never designed to strengthen what God has said but to limit its affect, or add qualifications, which weaken the commands and consequences contained in Christ’s Word. No one seems to want a stronger, stricter Bible!

Paul clearly addresses this perversion of Scripture with the Galatian Church by telling them that this “other gospel” which they have embraced is not the same as the Gospel he preached. It is “another of a different kind” not “another of the same kind.” Therefore, they must disregard this renegade revelation even if they believe it came by an angelic courier from heaven.

Paul was so emphatic about exposing this spurious, perverted message that he told these Galatian converts that if he, who has been called “the champion of Christianity in a pagan world,” came back and preached “another gospel of a different kind” than what he had formerly proclaimed, they were to consider him “accursed” (anathema, SC 331, “excommunicated, cursed, condemned, estranged from Christ and His salvation, devoted to Divine condemnation”). He says that this “other gospel” is corrupt, twisted, distorted and turned into something that is not the original Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As a result of his concern, Paul established the parameters for authentic Bible revelation. Namely, any illumination, insight, message, sermon, teaching or “rhema” must be qualitatively the same as that which has been given to “holy men of God” and recorded in the Canon of Scripture or it is illegitimate, spurious and erroneous. (See 2 Peter 1:21)

If it is not the same Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is false doctrine and will bring damnation to both the seller and the buyer. Paul included himself when he said that anyone who modifies, by adding to or taking away from, the Word of God will be excommunicated from God and destined to divine condemnation. (See also Revelation 22:18, 19)

To all the cults, religions, sects and heretics, Paul has a message for you: God’s will has no codicil! The Bible, in its original manuscripts, stands alone as the complete and absolute Word of God. It does not need to be modernized nor modified from the original words the Holy Spirit inspired the writers to pen.

Furthermore, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only true Gospel. Anything that diminishes the Lordship of Christ, the only Savior of the world, and the exclusive Redeemer of humanity is not the Good News of the Kingdom of heaven.

A little more digging will uncover some other examples of these two Greek words used in
contradistinction. Acts 4:12 is a good place to begin the excavation. It says, “Neither is there
salvation in any ‘other’ [allos]: for there is none ‘other’ [heteron] name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” This statement of exclusivity declares that there is no name of the “same kind” or any name of a “different kind” under heaven that can bring salvation except through the name of Jesus Christ.

In John 16:14 Jesus said that His Father would give us “another” (allos, SC 243) comforter who would abide with us forever. He was speaking of the Holy Spirit who is “another comforter of the same kind” as Jesus. The Spirit and the Word will always be in complete agreement because they are the same kind of comforter. They both emanate from the Father.

The Spirit will guide you as you search for more gold from His Word. Enjoy your exploration.

****A Personal Word to Our Readers from Dr. Frazier****  Please feel free to share your questions, observations, or insights with our readers and me. Website: http://www.donfrazier.com