When A Little "Give and Take" Is Not Such A Good Thing

Revelation 22:17-19
"17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. 18 For I testify unto every man that hears 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: 19 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."

In our social system we have always been taught that when there is a disagreement that we should work out a compromise with the other person. In the vernacular the term is "Give and Take". This all sounds good, but when it comes to the scriptures and sound doctrine we dare not give in to error.

In the above verses from the Book of The Revelation ch 22 we see the golden bow that God wraps up His word with. We are not to add to it (Give) or take away from it (take); to do so leads to great consequences. Let's analyze this passage one verse at a time:

Verse 17: this verse is talking to the unsaved. The only way the unsaved can come to a saving faith is by means of the Holy Spirit and the bride (also known as the church). The members of the church are responsible for sowing and watering the message of the Gospel to the lost and the Holy Spirit is responsible for reaping the harvest. Note also in this verse, that the invitation is open to anyone, anywhere at anytime no matter what they have done in the past. For those who "hear" the calling to come to Christ they are free to come. The Bible calls these people the "whosoever wills". Whosoever is exactly as it sounds... whosoever. This means ANYBODY no matter what sin or so called "unpardonable sin" they may have thought they committed. The only unpardonable sin is to refuse the Holy Spirit's call to come to Christ. When someone does that, they are in danger of having their heart so hardened that they will not come to Christ in the future. If they are at the point where they still seek Christ, then they have not committed this unpardonable sin.

Verse 18: The apostle John is testifying (based on Divine intervention) that the Bible is the infallible word of God and is not to be amended in any way. He begins by addressing the people who would add to the Word (the givers in our title). Who are the givers? These are those who would add to the plan of salvation. Salvation is through trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ that He is God and that His death, burial and resurrection is enough to justify us before a Holy God. See 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 where Paul lays out the Gospel message in 4 simple verses. So what do these people add? Simply put.. works. In biblical days these people would add circumcision as a prerequisite for salvation. Today, some add baptism, speaking in tongues, helping the poor, following sacraments, etc. None of these things save. Not only do they not save, they can prevent salvation from ever taking place. If a person believes they have to perform some duty in order to be saved they are saying that they do not trust that what Christ did on the cross was sufficient to justify them, ergo these people fall short of being saved. The bible calls this falling from grace in Galatians 5:4.

Next John addresses those who would take away from the message of the Bible. How do they do this? By simply denying the Deity of Christ. Christ can not forgive sins or be any one's savior if He is not co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father. Jesus Himself proclaimed this in John 8:58 "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I Am." We know that the name "I Am" is the name God used for Himself when He showed Himself to Moses at the burning bush. The Jews that Jesus told this to knew what He meant because in verse 59 it says they took up stones to stone Him for proclaiming He was God. In verse 24 Jesus makes this statement to let everyone know that if you do not believe He is God in the flesh that you shall die in eternal damnation of Hell "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." While it is true we should not judge others as to whether they are saved or lost (only God knows their heart) we have an obligation to tell people that if they do not trust Christ that they will not be saved. Jesus said they will "indeed die in their sins". If Jesus says it so emphatically I dare not water down the message because it sounds harsh. It's supposed to be harsh. Pardon the pun but it is meant to scare the living hell out of people. I would much rather scare someone into heaven than to lull them into hell by preaching a "feel good" type of Gospel. I will have to give an account to God for how I shared the Gospel and I do not want to face Him knowing I compromised the true message of salvation simply so people will feel better about themselves.

What will God do to those "take-away'ers"? He will take away their part of the book of life. This is important to understand. By inference, this passage clearly states that all people (that's A double L, ALL) people's name are initially in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world. When we get saved our name is not added to the Book of Life, it simply means that God won't blot out our name from the book. The people who take away the Diety of Christ do not have saving faith themselves so as night follows day their names will be blotted out from the book upon their deaths.

We may not understand everything in the Bible, but those of us who are born again understand enough to not add to the message of salvation by adding works and we understand enough to not take away the Diety of God. If we misinterpret other scriptures in the Bible, it is not quite so critical, but if we misinterpret these it is deadly.

If you are unsure of your salvation now is the time to get it settled. You must believe (which means to trust with all your heart) that Jesus is God and that His death, burial and resurrection is the only way to justify you in the eyes of God and the only way to come into God's eternal family. Once you do this, you should then be baptized as an outward testimony of your inward faith. The baptism is not a necessary part of salvation but it shows your obedience to Christ's commands. I don't know of anyone who has truly come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ that did not want to tell everyone they know about it. Baptism symbolizes Christ burial just as we are buried under the water and come up out of the water a new creation.

No if's, and's, "But God"

If you are like me and most everyone else, there are times in our daily lives that we go through stresses of daily life that seem overbearing. It is as if we feel like we are under attack spiritually from the devil, and in these instances we may very well be. We may think "Satan is trying to discourage me, Satan is trying to hurt me, etc. In our own strength we are no match for our foe the Devil. However, greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world (John 4:4). There are two very important words we need to remember when we are under attack and don't feel as though we can win the battle... "But God". We need to think, "I can't do it, but God can".

In searching the scriptures, the two word phrase "but God" appears 43 times. Here is the list:

1. Genesis 20:3
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou has taken; for she is a man's wife.

2. Genesis 31:7
And your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

3. Genesis 45:8
So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

4. Genesis 48:21
And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

5. Genesis 50:20
But as for you, you thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

6. Exodus 13:18
But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

7. Exodus 21:13
And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.

8. Judges 15:19
But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.

9. 1 Samuel 23:14
And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

10. 1 Chronicles 28:3
But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.

11. Psalm 49:15
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

12. Psalm 64:7
But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.

13. Psalm 68:21
But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goes on still in his trespasses.

14. Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart fails: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

15. Psalm 75:7
But God is the judge: he puts down one, and sets up another.

16. Proverbs 21:12
The righteous man wisely considers the house of the wicked: but God overthrows the wicked for their wickedness.

17. Isaiah 17:13
The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.

18. Jonah 4:7
But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.

19. Mark 2:7
Why does this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

20. Luke 5:21
And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

21. Luke 12:20
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

22. Luke 16:15
And he said unto them, You are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knows your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

23. Acts 7:9
And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him

24. Acts 10:28
And he said unto them, You know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

25. Acts 13:30
But God raised him from the dead:

26. Romans 5:8
But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

27. Romans 6:17
But God be thanked, that you were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

28. 1 Corinthians 1:27
But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty

29. 1 Corinthians 2:10
But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.

30. 1 Corinthians 3:6
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

31. 1 Corinthians 3:7
So then neither is he that plants any thing, neither he that waters; but God that gives the increase.

32. 1 Corinthians 6:13
Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

33. 1 Corinthians 7:15
But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God has called us to peace.

34. 1 Corinthians 10:13
There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.

35. 1 Corinthians 12:24
For our comely parts have no need: but God has tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked.

36. 1 Corinthians 15:38
But God gives it a body as it has pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

37. Galatians 3:18
For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

38. Galatians 3:20
Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

39. Galatians 6:14
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

40. Ephesians 2:4
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us

41. Philippians 2:27
For indeed he was sick near unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

42. 1 Thessalonians 2:4
But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which tries our hearts.

43. 1 Thessalonians 4:8
He therefore that despises, despises not man, but God, who has also given unto us his holy Spirit.

Now keep in mind, to get the most out of what these verses are saying, we may need to read the preceding verses because the phrase "but God" is being used to contrast something that was just said. Sometimes it does this all in one verse but many times the previous verse is being referenced.

So the next time you are feeling spiritually down or under attack, just remember that you aren't able to win the fight on your own, "but God" can and will (if we humble ourselves and ask for His protection and guidance). If we go at it pridefully, God has no obligation to come to our defense.