Amend the Bible
On a recent edition of CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight" the host engaged Saddleback Church's Rick Warren in a debate about same sex marriage and gay rights. Morgan suggested the Bible needed to be "amended" to accommodate modern social mores. Warren's reply was, "not a chance." Warren is right, it is not going to happen.
Amending the Bible is a bold call—not that others have not tried to amend its text down through the centuries. But textual criticism can usually determine where that has been done. But we don't need to go there today.
My thought after listening to the exchange was that people have already amended the Bible by ignoring its plain teaching on just about any major matter of substance in the book. The law? It's been changed, don't need to keep it. The Sabbath and holy days? Changed to Sunday and pagan festivals substituted. Adultery and marital fidelity? Let's do what feels right in our own eyes.
For many modern minds today there is no need to "amend" holy scripture—their lifestyle denies its authority and in effect says to God "We don't want you telling us what to do. You are not admitted into our conscience" (Romans 1:28).
How about you? Do your actions say that you have amended God's plain teaching to suit what you want to do with your life? Revelation 22:19 says not to "take away from the words of the book of this prophecy." Doing so causes God to remove our names from the Book of Life.
Far better to "amend" our life to conform with the Bible. It's safer that way.
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Darris McNeely
Darris McNeely works at the United Church of God home office in Cincinnati, Ohio. He and his wife, Debbie, have served in the ministry for more than 43 years. They have two sons, who are both married, and four grandchildren. Darris is the Associate Media Producer for the Church. He also is a resident faculty member at the Ambassador Bible Center teaching Acts, Fundamentals of Belief and World News and Prophecy. He enjoys hunting, travel and reading and spending time with his grandchildren.
