Watch Out for Any Missing Pages  

I was reading a book I had recently purchased online when I suddenly realized something wasn’t right. About halfway through the volume I came to what appeared to be the end of a chapter, only to discover that the last sentence on the page didn’t seem to conclude the thought. And there was no period at the end of the sentence. Was I missing a page? As I examined the page numbers, I discovered that I was actually missing about thirty pages of material, including an entire chapter. If I was one to readily accept conspiracy theories, I might have wondered if this act had been intentional. After all, the book was dealing with some rather controversial subjects about our culture and a Christian’s response to those issues. As I checked out the title of the missing chapter in the table of contents, I could see where some people might not like its subject matter. However, it appeared simply to be a glitch in the publishing of this one copy. I was able to report the error to the company I bought it from and have since been sent a free replacement with all the pages intact.

What if you were reading through the Bible and suddenly found a whole section of material missing? There are those who wouldn’t mind removing certain parts of God’s Word due to it contradicting their own views. However, most aren’t that daring or obvious about their intentions. Instead, they simply focus on the truths they like, while ignoring the parts with which they disagree. Or others will still cite those particular passages but find ways to explain away their clear meaning. Let me suggest a few examples of this of which to be wary.

For many people, even professing Christians, the Bible’s testimony about itself seems to be missing. It declares itself to be more than man’s biased, flawed writing, driven primarily by its cultural and historical setting. It professes to be the uniquely-inspired Word of God. While written by men in a particular culture, it was penned by holy men who were under the guiding influence of the Holy Spirit. It is true, reliable, authoritative, and eternal. The Bible warns against anyone adding or subtracting from its sacred content. However, people are disregarding those statements and treating the Bible as if it’s strictly a faulty human invention to be criticized, ignored, and even rejected in light of their own ideas or popular practices.

Biblical teaching about sin is likewise being left out today. People are disregarding specific actions the Bible declare to be wrong, or even rejecting the whole idea of labeling anything a sin. Closely connected to this practice, is the removal of any belief in God’s wrath and judgment. The scriptures about a loving God are emphasized while the many references to a God who hates sin and who holds people accountable are attributed to a past poorer understanding of deity. Many continue to proclaim the hope of heaven, while rejecting the biblical claim of there being only one way to get there. They cling to the concept of heaven for all while denying the possibility of a hell for anyone.  

Those missing pages in my book may or may not have skewed its overall message. However, it certainly left a hole that could be confusing and could have resulted in my losing out on some important parts of its teaching. It’s even more vital that we seek the whole counsel of God, not leaving out parts that are essential to our understanding and applying of its truths. It’s not just a matter of avoiding confusion and gaining clarity. The salvation of souls, along with their eternal destinies, can be at stake.