Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God’s thoughts and ways above the thoughts and ways of humans (Isaiah 55:8,9). When it comes to the wisdom of God and the wisdom of this world, there is no comparison. In fact, God counts the wisdom of the world as foolishness (1 Corinthians 3:19).
God has spoken to mankind through His Son (Hebrews 1:2), and the Godhead today communicates the truth to humans through the message of the Bible. Not everyone is ready to receive the truth that is revealed in God’s marvelous book. Perhaps some reject it out of ignorance. They are content with their life as it is, and they have no interest in what the Bible says. Others know what is stated in the Scriptures, but they make a concerted effort to avoid what it says or somehow try to get rid of or at least minimize its significance.
Have you read the Bible account about a king of Judah trying to destroy a message which came to God’s people through the prophet Jeremiah? After Jeremiah’s scribe read a portion of that inspired message, King Jehoiakim took a knife, cut the scroll, and cast it into a fire (Jeremiah 36:20-23). The proud king did not want to hear what Jehovah had to say. Remember this: even though the monarch destroyed the written message, the truth was still the truth. His effort to avoid the truth did not change the truth.
A couple of years ago, in a private setting I taught a Bible lesson to a brother in the Lord, as well as his wife, his grown son, and a handful of other members of the church. At the conclusion of my lesson, the grown son walked across the room to me and asked for my Bible. I thought maybe he was going to open it and make some remark in opposition to something that I had said. Instead, he took his hand and tore out one page in the front portion of the Bible where the publishing company is identified. He then took that page which he had torn out and burned it with a lighter. He said something along the lines of the Bible not being God’s word because the Lord could not prevent him from doing the damage which he did to my Bible. What the man’s real intent was, we never really understood. Remember this: even though this rude fellow ripped a page out of the Bible, the truth is still the truth. His action could not change that reality.
A good friend of mine was having a series of lessons with a student who attended a university operated by a denomination. In the course of their Bible study, our brother showed her from the Scriptures that a woman is not permitted to teach in such a way that she has “authority over a man, but to be in silence” (1 Timothy 2:12). It turns out that in the chapel/worship services of that private university, there are occasions when a female presents a Bible lesson to an audience which is composed of grown males and females. This young student, knowing that the practice did not harmonize with the instruction she read in her Bible in 1 Timothy 2, asked the leader of the university why they followed such a practice.
The response the young woman received from the person in a high position at the university was both memorable and eye-opening. She was told something like this: “I know that is what the Bible says, but I asked the Lord about it and He told me it would be okay for our women to speak in our chapels.” What if all people took this university official’s approach with every Bible topic? That would make the Bible’s message irrelevant, and folks could just do whatever they desire to do! It is certain that the answer given to the young student did not come from the “God of truth” (Deuteronomy 32:4), whose Spirit is “the Spirit of truth” (John 14:17). The Lord does not contradict the truth which He has revealed in His word. Remember this: no claim made by any human can change the truth. The truth is still the truth.
The only way to become a saved person is by hearing, believing, and submitting to the gospel (Mark 16:15,16). The only way to remain in good standing with the Lord is by continuing to submit to His revealed will (Matthew 28:20; James 1:21,22).
One day God will judge us in righteousness through His Son (Acts 17:31), and that judgment will be according to God’s truth (John 12:48; Romans 2:2). Let us stay away from the folly of appealing to what some modern-day religious teacher says, some human tradition, or what makes us feel comfortable. Let us be committed to sticking with God’s truth.
— Roger D. Campbell