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God Doesn't Like Addition
Numbers 20:12
"And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them."
Years ago when I was learning to fly airplanes, I learned a valuable lesson about adding just a little to the prescribed course. I was taking a long trip flying by what they call, "Visual Flight Rules." When I mapped the course, I wrote down the different headings that I needed to fly. When I was actually taking the trip, I was not closely watching my heading indicator. I allowed myself to add a couple degrees to the heading indicator, and did not correct it because I thought I would still see the airport. After flying for a couple of hours, I found that I was well of course. Just adding one or two degrees to the original heading caused me to be several miles off course.
This could have been deadly if I didn't have enough fuel in the airplane to get me to the nearest airport. Just like adding one degree to my heading indicator got me well off course, likewise, adding to what God tells us to do gets us off course spiritually. Not only will it get us off course spiritually, but it could be spiritually harmful if we don't follow God's instructions. I find in the Scriptures there are three areas where God doesn't like addition.
First, God doesn't like us to add to His Word. Proverbs 30:6 says, "Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." We live in a day when there are many Bible versions from which to choose. However, when you closely look at each version you will find that many have changed God's Word by adding or taking away from what He said. This is why it is imperative for you to have the right Bible. The King James Bible has been proven over the years to be God's perfect Word for the English speaking people. Be careful about listening to preachers or reading books by authors who use something else other than the King James Bible. When you add to what God said, it could be harmful to your Christian life.
Second, God doesn't like us to add to His commandments. Deuteronomy 12:32 says, "What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it." I have found that many times people will say God said something that is found nowhere in the Scriptures. Be careful about telling people that God said something just so you can get people to do what you want them to do. I am not to ask people to do something to benefit my agenda. If it is not in the Scriptures, then it is simply a preference and not a command.
Finally, God doesn't like us to add to His methods. In the text verse above, Moses changed how God told Him to get water from the rock. Though Moses' method got the desired result, God was upset that He changed the method to get it. God is as interested in us following His methods as He is in us obeying His Word. People will say, "As long as people get saved that is the only thing that matters." No, it is not the only thing that matters! We are to obey God's methods even if we think His methods no longer work. God says in 1 Samuel 15:22, "...to obey is better than sacrifice,..." God is as interested in how things are done as He is in us not adding to His Word.
Christian, be careful that you use the right Bible. Be careful about adding to what God said to satisfy your own agenda. Be careful about changing God's methods because you think your emphasis is better than God's. Just like Moses lost the opportunity to go into the Promised Land for changing God's methods, you will also lose opportunities God has for you if you add in any of these areas.