16
Darkness Before Dawn
Scripture as its own interpreter, and then they present their vagaries as
the teachings of the Bible.
Whenever the study of the Scriptures is entered upon without a
prayerful, humble, teachable spirit, the plainest and simplest as well
as the most difficult passages will be wrested from their true meaning.
The papal leaders select such portions of Scripture as best serve their
purpose, interpret to suit themselves, and then present these to the
people, while they deny them the privilege of studying the Bible and
understanding its sacred truths for themselves. The whole Bible should
be given to the people just as it reads. It would be better for them not to
have Bible instruction at all than to have the teaching of the Scriptures
thus grossly misrepresented.
The Bible was designed to be a guide to all who wish to become
acquainted with the will of their Maker. God gave to men the sure word
of prophecy; angels and even Christ Himself came to make known
[8]
to Daniel and John the things that must shortly come to pass. Those
important matters that concern our salvation were not left involved
in mystery. They were not revealed in such a way as to perplex and
mislead the honest seeker after truth. Said the Lord by the prophet
Habakkuk: “Write the vision, and make it plain, ... that he may run
that readeth it.”
Habakkuk 2:2
. The word of God is plain to all who
study it with a prayerful heart. Every truly honest soul will come to
the light of truth. “Light is sown for the righteous.”
Psalm 97:11
. And
no church can advance in holiness unless its members are earnestly
seeking for truth as for hid treasure.
By the cry, Liberality, men are blinded to the devices of their adver-
sary, while he is all the time working steadily for the accomplishment
of his object. As he succeeds in supplanting the Bible by human spec-
ulations, the law of God is set aside, and the churches are under the
bondage of sin while they claim to be free.
Theories vs. Scientific Facts
To many, scientific research has become a curse. God has permitted
a flood of light to be poured upon the world in discoveries in science
and art; but even the greatest minds, if not guided by the word of God
in their research, become bewildered in their attempts to investigate
the relations of science and revelation.