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Some Who Did Not Write The Bible We can, through study of the Bible, learn a great deal about those who wrote the Bible. In this article we want to focus our attention on some who did not write the Bible. Atheists and infidels had no part in writing the Bible As a matter the very first verse of the Bible would be omitted if they had written the Bible. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). Atheists and infidels would have left out a verse that helps answer our very existence! These unbelievers would have written passages like Psalm 19:1, "The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork" or Romans 1:20, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse" (Rom. 1:20). To atheists and infidels these things just happened without design or designer. Atheists and infidels will spend a great deal of time speaking against the Bible in an effort to destroy its influence. One well-known skeptic, Francois Voltaire (1694-1778), is on record as having said, "In less than a hundred years the Bible will be discarded and Christianity swept from the earth." Voltaire is long gone and the Bible and Christianity are still here! Ironically, his house was made into a storage facility for Bibles that were printed on his old printing press. An infidel named Robert Ingersoll (1833-1899) once toured the lecture circuits speaking on "The Mistakes of Moses." Moses did not make any mistakes except in the imagination of Ingersoll. However, anyone familiar with Robert Ingersoll could write a book on "The Mistakes of Ingersoll." No, atheist and infidels wrote no part of the Bible. Sectarians did not write the Bible This is a group of people who applaud religious division and have as a mantra, "One church is as good as another." They urge people to find "the church of your choice" as opposed to the church of God's choice. They believe in "unity in diversity" and that God wants all to become affiliated with a church that suits the whim and fancy of the individual. One wonders if such sectarians have ever taken the time to examine what is said in the Bible. Paul wrote much on this very topic and with his writing proved that he was neither a sectarian nor a promoter of it. As a matter of fact, Paul said, "factions, divisions, parties" (Gal. 5:19, ASV) were works of the flesh and those who engaged in them "shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven" (Gal. 5:21). Paul encouraged all to "speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you" (1 Cor. 1:10). Paul also declared that "There is one body" (Eph. 4:4) and that body is the church with Jesus as the head (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18). Sectarians would never have written what Paul wrote, but then Paul was hardly a sectarian. Innovators had no part in writing the Bible Innovators want to change things. They do not care what kind of change, just change. They will not hesitate to add to, subtract from, or substitute for the word of God. This kind of individuals did not write the Bible because the Bible warns against their brand of innovation. Deuteronomy 4:2 reads, "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." The wise man wrote, "Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar" (Prov. 30:6). The apostle John wrote, "For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book" (Rev. 22:18-19). History reveals that it is through the work of innovators that instrumental music came into the church. The same can be said about how one man became "universal bishop" and how sprinkling was accepted for baptism. It is all accomplished through innovation. I certainly hope that we have enough interest in the Bible to appreciate how, without these adulterations, it is able to save the soul (James 1:21). ~Terry Sanders~
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