1 Peter 4:11 (NKJV)
¹¹If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

While this entire verse is very important, as is the rest of God’s Word, it is the first statement in it that continues to be timelessly important.  Faithful Christians have always advocated that we speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent.  Why?  Because to do anything else is to put our souls at risk.  The Scriptures warn us not to add nor to take away from the Word of God.

Revelation 22:18–19 (ESV)
¹⁸I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, ¹⁹and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

Deuteronomy 4:2 (ESV)
²You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.

Proverbs 30:6 (ESV)
⁶Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

The Bible is clear—if we are going to teach God’s Word, we must not tamper with it by adding our own theological opinions to it, or by taking away from the truths therein.  The Word of God is already perfect.  What good can we do by changing it?  When man adds to or takes away from God’s Word, it is no longer the Word of God.  Some in the first century were handling the Word of God like this, and Paul condemned them.

Galatians 1:6–9 (ESV)
⁶I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—⁷not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. ⁸But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

We learn from this passage that a gospel tampered with is not the gospel at all.  We also learn that the one who does the tampering, even if it is an angel from heaven, will be accursed.  This is the consistent teaching found in the Bible.  John warns us that if we do not abide in the doctrine of Christ, we do not have God (2 John 1:9).  Despite what many believe and teach, doctrine does matter.

While we should be willing to teach others the Word of God, striving to win souls and save as many as possible, we must make sure that when we speak, we are speaking the oracles of God.  If we fail to do so, instead of helping others to be saved, we are disqualifying ourselves from the race (1 Corinthians 9:27), and losing a home in heaven in the process.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.