Craig Thomas

The twelfth set of eight verses in Psalm 119 is labeled "LAMED" (vv. 89-96).  Once again let us mine two nuggets of wisdom from these verses.  First, let us consider verse 89:

"Forever, O Lord,

Your word is settled in heaven."

I firmly believe this verse is one of the most important yet abused verses in the entire Bible.  Religionists of all stripes ignore it and abuse it.  There is no doubt "some things [are] hard to understand" in the Bible (2 Pet. 3:16).  However, they can be understood with the proper dedication to diligent study.  Many folks who are "untaught and unstable people twist [the Bible] to their own destruction" (2 Pet. 3:16).  Through their catechisms, creeds, councils, conventions, and other pronouncements they constantly add and subtract from the Scriptures:  a most dangerous habit!  (cf. Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:5-6; Rev. 22:18-19)  As the psalmist says, God's word has "forever" been "settled in heaven."  We have no right to tamper with it!  Jesus sent the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn. 14:26; 15:26) to guide the apostles and prophets into "all truth" (Jn. 16:13).  The Holy Spirit guided these men by selecting the very words they were to write down (cf. 1 Cor. 2; esp. v. 13).  These inspired authors wrote these words down so that "when you read, you may understand" God's will just as they did!  (cf. Eph. 3:1-5)  They received "all truth" (Jn. 16:13) before the close of the first century so that Jude could write "the faith" (i.e., the body of doctrine, the "gospel"; cf. Rom. 1:16-17) was delivered "once for all time" to the saints (Jude 3; NLT).  There is no more to be delivered!  All truth was delivered in the first century through the Holy Spirit inspired apostles and prophets!  Jesus Christ promised it and He delivered on His promise!  Why?  Because the Lord's word was already "settled in heaven"!  Any claimed revelation separate and apart from what is recorded in the New Testament is a fake.  It is a false gospel!  Those claiming modern day revelation need to read and heed Galatians 1:6-9:

"6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- 7 which is really no gospel at all.  Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again:  If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!" (NIV)

Our second nugget comes from verse 93 and is related to our first point:

"I will never forget Your precepts,

For by them You have given me life."

The only source of spiritual life is God's Word.  As Peter told Jesus (Jn. 6:68), "Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life."  The gospel of Christ is written on the pages of the New Testament alone!  The gospel of Christ "is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" because "in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'The just shall live by faith.'"  The decrees of man are incapable of leading us to a saving faith!  The only place man-made doctrine can lead us is to eternal condemnation!  (cf. Gal. 1:6-9)  Hence, it is absolutely critical we reject the catechisms, creeds, councils, conventions, and other pronouncements of men and return to the Bible alone (cf. 1 Pet. 4:11).  The Bible alone contains the teachings of Christ.  John tells us this about Christ's teaching (2 Jn. 9-11):

"9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God.  He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds."

I don't know about you, but I plan on following the Bible and the Bible A-L-O-N-E!  How could I, or anyone, claim to genuinely love Christ and doing anything else?! (cf. Lk. 6:46; Jn. 14:15; 15:14)  Remember what our Lord and Savior once said (Jn. 8:31-32):

"31 If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Are you a disciple "indeed" or do you just play "lip service" and follow the teachings of men?  If you follow the latter, you are practicing a "vain" religion the Lord rejects (Matt. 15:8-13).  If you practice such a religion, I guarantee someday you won't want to hear what the Lord will say to you!

"21 Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matt. 7:21-23)