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 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 adversary , while he is all the time working steadily for the accomplishment of his object . As he succeeds in supplanting the Bible by human speculations , the law of God is set aside , and the churches are under the bondage of sin while they claim to be free . 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 .
Human knowledge of both material and spiritual things is partial and imperfect ; therefore many are unable to harmonize their views of science with Scripture statements . Many accept mere theories and speculations as scientific facts , and they think that God ' s word is to be tested by the teachings of " science falsely so called ." 1 Timothy 6:20 . The Creator and His works are beyond their comprehension ; and because they cannot explain these by natural laws , Bible history is regarded as unreliable . Those who doubt the reliability of the records of the Old and New Testaments too often go a step further and doubt the existence of God and attribute infinite power to nature . Having let go their anchor , they are left to beat about upon the rocks of infidelity .
Thus many err from the faith and are seduced by the devil . Men have endeavoured to be wiser than their Creator ; human philosophy has attempted to search out and explain mysteries which will never be revealed through the eternal ages . If men would but search and understand what God had made known of Himself and His purposes , they would obtain such a view of the glory , majesty , and power of Jehovah that they would realize their own littleness and would be content with that which has been revealed for themselves and their children .
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