In order to sustain erroneous doctrines or unchristian practices , some will seize upon passages of Scripture separated from the context , perhaps quoting half of a single verse as proving their point , when the remaining portion would show the meaning to be quite the opposite . With the cunning of the serpent they entrench themselves behind disconnected utterances construed to suit their carnal desires . Thus do many willfully pervert the word of God . Others , who have an active imagination , seize upon the figures and symbols of Holy Writ , interpret them to suit their fancy , with little regard to the testimony of 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 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 .
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