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For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: Rev. 22:18

Do you add to the Word of God? Do you allow your imagination to run freely and draw pictures in your mind beyond what is actually written in the Bible? It isn’t unusual to hear a teacher or a preacher do this these days. That isn’t really surprising because Christian “fiction” books like the “Left Behind” series are popular best-sellers now. This type of thing is so popular and profitable now that even the occult writers like Ann Rice are getting into it. Those are books that are the product of someone taking a little of the Word of God and then allowing their imagination to add many things to it that aren’t true at all. This seems to be what people prefer to hear in these last days.

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Tim. 4:4

And according to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary the definition for a fable is:

A feigned story or tale, intended to instruct or amuse; a fictitious narration intended to enforce some useful truth or precept.

A made-up story to enforce a truth? I suppose some believe this is just entertainment, and that there is no harm in it. But this is a dangerous game to play, and the Word of God is not something to play with. God is a God of truth, and we certainly don’t need to mix lies with it to make it effective.

What I am talking about is taking a story from the Bible and adding to it all kinds of details that aren’t written there. Among the many false doctrines and poison that Augustine brought upon Christianity was the idea of allegorical interpretation of the Word of God. In other words, you just don’t take it for what it says. You must look for the “hidden” message and meaning. You must imagine that God’s “real” message is hidden in types and figures and shadows, and the more spiritual you are, the more you will be able to “see” these hidden things. Of course, there ARE allegories in the Bible and there ARE types and shadows, but what is written is sufficient and we do not need to dream up extra details and add to it.

People who do this have started down a road that leads to big trouble. A preacher or a teacher will take a story from the Bible like that of Abraham’s servant going to get Isaac a bride and add a lot of details like what was said on the journey, or what was being carried on the camels, or what the conversation was in Rebekah’s father’s house that night, etc. What that does is impress these imaginary details upon the minds of the listeners. They accept them as true and then they repeat them somewhere else and even add a little more to it. First thing you know, the emphasis is on those imaginary details instead of what God recorded in his Word. Don’t you suppose God wrote what He wanted us to concentrate on and believe? Where did the idea of Adam and Eve eating an “apple” come from? What about the false idea that Jesus fell under the load of the cross? No such thing is ever recorded in the Word of God, but many songs have been written and paintings made of Jesus falling down because the cross was too heavy for him, and if you asked most people they believe the Bible teaches that Jesus fell under the load of the cross. How many messages have been preached on David’s five smooth stones? I have heard, among other things, that Goliath had four brothers and that is why David picked out five stones. Nowhere in the context does the Bible mention four other giants that were there threatening the armies of Israel, but that just sounds so good! It portrays a different spirit about David than what God meant for this story to convey. It is wild imagination – not Scripture. Why not just believe the obvious fact that David picked up five stones because he didn’t intend to throw just one and run if he missed? He was prepared to throw more if he needed to. Isn’t that why you carry more than one shell in your gun?

Whole systems of theology are based on someone’s imaginary ideas about what certain Scriptures teach. For example, Romans 7 is a perfect example of this. Anyone who is reading the book of Romans and reads chapter six and chapter eight cannot possibly read chapter seven and believe it to be a typical born-again, Spirit-filled Christian. But what they do is isolate Romans 7 and imagine that to be their experience with false humility and a misunderstanding of God’s grace. All the truth in Romans 6 and 8 is laid aside to indulge the imagination and identify with the sinner in Romans 7. How must God feel to hear someone identify themselves as “sold under sin” and “carnal” after He has purchased them with the blood of his Son, filled them with his Spirit, and given them eternal life? After He has made them a “new creature” and made them partakers of the “divine nature?” After they have sat in heavenly places with Him and been accepted in the beloved?” After He has made them “more than conquerors and said, “because I live, ye shall live also?” After all God has done for them and they claim to be miserable, hopeless, carnal, habitual sinners, it must be very offensive to God! This is because of an imagination running wild instead of simply reading and believing the Word of God.

It is too easy to distort the meaning of the Word of God when mere men and women begin to add their thoughts to it. I heard a Sunday School teacher open his class with remarks about how he didn’t believe in adding to the Word of God and he believed in just taking it like it is. Then he started from there and spent the rest of the class starting his sentences with “Maybe,” “it COULD have been that …such and such …” or something like that. Everything he said was out of his imagination about what this family in the Bible was doing. I could not help but notice that his imagination was greatly influenced by his doctrine. Everything he imagined these people to be doing fit exactly with the “sinning religion” doctrine he holds to. Therefore, the entire lesson and meaning of the passage of Scripture was distorted.

Allowing your imagination to add to the Word of God develops into a habit. You will find yourself reading the Bible less and less and just letting your mind run wild with it. You are leaving yourself wide open to being deceived by the devil. Just read the Word of God and BELIEVE it! MEDITATE on it! It is so rich and full of meaning that no one can exhaust it in a lifetime of study. There is no need to add your imaginary details to it.

We should be able to understand that we cannot superimpose our 21st century culture and thoughts on something written thousands of years ago without distorting the message God has given us. God’s Word will endure to all generations and never lose its power and effectiveness, but when we start adding to it we not only make it ineffective, but are in danger of doing great harm to the souls of men with it. Not only that, but we would be wise to take God seriously when He warns in Revelation 22:18 what He intends to do to people who add or take away from his Word.

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Rev. 22:18 through Rev. 22:19

Why not just forget about Christian fiction and novels and do as God says? Here it is:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Phil. 4:8

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