Hello dear friends,
Today, let’s take a look at these wise statements by King Solomon regarding the word of God:
Every word of God is tested;
He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Do not add to His words
Lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar.
— Proverbs 30:5-6
In this proverb, we see the king sharing some insights about the very word of God. He makes three statements that are worth a careful study.
1. The Authenticity of Scripture
Solomon says the word of God is tested. He highlights that it is not just part of the word of God that is tested but rather the entirety of the word of God is tested. This idea of testing involves being put through various kinds of trials to ensure its authenticity.
This is true of the scriptures. Contrary to what some skeptics might believe, the word of God has stood the test of time. It has been put through different kinds of tests, including archaeological, historical, scientific, geographical, and even philosophical scrutiny, and has still come out unscathed.
Compared to other religious texts, the Bible has withstood a lot of scrutiny, even in the face of ideologies that have become popular in our society today, such as the Big Bang theory and Darwin’s theory of evolution.
2. The Profitability of Scripture
In the next verse, the proverb says:
God is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
— Proverbs 30:5
Here we see the application of God’s word. Those who believe the word of God will find God to be a shield for them, and they take refuge in Him.
Paul, writing to Timothy, highlights the profitability of scripture:
All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be equipped, having been thoroughly equipped for every good work.
— 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The reason for this level of profitability in God’s word, Paul says, is so that the man of God, that is, those who fear and honor God, who have placed their faith in Him, are well-equipped for every good work.
It is the word of God that teaches us how we can do the good works that God has prepared for us before the foundation of the world:
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
— Ephesians 2:10
The word of God is profitable to aid us unto salvation.
3. The Sufficiency of Scripture
In the second part of the proverb, the author writes:
Do not add to His words.
— Proverbs 30:6
This directly highlights that the word of God is sufficient on its own. We need not add to the word of God to make it better.
As mentioned in the previous verses, the word of God is already tested and has passed every test. We don’t need to somehow help God by adding to His word to cover some missing scenarios. All that we need to know to be led in wisdom unto salvation is already written, and the only thing required of us is to read and obey. We need to be doers of the word:
But become doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
— James 1:22
The author then immediately takes the rest of the verse to focus on the penalties of thinking the word of God is insufficient such that one adds to the word of God. He says, one who adds to the word will be reproved and proved to be a liar.
It’s easy to assume that this pronouncement does not really concern us because we perhaps don’t add verses to our Bibles or something like that. However, we would be largely mistaken if in our lives we live in such a way that adds to what the word of God states.
Think about all the times we try to add some kind of explanation to extend the meaning of the text beyond what it clearly states, especially in occasions where the extension is meant to cover up some sort of sin or make us appear more righteous than we are. All such practices basically add to what the word of God clearly states.
Here are some things to remember about the word of God:
- The word of God is authentic and authoritative: Let’s recognize the authority of scripture. Let’s remember that this is how God has chosen to preserve His word and we need to recognize it as the true word of God.
- The word of God is profitable: Let’s learn to submit to the reproof, correction, instruction, and teaching offered by the word of God. This is how we can be equipped to serve.
- The word of God is sufficient: Let’s be careful in our walk not to add to the word of God by the way we conduct ourselves. God the Holy Spirit intended the scriptures to be the way they are.
I pray this word will bring to remembrance the delicacy of the scriptures and how we need to take them seriously as the word of God, meant to make us wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:15).
Be blessed,
Paul
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