The truth is that other books always get good Christian brothers and sisters into trouble. A man named Joseph Smith wrote another book to the Bible, called the Book of Mormon, which is full of contradictions to the Bible and is a heretical book. The Roman Catholic Church wrote The Catholic Catechism (pgs 933-880) which contains the erroneous doctrine of Virgin Mary being Redeematrix (co-redeemer to Christ, that is helps save people), when Scripture says, "It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:10,12), "Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me," (John 14:6), "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture," (John 10:9), "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus," (1 Timothy 2:5), "For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it way too easily," (2 Corinthians 11:4), and Mary said she need salvation, "Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For He has looked upon the humiliation of His handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth all the generations will count me blessed." (Luke 1:46-48). The Eastern Orthodox Fathers like St. Antony of Egypt teaches in the Desert Fathers that a Christian must be plagued by demons and tortured by useen forces, but Jesus in the Bible says the opposite, "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you," (Luke 10:19), "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?," (Romans 8:31), "Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil," (1 John 3:8), "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven," (Matthew 18:18), and, "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." (Philippians 2:10). John Calvin's Institutes and further writings created a Selection or Chosen doctrine, that evangelism is useless because Christ has already foreknown (predestined) who will be saved, and only a small group will be saved, and yet this contradicts Christ's own words in Bible as well as the Apostles, "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth," (1 Timothy 2:3-4), "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance," (1 Peter 3:9)"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, " (Matthew 28:19), "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned," (Mark 16:16), "If you confess Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead you shall be saved, for it by confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart that you are saved," (Romans 10:9-10), "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son and who so ever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life," (John 3:16), "They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household," (Acts 16:31), "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day," (John 6:40), "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come," (Matthew 24:14). John Calvin also taught you must emphazie works (contradicted by Ephesians 2:4), but Calvin said you can never know you will be saved (The Reformation, Diamand MCculluch), but the Bible contradicts Calvin, "because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation. "(Romans 10:9-10), and "You know that you are saved, (1 John), "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned," (Mark 16:16), "This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit," (1 John 4:13), "Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us," (1 John 3:24), "By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments (Matthew 22:37-41, John 13:34)." (1 John 2:3), "Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us," (1 John 3:24), "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children," (Romans 8:16), and, "By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother." (1 John 3:10). Martin Luther taught Transubstantian, a doctrine created in 16th century, 1500 years after Jesus died on cross, rose from dead, and even had the Last Supper, that teaches the Communion meal of wine and bread becomes Christ's blood and body, but Jesus revelas in Last Supper they are symbolic of his sacrifice and new covenant, "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me, In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you," (Luke 22:19-20), which clearly is fulfilled by Jesus being broken for us,
"Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:1-12), "You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel," (Hebrews 12:24), "And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation," (Romans 5:9), "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed," (1 Peter 2:24), "Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;" (Romans 3:25), "for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins," (Matthew 26:28). Even newer writers like Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, Beth Moore, and many more hve written books with major errors, because their books are not God breathed in same sense the Bible is. They may get revelations, but more than often they created contradictions and add doctrines not found in Bible on people.
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:1-12), "You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel," (Hebrews 12:24), "And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation," (Romans 5:9), "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed," (1 Peter 2:24), "Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;" (Romans 3:25), "for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins," (Matthew 26:28). Even newer writers like Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, Beth Moore, and many more hve written books with major errors, because their books are not God breathed in same sense the Bible is. They may get revelations, but more than often they created contradictions and add doctrines not found in Bible on people.
My heart is not to attack fellow Christians who write, otherwise I would be a hypocrite. But I am concerned whenever another book is revered outside the Bible, and how often the other book deceives people. This happened to the Jews, who wrote the Talmud which acts as a more important book than the Torah (books of Old Testament, specifically including the First Five of Moses). The Talmud is written by Rabbis, but their instruction is not from God as was the case of Moses, Joshua, Jeremiah, and Isaiah! I do not mean to say that we don't get revelations from God today and can add something excitging to the Church history, but it must always agree with the 66 Books of the Bible, or people will be lead astray from their First love (Revelation 2:4). I believe it is pride that makes man add more books to follow, ego of the writer, and often a desire to not adhere to the Bible itself. There is enough in the New Testament to keep us as Christians busy, and Christ Jesus Himself with Holy Spirit and Father instructs and teaches us personally in a relationship (), but instead most people put off reading the Bible and don't get instructed by Christ himself (I will teach them), as a result they go to a teacher, not knowing the Bible, not knowing if what is said is true or not, and because they don't spend time with the Lord and get instructed personally by the Trinity, they are at mercy of men, who are fallible, "This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD," (Jeremiah 17:5), and Jesus said, "But Jesus on His part did not did entrust Himself to them, because of His knowing all men, and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man." (John 2;24-25).
The extra books have every Christian through the ages in trouble. A major reason is that people don't know the Bible well enough to "spit out the bones." As a result deception, men's control, and false doctrines start to take root in people, and cults spring up. The Serpent, Satan is perpetually at war with the Church, and seeks to undermine it not only from outside via witchcraft, persecution, and more; but from within via scholars who get deceived and write books that beguile people away from the Bible, making them question the Bible or at least not read it as much. We must be armed with the words in the Scripture, which have power, we cannot let the serpent and dragon, the devil, continue to deceive us with men's good ideas and manmade doctrines, "Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God," (Mark 7:7, cross references are Matthew 15:9, Mark 7:7, Colossians 2:23, 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 3:7). Many of these other books outside the Bible are just that, man made ideas posing as commands from God. I read the Imitation of Christ, a book I once supported, its devotion to Christ seemingly good, but at the crux of it gets you focused on self improvement, modeling your life after Christ, and imitating Him, but we are called to more, we are called to have Christ live in us (1 Corinthians 3:16, Romans 10:10-20, Galatians 2:20), we are called to be and walk with Christ (Colossians 2:6, John 15:4), and to spend time with Him (Matthew 6:33, James 4:8), to be with Him (Matthew 28:20, John 15:4) not just imitate Him, but be immersed in His presence (Ephesians 3:12, Hebrews 10:9)! Its the same trick of Satan in Eden, Adam and Eve were already walking with God and close to God which makes you more like God, but Satan says if you eat the Forbidden Fruit (books outside Bible are new forbidden fruits) you will be like God knowing good from evil (Genesis 3:5), but in truth only God is Good (Mark 10:18) and the forbidden fruit made man distant from God in sin and so Man didn't really know good and evil as he thought, because the source of Good is God! Get it! Satan wants us focused on self improvement, becoming holy so we can be proud and point the finger, and their plenty of books to help with this, none are the Bible.
The concern is that if any book written by any believer, or any article or writing contradicts the Holy Bible, it becomes a tool for the devil and his fallen angels. This is why we must immerse our minds and hearts in the Bible, especially The New Testament. Then a person can glean the good thoughts and revelations of others while panning (like they did for gold) out the manure of false teaching. But ultimately I believe a mature believer discovers the futility of all other writings outside The Bible. Why bother with books that have only shards or sprinkles of the Truth, when Bible contains the Truth revealed and written down? Why memorize C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, and Francis Chan, when you memorize Christ Jesus' own words, and those of His Apostles who walked with Him! What is it that man doesn't want to stick to the Sources, The Scriptures and must always dream up other spiritual books! Why cannot a Christian be content with Christ's revealed words in the Holy Bible?! The answer is pride (they want to make their own claim), control (no man can control a person who knows the Bible, because Jesus said call no man your teacher verse), and lukewarm (men want to water down the call of a Christian in Bible such as pick up cross, lose your family, and suffering, and persecution share verses). Finally, people also write other books out of believing they have a new revelation from God, that contradicts the Bible, and they make lots of money of their revelations, unlike the Apostle Paul who said, "Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God/You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ's authority, knowing that God is watching us," (2 Corinthians 2:17), "Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?," (2 Corinthians 11:7), and "If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much for us to reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ," (1 Corinthians 9:11-12). The Apostle Paul discourages taking money for the Gospel, because it puts a barrier to the person, how can a poor person pay for Gospel preached? It should be free, for Jesus said you can serve God or Money, not both (Matthew 6:24). Selling the Gospel is against what Jesus said, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," (Matthew 28:19). The Gospel of Christ is free, for evne Apostles said so, "Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." (Acts 3:5). The Apostle Peter did not charge the lame man money, but gave the healing freely. There is nothing wrong with earning a living to feed your family or use the money to help others, but ministry and helping people in Christ via preaching, healing, or other must be free of cost!
The Holy Bible should be our one and only book that we seek spiritual guidance and nourishment. Other books are like serpents and dragons who want to either slither heresies, errors, and wrongful spiritually into your mind or burn you with fire breath of eloquent writers penning doctrines of demons. In fact, the Apostles tell us to beware of people with strange doctrines, and there is even an end times prophecy of people getting doctrines from demons, "Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so," (Hebrews 13:9), "so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes./Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth," (Ephesians 4:14), "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear," (2 Timothy 4:3), and, "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons." (1 Timothy 4:1). I believe the doctrines of demons and people turning away from sound doctrines of the Holy Bible has been happening via Catholics, Orthodox, and wrong Protestants, but is sadly going to keep happening. All the reason why to make the Holy Bible our only source of spiritual guidance. I know its not easy, bibliophiles and book worms will likely cry out against this post! But be comforted, I was a book collector and I love to read, but honestly I have felt the harm of spiritual books like The Imitation of Christ, Orthodox Church, and even Protestant Writings. Because they academicize Christ and Christianity, they steep it in ideas and ritual, when it is a Way, it is Truth, and it is Life (God brings us eternal life through Christ but also its living relationship with God). Scholars and pontificators either teach a way of living and holiness (John Calvin is great example) or teach the Truth (at least the Gospel), but they often leave out the Breath of Life (John 14:6, John 1:3, Genesis 2:7), God's presence and personal relationship, and learning firstly from Him (Matthew 23:10, John 14:16, Luke 12:12, Colossians 2:2-3), and then from the Bible which is God breathed (Timothy). Our faith is living and breathing, because God breaths and we were made by His breath (Genesis 2:7). Other books turn religion into thought, processes, rites, bullet points, ideologies, creeds, and more; all good, but they leave out the living and breathing relationship with God we all desperately need. It is from walking with God again, and Him abiding in us nad we in in Him, that we start living holy lives, because instead of trying to be holy to please God, we become holy through God's presence and having a personal relationship with Him. Amen.
The Question is this simple, do you want to be like God (all other books Calvin, Chan, C.S. Lewis, Thomas A. Kempis, and more) or do you want to be with God (The Bible, Jesus and all Apostles, see verses)? Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness." (Matthew 7:21-23). He said He never knew them, so what's more important, trying to be like Christ or being with Him and knowing Him? The Bible says Be with Him, believe (share verses, we I am you shall also be, I go to prepare ap lace for you, I shall be with you always).
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