Why can’t people add to or take away from the Bible?
The belief that people cannot add to or take away from the Bible is primarily based on religious doctrines and interpretations. There are several reasons why this belief exists:
1. Divine Inspiration: Many religious traditions claim that the Bible is divinely inspired, meaning that it is the product of God's guidance and intervention. According to this belief, the text of the Bible represents God's will and cannot be altered by humans.
2. Biblical Authority: For many, the Bible is considered the ultimate authority for religious teachings and guidelines. It is believed to contain all necessary information for salvation and spiritual guidance. Altering or removing elements from the Bible might be seen as undermining this authority or compromising its integrity.
3. Historical Preservation: The preservation of the original biblical texts is crucial for historical and linguistic analysis, as well as understanding the development of religious traditions. This perspective posits that leaving the Bible unaltered ensures its historical accuracy and authenticity.
4. Warning in Scripture: In the Book of Revelation (Revelation 22:18-19), there is a warning against adding or taking away from the words of the prophecy contained in the book. Some interpret this as a general prohibition against making changes to any part of the Bible.
It's important to note that different religious traditions have slightly varying canons and interpretations of the Bible. Some books considered canonical in one religious tradition may not be accepted in another. The belief in not adding or removing from the Bible is primarily held by those who recognize the specific books within their religious tradition as divinely inspired and authoritative.