The "Holey" Bible
Todd Clippard

A member of the church was discussing the necessity of baptism for remission of sins and salvation with a woman who belonged to a denomination. When the member cited Acts 2:38, the lady responded, "That verse isn’t in my Bible." The Christian was somewhat surprised to hear that until the lady opened her Bible to that page. Sure enough, it wasn’t there . . . the woman had cut it out! (As if in so doing she negated the truth of the text!) I wonder if, in her zeal to deny the necessity of baptism for remission of sins and salvation, she also cut out the following verses (all emphasis mine- JTC):

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" - Mark 16:15-16.

"And now why tarriest thou? Arise, be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" - Acts 22:16.

"Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience" - 1 Peter 3:21.

This woman was not the first to treat God’s Word in such a contemptible fashion. In Jeremiah 36, King Jehoiakim cut up Jeremiah’s scrolls of prophecy and cast them into the fire of his hearth (vv 22-23). This did not deter the man of God, as he restated the words of the prophecy "and there were added besides unto them many like words" (v 32).

However, seeing this woman’s attitude makes me think there are many others who must have "holey" Bibles. How else could the following be explained?

Those who teach the false doctrine of justification by only must have cut out James 2:24, "You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."

Those who would separate (elevate?) themselves from others by wearing religious titles, such as "Father" or "Reverend", or religious garb, such as collars or robes, in man-made religious systems must have cut out Matthew 23:5-12, "But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.' "But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." NKJV

Have those who teach the impossibilty of falling from grace cut out Galatians 5:4? "You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by the law; you have fallen from grace."

Some teach that the Holy Spirit cannot be resisted nor can God’s grace be received in vain. Have they cut out Acts 7:51? "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you." What about 2 Corinthians 6:1? "When then, as workers together with him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain."

Anyone who would teach that one church is as good as another surely must have cut out Matthew 15:13, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up." Not to mention the words of Jesus as He prayed in John 17:21, "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."

From what I hear and read being taught by many religious groups, there certainly must be a whole lot of "holey" Bibles out there! TC