Hi Mike,

Psalms 12:6 “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”

​I​s this telling us that we should only be using the king james? where we are stuck with words like eternal, everlasting, forever, damnation, and forever and ever…instead of aion, aionios, owlam, age, and ages of the ages​?​

I​ do know that many bibles that ​I​ know of after the king james are missing quite a bit out of the book. I don​’​t know how else to wrap my head around this.​

​S____

Hi S​____​,

There is no translation which is without its faults. Every translation has its strong points and its weak points. I have over 100 different translations, and I use them as they agree with “the sum of [the Lord’s] word”:

Psa 119:160  The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever.

Knowing the principle of “the sum of Thy Word is Truth” is a vital key to the kingdom of God, which ‘key’ is completely hidden from us in the King James Version which reads:

Psa 119:160  Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

If you are led to do so, I strongly suggest that you read the series of studies entitled ‘The Keys ​t​o the Kingdom of God’ beginning at this URL:

Synopsis of the Keys to the Kingdom

The Lord is working all things after the counsel of His own will, and that includes both the bad and the good translations. He is not at this time saving the world. Rather He is at this time withholding “the mysteries of the kingdom of God [from] the multitudes”:

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them [the multitudes, verse 2] in parables?
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Most translators believe in the trinity and all the false doctrines which are derived from that perverse understanding which denies that “the head of Christ is God [and that the holy spirit is] the holy spirit of God”:

1Co 11:3  But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Eph 4:30  And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

The false doctrine of an immortal soul is based upon the teaching that God is a trinity, and therefore we​,​ too,​ must be triune beings with an immortal soul. Without that lie you cannot believe in eternal torment.

So Christ’s parables, along with all the mistranslations in scripture, serve to further the fact that “it is not given to [the multitudes] to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God”.

It was all preordainded of God from “before the world began”, and we will just wait on Him to carry out His purpose in the life of every man.

YbiC, Mike

Dear Brother,

http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611-Bible/1611-King-James-Bible-Introduction.php

How we are to Keep the Lord’s House Clean and His Body Healthy

Marshall, MI. Conference Video – April 22-23, 2006

Study Topic: The_ Types_ And_ Shadows_ Of_ The_ NT by Mike Vinson

Marshall, MI. Conference Video – April 22-23, 2006

Study Topic: The Spiritual Meaning of Biblical Words by Mike Vinson

Hi Mike,
This is all the same book; am I correct?

Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Your brother in Christ,
R____

Hi R____,

Thanks for your insightful question. Yes, these are the same “book.”
You know by now that the word ‘book’ is as symbolic and any other word in the parables that make up what we call the Bible. The “books”, which are all of our lives, are all within the one “book”, which is Christ.

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I [ am] in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

Christ is the “Book of Life”, and we are “judged out of those things which are written in “the books”. What is written in “the books” is the fact that we have all in our own individual way “lived by every word that has proceeded out of [ Christ] the mouth of God.”

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

As hard as it is for the natural man to conceive, Christ considers us to be “Jesus of Nazareth”, and as such we also are judged out of the things which are written in the books, according to our works.”

Act 9:5  And he [ Saul of Tarsus] said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:
Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

According to Rom 11, all “the books” are of and through “another book.”

Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

“All things” means ‘all things’, and it certainly includes “the books” which are opened at both resurrections. It is not “thinking above what is written” to say that because of the first verse you reference.

Psa 139:16  Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them. (ASV)

The days ordained for “another book… which is the book of life” did not include the sins that fill “the books” which “live by every word which proceeds out of the mouth of God.” It is only through us and our being “Jesus of Nazareth” that the books become “all the same book.”

Joh 14:20  In that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

Your brother in Christ,
Mike

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your email. I love reading these articles.

Mike, I just saw the video on e- Sword… immediately installed it… downloaded some modules… WWWOOOOOOWWWW …. this is so great! Need some time to get used to it, but what a powerful tool this is… it’s great.

I also heard about using skype in the future. I also have skype… are you already using skype for fellowship?

In Christ connected,

R____

Hi R____,

I am so very glad you saw the video on how to use e- sword. Dave Rogers, the gentleman speaking on that video, has done a wonderful job explaining how to get the most out of e- sword. I will forward this e- mail to Dave for his edification and encouragement.

It is the function and goal of IWWB to “be helpers of your joy.” Dave Rogers has put many hours into helping your joy with the addition of his TOA module for e- sword.

2Co 1:24  Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

The more you know Christ, the more you will rejoice in Him.

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Yes, we encourage all of our brothers and sisters to take advantage of the wonderful technology at our disposal and to download skype and to use it to fellowship with one another. “In Christ connected” can be enjoyed even more through skype. If you already have skype, then I would love to hear from you at any time, from 8 A. M. to 11 P. M. EST. That is probably 5-6 hours behind you, but please skype when you can. My skype address is mike. vinson2.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Mike

Dear Mike, I was wondering if you might have time to elaborate on something for me– or point me to a link where you already have.  Rom 10:17 says: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” How should this verse be understood? “So then faith cometh by [ physically] hearing [ the gospel], and hearing [ spiritual discernment/ understanding; “He that hath an ear, let him hear”] by the word of God [ Jesus/ spirit of God]”? What in particular does “word of God” refer to?  Jesus?  All scriptures?  Both? I ask because the argument can be made that faith is simply a function of hearing the gospel from the first part of the verse; so I’m quite interested in what the second part means. As always, I’m grateful to you for spending so much time expounding on the scriptures, and hope you’re doing well.

Hi D____,
Thank you for your question. You are inquiring about the meaning of Rom 10:17.

Rom 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Every question I receive is best answered when we accept the fact that “Man shall… live… by every word of God.” (Mat 4:4 and Luk 4:4)
 
Faith comes by the word of God, and man will live every word. It is plain when one sees this connection that we are all first given ears that cannot hear, and eyes that cannot see the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

Mat 13:1  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
Mat 13:2  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

You ask:
“What in particular does “word of God” refer to?  Jesus?  All scriptures?  Both? I ask because the argument can be made that faith is simply a function of hearing the gospel, from the first part of the verse; so I’m quite interested in what the second part means.”

The answer to your question, “what in particular does “word of God” refer to”” is the words of the Bible from Gen 1:1 to Rev 22:21. That is “The Word of God.” That is also “the revelation of Jesus Christ.” For more in- depth scriptural proof of that statement, please read the two letters entitled “Is Scripture The Word Of God” on iswasandwillbe. com at this URL: http:// www. iswasandwillbe. com/ Is_ Scripture_ The_ Word_ Of_ God
Christ is “The Word” (Joh 1:1) and “the Word” is Christ. So the answer is, yes, faith comes by hearing Christ, who is the scripture. He is both the man and the Word. But there is nothing in this verse that says that everyone who hears will automatically have faith. All this verse says is that those who do have faith have first heard.
We have all read God’s Word for many years before we were given faith to see and hear and believe what we were finally given faith to believe, given eyes that could see and ears that could finally hear “the things of the spirit.” Faith is a gift that gives us the gift of seeing eyes and hearing ears. It is not something we simply decide to do. Being given faith is a sovereign work of God:

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Christ has deliberately withheld this gift from the multitudes who come to hear Him to this very day:

Mat 13:1  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
Mat 13:2  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
Mat 13:3  And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
Mat 13:9  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

Has Christ given the multitudes “ears to hear?” No, here is what He tells us about the multitudes of His disciples to this very day:

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

The multitudes of Christianity are not given ears to hear. That is why Christ said “Who has ears to hear, let him hear.” But this is what He tells His few elect about His many called:

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

This is a perfect example of how important it is to understand the principle of Psa 119:160:

Psa 119:160  The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever. (ASV) Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [ they] are spirit, and [ they] are life.

What this verse tells us is that when Mt. 13:13 tells us that “Hearing they shall hear and not understand,” and Rom 10:17 tells us that “faith comes by hearing…” we have to arrive at truth through the sum of these words, and what is clear is that not every one who hears is given ears to hear or eyes to see. But they do hear and they do see, and we have all been living proof of this process.

Your question and summary was:
“How should this verse be understood?  “So then faith cometh by [ physically] hearing [ the gospel], and hearing [ spiritual discernment/ understanding; “He that hath an ear, let him hear”] by the word of God [ Jesus/ spirit of God]”?”

The only thing that I would change in your summary is the word ‘physically.’ While it is true that Christ’s words are physically written in ink, it is also true that those physical words are not physical in God’s elect. Here is what Christ has to say of His words which are physically written down:

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

So faith does not come by physically hearing. Faith comes when we hear spiritually, with spiritual ears and see with spiritual eyes. That is how the holy spirit teaches:

1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth no t the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

So Christ’s words “are spirit,” and “the holy spirit teaches comparing spiritual things with spiritual,” and the natural man receives not the things of the spirit… for they are foolishness to him and he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned.”
What does all of this tell us about what Paul means by telling us that “Hearing [ comes] by the word of God?” It tells us that Christ’s words are spirit, and the natural man does not hear them as such. He actually believes that all he has to do is to hear that Jesus is his savior, say a ten- second sinner’s prayer, and he has faith and is saved.
But what does Christ and His spiritual words actually teach those with spiritual eyes to see and spiritual ears to hear? Here again, is what Christ Himself told the multitudes:

Mat 13:9  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given [ ears to hear].
Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

I hope this has helped you to see that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” is a spiritual statement about who is and who is not given that faith and who is and who is not given the ability to see and hear the things of the spirit, which Christ tells us is His word.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Your brother in Christ,
Mike

Dear brother,

I thank our Lord for using you and those with you to bring such an edifying and Christ- honoring website to feed spiritual truth to God’s people. I have been listening to and receiving much benefit from the videos as well as reading the various emails.
There was one video in particular, the 2007 Indianapolis conference question and answer session where a brother was asking a question concerning whether the Word of God was the Bible or did the Bible contain the Word of God. I have recently received an understanding concerning this that I would submit for your consideration.
When Jesus or others referred to what was written down in what we call the Bible, they used the term “Scripture.”

“Did you never read in the Scriptures…”
Mat 22:29 But Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures…”
Mat 26:54 How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled…
Joh 5:39 You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life…
Act 17:2 Paul, as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures.
Act 17:11 Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
Act 18:24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. He was mightyin the Scriptures.
Rom 15:4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
2Ti 3:15 But you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
2Pe 3:16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

What then, is the Word of God? I believe that as far as I can tell, in every instance, the Word of God is the word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, totally embodied in Jesus Christ. Rev 19:13 plainly tells us: He [ Jesus] is clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood. His name is called, “The Word of God.” Scripture records the Word of God, and it confirms what God has spoken or will speak, but is not the Word of God in and of itself. Not making that distinction has unfortunately made the physical Scriptures an idol for man.
People do this by making the Bible all pretty with their leather covers, gold gilded edges and fancy paper. And people revere that book. You see people getting a family Bible. Why? To put on a table somewhere showing off what they have. How pitiful. Putting what God’s Words are written on above Jesus Christ, the true Word of God.
One of the Scriptures I quoted shows the relationship between the Word of God and Scripture. Notice again Act 17. These Bereans received the Word. What word? What was the message to them? Was it not the message of the Christ? They received Him by receiving the message concerning him, the Word. To receive the Word is to receive Jesus. What role did the Scriptures play? They were examining the Scriptures to see whether these things [ the Word they received] were so. The Scripture served its purpose to confirm the spoken Word. It is not to replace, but confirm.
In the Tanakh we see the phrase, “The word of Yahweh” or “The word of God” came to someone to say something to them used often. This fits right in with the true understanding of the Word of God as being Jesus Christ, the spoken word of God. A physical book on stone or parchment isn’t what came to them to tell them things, but God spoke to them by means of his Word. That Word we now know “became flesh and lived among us.” (Joh 1:14)
Heb 11:3 says that “By faith we understand that the universe has been framed by [ what, the Bible that we hold in our hand? No, but by] the Word of God.” Yes, again, it is his spoken word, Jesus Christ.
If this be true, then let’s see some familiar Scriptures with new meaning.
Mat 4:4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'” Was he speaking about Scripture per se? Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy, where he told the Israelites this: “He humbled you, and allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh.”- vs 3.
Couple this with Jesus’s words recorded in Joh 6:31-35: Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. As it is written, “He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.” Jesus therefore said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, it wasn’t Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” They therefore said to him, “Lord, always give us this bread.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”
When Yahweh fed them physical manna in the wilderness, he was doing that to show them and us a spiritual reality. That manna did not come from Moses; in other words, it did not come from man’s effort from the ground. This manna is not referring to Scripture. It came directly from God himself. God spoke, and it fell to the earth. It was manna that proceeded out of the mouth of Yahweh. In other words, it was the Word of God in physical shadow.
Who was the reality that the shadow pointed to? Jesus said that he was the bread of life. He was the reality of that manna in the wilderness. As we eat of him, we have life and never hunger. So when Jesus said that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, he was in essence saying, live by Jesus. He is our life. Our sustenance.

Eph 6:17 And take… the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

Does this mean we should hold a Bible in our hands as a sword? No. The scriptures are not some good luck charm that we use to ward off evil or do battle with. We are to take up Jesus Christ, the Word of God. And in so doing, he will speak to us his words for battle. Those words may be Scripture, but they often will not be. In either case, they are his word. The sword of the Spirit referred to here is none other than the sword Jesus came to bring.

Mat 10:34 Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.

This sword is further defined in our next Scripture:

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is alive, and active, and sharper than any two- edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

This is one of the most often used Scriptures to say that the Bible is alive and does all these things. But consider this… In the previous verse we are admonished to be diligent to enter into a rest, which is none other than our Lord. He is our sabbath rest. We as believers can either do works that come out of our efforts- our souls, or we can do works out of him living his life through us- our spirit, which is equivalant to resting in him. The reason we are told to do this is because the Word of God, Jesus, is alive and active; out of his mouth is a sharp two- edged sword. He can tell whether what we do is from the soul, which is our own efforts, or from the spirit, our resting in him. In other words, he divides between them. He can discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The next verse also adds weight to this understanding when it says “there is not creature that is hidden from his [ the Word of God, not Scripture] sight but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
Does Jesus have a two- edged sword? John saw it. Hear what he says:

Rev 1:15 He has seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two- edged sword.
Rev 2:12,16 … He who has a two- edged swords says these things:… repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth.
Rev 19:15 Out of his mouth proceeds a sharp double- edged sword…
Rev 19:21 the rest were killed with the sword of him who sat on the horse…
1Pe 1:23 Having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the Word of God, which lives and remains forever.

We are born again through Jesus Christ, the Word of God, being born in us. He thus becomes our life (Col 3:4), and gradually he is formed in us in much travail (Gal 4:19).
One Scripture that some might say shows that the Scripture is called the Word of God is found in Mar 7:13 where Jesus said the Pharisees and scribes were “making void the word of God by [ their] tradition…” They say that the word of God made void was the command in Scripture concerning the honoring of father and mother. Therefore, to them, the Scripture is the word of God. However, in looking at the context, I see a different picture.
Starting at verse 7, we read: “But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the traditions of men – the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.” He said to them, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother;’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban, that is to say, given to God;” then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother, making void the word of God by your tradition, which you have handed down. You do many things like this.”
Notice the bold words. They all highlight the same thing, a contrast between what is spoken by God verses what is spoken by man. Therefore Jesus was using the term “word of God” to refer to specifically what God had said, his words to Moses to Israel. ; He was not using that phrase as a general term to describe the Scriptures as a whole, any more than he used the term “commandment of God” in that way.
I look forward to hearing more from you, dear brother, as the Lord continues to shed forth his revelation in our lives. Keep bringing these timely messages that the body of Christ needs so desperately.

In him,
R____

Hi R____,
Thank you for your letter.

It seems that the message you are giving me is that the scriptures are not the Word of God. If I have misunderstood, please forgive me, but you go to great lengths to try to separate the Bible as a book, from the Word of God. What I get from what you wrote here is that Jesus and the Bible are two different things.
Is that not your message? Again, if I am wrong, please forgive me, but if that is your message, then I would like to know what, in your opinion, is the function of scripture?
I am sure you must have noticed that Christ encouraged the scribes and the Pharisees to “search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life.” Would Christ encourage them to do this if indeed they were not the words of life?

Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Paul encouraged Timothy to “study to show yourself approved unto God, rightly dividing the word of Truth.” Are the scriptures not Truth?

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

If you agree that they are, then you cannot separate scripture itself from Christ, who is also Truth:

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Of course I agree with you that most people act as if the letters themselves are Christ. As you say they buy the most expensive, gold gilded Bibles and place them in prominent places and seldom open them except to enter the name of a relative who has been born, married or died. Some even go so far as to be seen carrying a Bible to church on Sunday, but few do what Paul told Timothy to do; “study to show yourself approved unto God.”
Such attitudes speak only to the death in the flesh. If Christ is in us then His written words are not simply “written words.” If Christ is in us then when we read His words they are filled with His spirit. “Dead letters” are words which refer to the state of men’s hearts, not to the Words of Christ. A dead heart receives dead letters, but a spiritually resurrected heart receives a spiritual sword that is “sharper than any two edged sword.” That is how we “try the spirits.” Without a written word, it would be impossible to try any spirit. One person’s new revelation would be just as valid as the next if that were true. But with a spiritually energized Bible in our hearts, we can detect “the voice of a stranger [ and] the voice of the True Shepherd.

Joh 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
Joh 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Joh 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Joh 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Joh 10:6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Joh 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Joh 10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Three times Christ tells us in His written word, “I am the door… My sheep know my voice… and a stranger they will not follow.”
None of this has any relevance if the scriptures can somehow be separated from Christ. But the revelation of Jesus Christ begins in Gen 1:1, and it ends at Rev 22:21. Without every word of the Bible, the Bible would not be complete. But in spite of man’s best efforts, God has preserved his Word so that we are able to try the spirits to see whether they are of God. Thus we can know the voice of “the good shepherd.”

Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

That is why we are told that “the secret things belong to God.” God shows us what He wants us to see, and where He stops is where His sheep stop.

Deu 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

So the apostles of Christ tell those that kno His voice the same thing:

1Co 4:6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and [ to] Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think [ of men] above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

The words “of men” are not in the original. we are not to think above what is written, whether it be of men or of angels. “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that doesn’t need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth;” Christ’s words.
Here is Christ’s evaluation of His own words:

Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Which words – the words from the fertile imaginations of those who claim to speak for Christ, or “that which is written” which we are not to “speak above?”
Here is what Paul said about Christ’s written words:

1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
1Ti 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

Those who minimize the words of Christ are to be avoided. Those who are keen to “speak above that which is written” are to be avoided, simply because they have no way of trying their own spirits:

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

” Because many false prophets are gone out into the world” teaching false doctrines, which must be tried against “what is written”, not against personal revelation.
I hope I have not offended you, but “God’s word is powerful,” and it cannot be denied. Man’s words are to be considered as lies by comparison:

Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God [‘s Word] be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

There are always wonderful truths being revealed to those who know the voice of the good shepherd. But those truths, just like the truths revealed to the apostles, never contradict the Truth’s given by Christ in “that which is written.”

Your brother in Christ,
Mike