Adulterating the Word of God (4:2)

4:1-2 "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness OR ADULTERATING THE WORD OF GOD, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God."

By asserting that he does not adulterate the word of God, Paul is contrasting himself with those who are "peddling the word of God" (2:17), preaching "another Jesus" and "a different gospel" (11:4).

Satan has many ways to attack the truth. One is to deny it and blast it. Another is to counterfeit it. And yet another is to pollute it by adding foreign elements to it that poison it. This last method is what Paul has in mind when he refers to "adulterating the word of God."

We don’t know, of course, the full detail of what the false apostles had added to the word of God to debase it. Since it seems that these false apostles were Judaizers, as we have already seen, we can be fairly confident that they were adding to the gospel the necessity of keeping the OT ceremonial laws, including circumcision (i.e. making it necessary to become a Jew in order to be a Christian, which made Christianity exclusively Jewish).

Obviously, this is not a big controversy in the church today as it was in the days of Paul. However, in every generation Satan adulterates the word of God. The point is that we must be watchful and alert -- lest Satan lead us or others astray by polluting the word of God with some false teaching. Those who have no appetite for "doctrine" are setting themselves up for Satanic attack: knowing Bible doctrine is the way to discern adulterating elements in someone’s teaching.

Of course, in order to be properly alert, we need to know the word of God. Most people who have bought into false teachings are ignorant of the places where the Bible condemns what they believe. They have grabbed onto something in the word of God and misunderstood it, and the rest of the Scripture is not being used as a guide to direct their interpretation.

Certainly, knowing the word of God is not enough. We must love it and long to follow it. But if we don’t know it, we don’t know what we’re loving or what to follow. We make ourselves vulnerable to teaching that sounds good but isn’t Biblical.

Father in heaven, there is a famine in the land, a famine of the unadulterated word of God. So many are being led astray, fed foods laced with the poison of lies. Please raise up men who will refuse to adulterate Your word, who will preach the word in season and out of season, accurately, soundly, without compromise, without distortion. And fill Your people with an appetite for knowing Your word, not wanting their ears to be tickled but to hear it like it is.