Today I read Revelation 22 the bane of every missionaries existence. This is the chapter that contains the verse where John states that anyone who adds anything to this book of prophecy will bring upon them the plagues contained therein. This is the verse that every missionary who has served in a country that has Christians in it has come to hate. This is the verse that everyone misinterprets.
The Christian world tries to use this verse as their slam dunk on why the Book of Mormon can't possibly be true. They point to this verse, or oddly enough some of them will actually reference the verse in Deuteronomy, and state that God, through John, has stated that there will be no more scripture. What they don't realize is, that when John wrote the revelation that he saw, what we now call the book of Revelation, the Bible didn't exist. It was also written before the Gospel of John, his testimony of Jesus Christ. And those that point to the verse in Deuteronomy is even more ludicrous. Unfortunately though, anyone who points to this verse trying to prove you wrong is not going to be swayed by any of those facts. Only those that point to it asking how there can be more scripture with a spirit of humility might actually listen.
The rest of the chapter talks about conditions of the millennium and how things will be with Christ here to rule personally on the earth. I can hardly even imagine such a time. A time free from crime, free from obnoxious so called music that drives away the Spirit, a time where people don't try and take advantage of you because of your words, where you can actually take people at their word again. Where children can play without fear and parents can allow them to roam around and not even fear the animals of the forest. That will truly be heaven on earth. Until tomorrow.
You are so right! I hated the scripture when I served in the Deep South Bible Belt. I wanted to shake the people and ask "Who are you to limit what God can do?"
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