Proverbs 30:5-6

"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar."

Of course, this passage makes a powerful assertion about the reliability of Scripture--its inerrancy and authority. But the author doesn't seem to have a doctrinal issue in mind. He has a very practical one. This passage is an exhortation to biblical living. Those who trust God's words and follow them, he is saying, will find them to be great moral and spiritual protection.

Of interest to me is that Agur seems to have the legalist in his cross hairs. In verse six, his great concern is not with those who would ignore certain commands, but with those who would create extras. It's this latter group who most needs reminding that God's words are flawless.

An otherwise good church I know passed a rule against the consumption of alcohol. Anyone in ministry within that church must sign a statement to abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages. No doubt their motives were pure--alcoholism is terribly destructive, and this would prevent people from being tempted or tempting others unwittingly. But, their rule seems misguided because it rejects the message of this passage: God's words can be trusted and need no help from us. Yes, Scripture speaks clearly about the sin of drunkenness, but it does not speak about a sin of consumption. While abstinence may be a very good choice for some, when a church makes it a matter of policy, they have missed the truth of the flawlessness of God's words. God has given us the mandates He intended, and none have been forgotten. With relationship to alcohol consumption, room was left--by God's Spirit--for one to exercise self-control and mature wisdom. By establishing a rule that goes beyond biblical mandates, that church undermined the individual's opportunity to make a personal decision motivated by love and the Spirit of God--a decision that may not be the same in all contexts. They robbed their people of an opportunity to respond to the work of the Spirit in their life and relationships, and replaced with a litmus test that is submitted to at the level of group acceptance. In the end, their policy kept several good men from leadership and poisoned the waters of fellowship, creating a first and second class citizen mentality.

God's word needs no help from us, no additions to protect it from sinners. Follow it faithfully and it will keep you in good stead. Tamper with it, and it will come back to bite you.