Using the Bible alone Mark Petersen completely refutes the use of Revelation 22:18-19 against the Latter-day Saints

 A LENGTHY POST FROM ONE OF MY NEW FAVORITE TALKS BY MARK E PETERSEN! 

Using the Bible alone Mark Petersen completely refutes the use of Revelation 22:18-19 against the Latter-day Saints belief in more written scripture outside of the Bible. 

Here is the link to the talk in its entirety!

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16S39QS4uZ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

I will share a lengthy portion from that talk that deals with Revelation 22:18-19!

“ We Latter-day Saints believe the Bible to be the word of God. We love it, and we use it continuously. We also believe the Book of Mormon and other modern scriptures to be the word of God. Some people who study the gospel with us are concerned by this latter fact because they are of the opinion that the Bible contains all of the word of God and that there can be no more scripture. They turn to the last chapter of the book of Revelation, which is also the concluding part of the Bible, and say that it proves that there should be no scripture other than the Bible. The words of John the Revelator to which they refer read as follows: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book” (Rev. 22:18).

Of course a careful reading of this text shows very clearly that John the Revelator was speaking only of the book of Revelation and not of any collection of other sacred writings. Moses used a similar expression in speaking to ancient Israel when he said: “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it . . .” This is found in the fourth chapter of the book of Deuteronomy, verse 2. In the 12th chapter of the same book, verse 32, Moses said this: “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it”.

Can anyone suppose that in these words Moses laid down a prohibition against all subsequent revelations and against all books which might be called scripture in years to come? Did he have the power to silence all future prophets and forbid them to speak or write as God intended that they should? Of course not, or we would be without most of the Old Testament and would have none of the New Testament at all.

It was the same with John the Revelator. In warning against additions to the book of Revelation he spoke of that book only, insisting that no one attempt to change or corrupt what he had said. The Bible was not compiled when John wrote the book of Revelation, so he could not possibly have referred to it.”

Mark Petersen continues on powerfully to say:

“ The Bible is a record of the work and writings of the prophets of God throughout the ages, together with a history of their time. It begins with the writings of the Prophet Moses, who is the accepted author of the first five books of the Old Testament. When Joshua was called to lead Israel, he received revelations also, and they were recorded with the history of his time. This record became known as the book of Joshua. It was new scripture for that day and was placed with the writings of Moses. The book of Judges came next. It was new scripture also and was added to the existing volume. Then came the Prophet Samuel. He received many revelations and wrote much history. His record was new scripture for his day and was added to the existing and now fast-growing volume of God’s word. 

Who among us would discard the writings of Samuel because in earlier years Moses had said, “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you” (Deut. 4:2) It is obvious that Moses spoke only of his own writings and not of anything written in subsequent times by men called to be prophets like unto himself.

When Ezra and Nehemiah came on the scene, they received revelations which were recorded as scripture and placed with what Moses, Joshua, and Samuel had written. This became a pattern by which we obtained the entire Old Testament. Whenever God had a people on the earth, he raised up prophets who spoke in his name. Their writings became our scriptures. New scripture came with each new prophet, and each of these new books was included with the scripture already in hand. 

This pattern held true for the New Testament also. As the sacred word of the Christian era was written, it became scripture. Even the letters of Peter, James, John, Paul, and little-known Jude became scripture, new scripture. And they were so accepted by the people of that day and added to the final volume of scripture as it was at last compiled.

That is the way in which the Bible was prepared originally. It came out of a well-ordered procedure of the Lord. It was always the purpose of God to guide his people and not let them drift, but that guidance constituted new revelation every time it was given. Prophets were there to receive it, and as they wrote, their record became new scripture. 

Don’t you see that one of the greatest marks of identification of the true Church of God in all the ages has been that it constantly produced new scripture? When there was no new scripture, it was a sign that there was no new revelation, and when there was no new revelation, there was no divine guidance. And when there was no divine guidance, the people drifted into error and darkness. Continuous revelation was essential to the life and survival of the true Church. So were the records of those new revelations, and each new record became new scripture.”

I would recommend reading the whole talk in its entirety!