“Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other” (1 Corinthians 4:6).
Why must we not think beyond or “exceed” (NASB) what is written? For this reason: what is written by the apostles and prophets is as authoritative as if Christ personally said it: “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37). As someone has said before, don’t just go to the red letters in your Bible.
When one teaches for doctrines the commandments or traditions of men, he is exceeding, going beyond, what is written. Jesus said that one cannot accept both the commandments of God and the traditions of men: “‘For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men – the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.’ He said to them, ‘All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition’” (Mark 7:8-9).
When one follows his feelings as a guide in attitude,
word, or deed, he is going beyond what is written; he has made his feelings the
engine
instead of the caboose. Knowledge of and
belief in the will of God must be the engine in our lives. Then when we do – live by – the truth, we
will be blessed. See how Jesus put
knowledge of the truth as the engine, followed by doing, and doing resulting in
the reaping of a blessed state: “If you know these things, blessed are you if
you do them” (John 13:17).
When one rejects Bible truths because they present difficulties to his own reasoning, feelings, or experiences, then he is going beyond what is written. “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved,” Jesus said (Mark 16:16), but someone asks, “What about the person who believes but dies before he was able to be baptized?” To answer the question, we go back to “what is written.” The question may pull at emotions, but it does not disprove the truth of Jesus’ words, “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.”
We must not go beyond what is written.
-Larry Jones