Dear Jeff and family,

I thank God that your faith is being spoken of everywhere. You are an inspiration to all that meet you. I long to see you and be encouraged by your faith. You are the object of God's love, called to be His very own.

I remember you in my prayers often, especially regarding the information we have received, that in December the local shopping mall will not be safe to attend. Our reliable source tells us to beware of that place. Take heed and tell others.

I am confident that you are doing well at this time and prospering in all that you do. Greet your wife and family for me. I pray to see you and your family very soon.

God bless you!
Don Krow

Later, I heard that Jeff was in the hospital. He had lost a leg when an explosion went off at the local mall and a friend with him was killed.

When I visited Jeff at the hospital I inquired, "Didn't you get my letter? It contained a warning about the mall." "Yes," he replied, "But I was too busy listening to my favorite TV preacher to read all of it. The TV preacher had also received the letter and he didn't say anything about a warning."

As important as the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher are (Ephesians 4:11‑12), to depend on them instead of the Scriptures for your guidance is like eating predigested food that has already been chewed and spit out for you to eat. There may be some nutrition in it, but it could also contain some deadly germs (2 Peter 2:1‑2). We need to learn to commit ourselves to the Scriptures first, they contain the more sure word of prophecy, even more dependable than an audible voice from heaven (2 Peter 1:17‑19).

There are several ways that Jeff could have responded to my letter (just as there are several ways that we can respond to the Word of God).

1. Jeff could have avoided reading it altogether and just relied on his favorite teacher, tapes, CD's and books to tell him what it says. In a sense these things have replaced the Word of God as the ultimate source in Jeff's life (See Acts 17:11).
2. Jeff could have read only the sections or verses of my letter that he liked, not heeding to my entire letter, missing my warning altogether.
3. Upon reading the whole letter, Jeff could have said, "Don didn't mean December, he must have meant July because everyone shops in December for Christmas." This letter interferes with Jeff's doctrine, so he is unable to receive the warning. He goes to the mall in December and encounters the explosion. Jeff changed the letter by bringing his own private interpretation to its meaning. His doctrine would not allow him to see the truth of the letter.
4. Upon reading the whole letter, Jeff could have said, "Don could not have meant I can't go to the mall in December. It could not be about what I do, whether I go to the mall or not. He is being legalistic, he is wrong." Jeff tests the word. He goes to the mall December 7^th and 10^th and nothing happens. He returns on December 15^th and is met with an explosion. His friend dies and Jeff is severely crippled.
5. Jeff could read all of the letter, heed to what it says and prosper in his doing of the word (James 1:22; 2 Peter 1:4).

Obviously, this is only a fictitious parable, but I wanted to make the point that without instructions, boundaries and warnings, there is no protection from Satan's deception (Hebrews 3:13). If we were in a perfect world and we didn't have what the Bible calls "the flesh" (drawn away by our own lust), then we would not need instructions, boundaries and warnings. But since we are in a fallen and imperfect world, we must guard our hearts and look "unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith," so that we may "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us" (Hebrews 12:1‑2; Romans 8:13).

The goal of all Biblical study is a revelation of God the Father and His Son Jesus the Christ (John 17:3; 5:39; Luke 24:27). The New Testament is a revelation of His Person. The New Testament reveals who He is and what He looks like. For example, Jesus is not a fornicator, adulterer, liar, thief, blasphemer, covetous person, etc. Instead of looking at the New Testament instruction as law to be obeyed, we must look at it as Christ to be expressed. To depend upon Christ to express Christ is the heart of New Testament teaching (Galatians 2:20; Romans 7:24‑25; 8:2). The apostles' revelation of Scripture led them to a life of faith, a life of dependence, that renounced one's own ability and turned to Christ and His ability. This is the life of grace; this is the life of faith.

For an in-depth teaching on this topic see the video "Dust off the Book."