I. The First Sin Against God’s Word – Genesis 3
Genesis 2:16-17
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
God is very clear and very concise in His words. Eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil and in the day that you eat thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 3:1-4
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Doubt is added to God’s word and trust is put in the words of the serpent versus the word of God. And when this happens, it is sin.
• Satan questioned God’s Word: “Hath God said?”
• Eve added to God’s Word: “Neither shall ye touch it.”
• Satan denied God’s Word: “Ye shall not surely die.”
Changing God’s Word opens the door to sin. The first fall came not from murder, but mistrust in God’s Word. We, as God’s people, must stand up for His words and not allow them to be changed. It’s not okay for a pastor or a preacher to add or change God’s words.
II. God’s Command: Do Not Add, Take Away, or Alter
God gives us the command to not add, take away, or alter His words. And you might be thinking: “I already know all of this.” But you need to remember that the serpent is very subtil. And we can easily be deceived. And we have been deceived in our lives. So please listen closely.
Deuteronomy 4:2
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Do not add anything to God’s words. Don’t change the story. Don’t add details to the story that aren’t there. We cannot do this and please God.
Deuteronomy 12:32
What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
Do not diminish God’s words. We need to understand what we have with God’s words.
Psalm 138:2
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
God has magnified or exalted or lifted up or made great HIS WORD. He lifts up His Word above the greatness of who God is known to be. Please understand this. This means we should NEVER even think about adding, taking away, or changing His Word.
Revelation 22:18-19
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: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
God’s warning spans the beginning, the middle, and the end of the Bible. He doesn’t hide this warning. As pastors, we MUST always be sure we are not adding, taking away, or changing His word.
This is why we must always cleave to the words of the Bible and not to man’s words. I’ve fallen for this before, and that’s why I am preaching this to you today. I’m just a man from the dust of the earth. A man who deserves death and hell. I’ve been deceived. I don’t want to be deceived any more.
III. The Heart Behind Changing God’s Word
Before anyone changes God’s Word with their mouth, they’ve already changed their posture toward it in their heart.
Why do people add to God’s commands? Why do they water down the truth, twist verses out of context, or make up doctrines that aren’t there?
It’s not because they don’t understand—it’s because they don’t want to submit to an authority. Many pastors out there believe themselves to be a high and lifted up authority. Behind every distortion of Scripture is a heart that wants to be in control. A heart that says, “I’ll decide what God really meant.” It’s the heart of a rebel cloaked in religious garments.
Jeremiah 23:16
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
These false prophets weren’t speaking truth—they were projecting their own imaginations. They dressed up their opinions as divine revelation, and God said, Don’t listen to them!
2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
The problem isn’t always the false teacher—it’s the crowd that wants lies more than truth. They don’t endure sound doctrine because it exposes their sin and crushes their pride. So they go find someone who will make them feel good instead of make them holy.
Here’s an example. I teach and preach that there are now only two offices within a church. Pastors and deacons. This is what the Bible clearly teaches. We see requirements for pastors and deacons.
There’s a pastor out there who says this, and this is a direct quote from a sermon where he is teaching that there is an office of evangelist within the church because he wants to stay the pastor of many different churches across the country in different local areas.
He says this: “Tell me why it was okay for the apostles to make up a title on the fly. If the apostles can do it, what, I don’t have the authority. I can’t just, I can’t just make up a title, though? What if I did want to make up a title of the evangelist. What’s wrong with that? Do I not have authority? I mean they did it. Did God tell them to do that? Do we not have power on earth to do things like that? It’s not as cut and dry as he’s trying to make it.”
The truth is the apostles are the foundation of the church. We still go by their doctrine. “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” The apostles didn’t make up anything. The apostles were given power and authority directly from Jesus Christ. Pastors don’t have that power and authority. We don’t write the Scriptures. The apostles did write the Scriptures.
If you’re in a church like that with a pastor who thinks he has the same power and authority as an apostle, there’s going to be huge issues. It’s not okay to change God’s words. That man thinks he has the authority to add offices to the church.
At the core of altering God’s Word is a desire to avoid accountability, justify sin, and please men.
It is pride in the pulpit and rebellion in the pew. It’s not a problem of intellect—it’s a problem of intent.
Changing God’s Word is not an accident. It’s an act of war against the authority of God. And you don’t want to be on that side.
IV. Examples of Men Changing God’s Word
A. Jeroboam’s New Religion
1 Kings 12:28-30
Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. 30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
He changed location, object, priests, and calendar—all to keep power (see verses 31–32).
1 Kings 12:33
So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
Jeroboam was a king who “DEVISED OF HIS OWN HEART.” There are pastors out there doing the same things. God gives us his words, and there are pastors out there who change it. And this is very similar to what Jeroboam did.
B. False Prophets Who Altered God’s Message
Jeremiah 23:25-27
I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. 26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; 27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
They replaced God’s Word with imagination, causing forgetfulness of the true God.
C. Other Examples
False Gospel preachers will tell others they must repent of all their sins, or stop sinning, to be saved. There are preachers that say you must vocally ask Jesus to save you or you aren’t saved. Those same people call me a reprobate because I preach Jesus Christ and faith alone in Jesus.
The Bible teaches that we’re saved the moment we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Not ask. Believe.
I want to show you a good example of changing God’s words that people are falling for right now. I want you to see exactly what the word of God says:
Acts 13:2-3
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Now, there is absolutely nothing in the Bible about the office of Evangelist within a church. But that same man adds to the word of God right here. He says that the church at Antioch ordained Paul as an Evangelist right there. He doesn’t understand that Paul is an Apostle, the highest office for a man. A church pastor didn’t ordain the Apostle Paul.
We can’t add things to the word of God. This is pure evil to do so.
Galatians 1:1
Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
The Bible is clear. Paul wasn’t ordained by men. This same man who adds to the word of God says Mary Magdalene could have corrupted Jesus Christ after He was risen from the dead in an incorruptible body. These things are not written in the Bible, but these things have been preached in churches and believed in churches.
We must not tamper with truth.
V. The Consequences of Changing God’s Word
A. Consequences of Changing God’s Word: You Will Be Found a Liar
Proverbs 30:6
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
God doesn’t just call it a mistake—He calls it a lie. Anyone who adds to what God said will be exposed and corrected by God Himself.
Changing God’s Word isn’t a small error—it’s a declaration that God’s Word isn’t enough, and that makes you the liar, not Him.
Truth doesn’t need editing. And God doesn’t need help being clear. If your version of Christianity requires you to change His words—it’s fake.
B. Consequences of Changing God’s Word: You Pervert the Gospel
Galatians 1:6-9
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Asking to be saved is not the Gospel. Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ saves.
Not asking Jesus into your heart. Not giving your life to Jesus. Not making Jesus the Lord of your life. Not surrendering all to be saved. Not turning from sin to be saved. Not confessing Jesus as Savior publicly. Not following Jesus to be saved.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
C. Consequences of Changing God’s Word: You Invite Judgment and Destruction
2 Peter 3:16
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
The word “wrest” means to twist violently—like someone bending a steel bar out of shape. False teachers take the harder passages of Scripture and force them to say something God never said.
But notice the outcome: destruction.
They’re not just misinterpreting—they’re corrupting. They pass the lies on to their congregation who trusts them and the lies continue. And Peter says they do it not only with Paul’s writings, but with “the other scriptures” too.
When someone twists God’s Word:
- They lead others astray.
- They shipwreck their own soul.
- And they store up God’s judgment to their own destruction.
Changing Scripture doesn’t just ruin sermons—it ruins lives. And in the end, it brings eternal destruction.
VI. Jesus Is the Word — So Changing His Word Is Attacking Him
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Revelation 19:13
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Jesus is not just the messenger of God’s Word—He is the Word. He is the living expression of God’s mind, will, and truth. From the beginning, He was with God, and He was God—and when He took on flesh, He didn’t stop being the Word. He became visible truth walking among men.
Imagine telling a congregation that Jesus, in His resurrected body, can be corrupted by a woman that he had already cast seven devils out of before He was risen from the dead.
Jesus has the keys of death and of hell, is the perfect Word of God, God in the flesh, and a preacher says Jesus can be corrupted by the touch of a woman. The Bible doesn’t say that, never said that, never implied that, and will never say that. Jesus healed lepers.
So when you alter God’s Word, you’re not just editing a text—you’re assaulting a person. You’re taking the holy identity of Christ and reshaping Him into a false image.
That’s why changing Scripture is such a serious offense—because you are, in essence, saying:
“I don’t like how Jesus revealed Himself, so I’ll rewrite Him to fit my version.”
You cannot separate Christ from His Word. You cannot love the real Jesus while rejecting the words He spoke. You cannot be submitted to the Son of God while twisting the Book that bears His name.
To tamper with the Bible is to blaspheme Christ.
Tampering with Scripture is tampering with Christ Himself—remaking Him in your image.
And to soften His teachings is to deny His Lordship.
VII. How to Handle the Word of God
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Psalm 119:140
Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
• Love the Word — don’t change it
• Study the Word — don’t twist it
• Preach the Word — don’t water it down
Don’t add to the word of God to profit you. This is what happens out there.
Conclusion: Every Word Matters Because Every Word Is Him
When someone changes God’s Word, they aren’t just changing doctrine—they’re redefining God, crafting a false Christ, and forging a different gospel. It is spiritual forgery. And it leads to hell.
And the same thing started with that subtil and slippery serpent in Genesis Chapter 3. We will not follow after those ways.
Let us boldly proclaim the truth, as it is written—because the real Jesus is found in His real Word.
If you want to know Jesus, you’ll find Him in the Scriptures. If you hate Jesus, you would tamper with the truth. Jesus is the TRUTH. Tamper with the Word of God, and you tamper with Jesus Christ. It will not end up good.
Psalm 12:6-7
The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
We should fear the Lord God Almighty who made the heavens and the earth. Do not tamper with the truth. Do not alter God’s words. Do not add your own stories to the Word of God. It’s not okay. Let’s pray.
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