By Deland Guthrie
I recently had a conversation with my brother-in-law who is a part owner of a commercial door company. He is always surrounded by stacks of complicated and very complex sets of plans for hospitals, schools, and prisons. When I asked him if they were difficult to read and understand, he said, “Not really when you know what to look for.” His job mainly consists of reading and bidding on work for his company. The success of his livelihood depends on how well he understands and prices the material and labor for a contract that he is trying to get. I asked him what if he messes up and bids the job too low? He said, “That’s my tough luck, we will still have to do the job and our profit will be impacted.” I asked, “Do you mean the contractor will hold you and your company personally responsible for a minor mistake that you were not even aware that you made?” “Yes, without a doubt,” he said. I then asked him about another scenario where a middle man (perhaps a friend or subcontractor) told him to ignore the specifics. He said, “It really won’t matter, just give a bid and they will work with you and adjust the pricing later.” He said that had happened before and it didn’t work out so well either. The main contractor had not given the friend the ability to make changes to the blue prints. My brother-in-law was still held responsible, and had a major financial loss because of trusting someone that he thought had authority when, in fact, he really did not. 
This is also the case of the world in which we live. People will be held responsible for their actions according to the Bible. We can read in Romans 2:16, “In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.” Most folks these days are not willing to take a chance and listen to friends about things concerning their business, especially when money is involved, but have no problem placing their eternal salvation into another man’s ideas and words. When we read God’s Word, it clearly tells us that we do not need to listen to man or follow men when they say something different from what the Word of God says. Paul tells the Church in Galatia that, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians1:8). Paul, do you mean if a friend or preacher tells me that it is not necessary for me to be baptized and I read, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16) that I have to put my faith in the Bible instead of a trusted friend? Yes. Every verse of Scripture is God-breathed or inspired. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16). 
If men could only realize that the love of God is indiscriminate according to John 3:16, but God’s salvation is very discriminative. Take a look at Matthew 7:21, Mark 16:16, John 3:3, Acts 2:41, and Romans 1:16. 
The fact is, if we really believe in the Bible and its authority, then it is of utmost importance that we verify the information given to us and then compare it to the blue prints of God’s Word, which will judge all of us on that great and final day (John 12:48). Please do not let anyone steal your salvation; search the Scriptures daily. “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).