Not a Newspaper in the World Gives Me a Word to Die By

By A. W. Tozer from The TOZER PULPIT, Volume One

Everybody is writing and everybody is talking, but for dying men there is not one word of authority anywhere, except as you hear the sure, true, terrifying words of Jesus Christ.

Literally millions of words are printed every day, but the only authoritative word ever published is that which comes from the, the Holy Scriptures.

There is not one word published on the North American continent today that I would want to die by.

If I knew tomorrow evening that it was to be my last, and that I would never seen another sun rise, there isn’t a newspaper published anywhere in the world that I would want to see.

There hasn’t been a book published this year that I would want to read.

There hasn’t been a word uttered in the United Nations that I would want to hear. There is no authority anywhere.

Men, with their own ideas of authority, still call for other religions. H. G. Wells, before he died, called for another religion. He said we ought to have another bible, and it ought to come from a synthesis of religions.

I have seen that kind of bible displayed–supposed to be a synthesis of all good things. I have held it and been tempted to buy–and didn’t.

Holy books that have been compounded out of all the high, fine, lofty thoughts of mankind since the beginning don’t change the basic facts and the basic problems.

Men can compile their little bibles, and die, and the worms can crawl into their brain chambers and feed on the grey matter that one time compiled a bible which had no God in it, but the Light still shines.

And the Light that shone on Palestine shines on Chicago tonight without diminution. “I am the Light of the world,” He says, “and he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.”

You are responsible to the Light–and to the authority of the Word of God. You can’t hide behind differences of opinion, and you can’t hide behind church politics, you can’t hide behind philosophies.

And further, you can’t hide behind this crazy relativity of morals they are teaching in the schools now.

The Light shineth in darkness. “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.” But if you quench the light, and dim it down, how great will be the darkness!

You don’t have to know a world of theology–for there is a Light shining. The Light that shines is the light from heaven, from God, the light in the face of Jesus Christ.

This is a word of caution: watch what you do with personal light. The light God has given you is for your own guidance. He says: “Come along.” But you’ve got to have your nest disturbed, the pattern of your sin destroyed, and come into the light!

The Tozer Pulpit

Volume One

ISBN: 0-87509-572-0

1994 by Christian Publications