A gentleman kindly submitted me a copy of a letter that Paul Harvey read on his radio newscast. It is entitled, "An Open Letter from God" a.k.a. "A Letter from God". I read it with rapt interest for many people had been looking for a copy of it.

I was stunned by the universalist viewpoint of this letter. Believe me, the true God did not write it. A god of the writer's imagination did. Let's take a SCRIPTURAL look at "A Letter from God" read by Paul Harvey (if you want to read the actual letter read by Paul Harvey go here). In the following commentary, Mr. Harvey's comments are in red...

(Aside: I was recently made aware that "A Letter from God" was a letter anonymously submitted to Mr. Harvey. When I wrote the article that you are about to read, I wasn't sure if Paul Harvey wrote the letter or if one of his listeners did. It didn't make much difference either way because by reading it on his program, Mr. Harvey put his endorsement to it.)

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Paul Harvey says everybody is a child of God.

My Dear Children...believe me, that is all of you.

Everybody is a creature of God, but not everybody is a child of God. Jesus said that the Devil is the father of those who do not belong to Him:

"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."

—Jesus Christ, John 8:44

The only way to become a child of God is to be adopted by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. There is NO OTHER WAY:

"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will."

—Ephesians 1:5

 

"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

—Galatians 4:4

 

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

—Romans 8:15

 

Paul Harvey says God used evolution in creation.

"I consider myself a pretty patient guy. I mean, look at the Grand Canyon. It took millions of years to get it right. And about evolution-- boy, nothing is slower than designing that whole Darwinian thing to take place cell by cell and gene by gene."

The Bible says that God created the universe and everything in it in six literal days:

"...in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed."

—Exodus 31:17

Paul Harvey says God didn't author the Bible and you can't trust it.

"Every one of your religions claims... that it's bible was written personally by me, that all the other bibles are man made. Oh, me! How do I ever begin to put a stop to such utter nonsense...I hate to break it to you, but I don't write...so all of your books, including those bibles, were written by men and women. They were inspired men and women...they also made mistakes here and there and I made sure of that so that you would NEVER TRUST A WRITTEN WORD rather than your own living heart!"

This is a blasphemy-packed statement by Harvey's god. We'll look at several things here.

1. God indeed wrote the Holy Bible using living instruments--these were holy men of old:

   "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

   —2 Peter 1:21

   "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation."

   —2 Peter 1:20

    

2. God made no mistakes in writing His word. It will endure forever. Jesus said that even the punctuation will not fail:

   "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Matthew 5:18)

   "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." (Mark 13:31)

   "...the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." (1 Peter 1:25)

   "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the WORD that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48).

3. The god of Paul Harvey says that we should never trust in a written word. This is a biggie. Without the Bible, we have lies for the Bible IS TRUTH. In one stroke, Mr. Harvey takes away the only source of truth that we have. Jesus said:

   "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17).

   The written word has always been operative in God's dealing with mankind. The Ten Commandments were written in stone! The Jewish people were the careful custodians of the written scriptures:

   "What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God." (Romans 3:1-2)

   God has always emphasized the importance of keeping His written word:

   "This BOOK OF THE LAW SHALL NOT DEPART OUT OF THY MOUTH; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is WRITTEN therein..." (Joshua 1:8)

   Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible and it is ALL about the importance of knowing the scriptures.

   But what about in the New Testament? Jesus read from the BOOK Isaiah in the synagogue in Luke 4:17.

   Paul read the gospel of JESUS IN THE WRITTEN WORD! Listen:

   1 Corinthians 15:3-4, "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES."

   We know Timothy had the WRITTEN word of the gospel as a child:

   "...from a child thou hast known the holy SCRIPTURES, which ARE ABLE TO MAKE THEE WISE UNTO SALVATION THROUGH FAITH WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS" (2 Timothy 3:15).

   In Acts 17:11, the Bereans didn't just listen to what the apostles said, but they compared their teaching to the SCRIPTURES "to see if those things were so."

    

4. Paul Harvey's god says we should trust in our own hearts. What doth the Bible say about our hearts?

   "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." Matthew 15:19

   "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9

Paul Harvey says God is a Father and a MOTHER.

"All right, listen up now! I am your father and mother."

The Bible NEVER refers to God as a mother. It only refers to Him as a Father. This mother business is some new age mumbo-jumbo and goddess worship.

Paul Harvey says God doesn't want the gospel preached.

"You act like I need you and your religion to stick up for me or win souls for my sake. Please don't do me any favors. I can stand on my own, thank you."

Jesus said to preach the gospel to everyone! His parting words are called, "The Great Commission". Paul Harvey mentions a Jesus in his "A Letter From God"--why? Why? Why? Look at what Jesus said after He rose from the dead:

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:18-20)

Jesus said, "Go!", but Paul Harvey's god says, "Shut up and let people perish in hell! I don't need your help!"

Paul Harvey's god accepts the pedophile and sanctified alike.

"...And I love you anyway with NO STRINGS ATTACHED. So, lighten up, and enjoy me. That's what religions are for."

Ah, but there is a string attached--His name is Jesus and without him, a person will NEVER enter glory but eternal punishment in the lake of fire will be his dwelling place. Jesus said (not the Jesus of Mr. Harvey's imagination):

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36).

Paul Harvey says every devil and false prophet is God.

"And, I am very tired of your main excuse. Do you think I care whether you call me God, or Jaway, or Jehovah, or Allah, Wakatonka, Branda, Father, Mother, even the Void of Nirvana. Do you think I care which of my special children you feel closest to: Jesus, Mary, Buddha, Krishna, Muhammad, or any of the others? You can call me and my special ones any name you choose if only you will go about my business of loving one another as I love you."

The Bible says that there is ONLY ONE NAME THAT CAN SAVE YOUR SOUL . . .

THAT NAME IS JESUS!

 

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is NONE OTHER NAME under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

Paul Harvey says there are many paths to God.

"Each has a unique style so that people can find the best path for themselves. But my special children, the ones your religions revolve around all live in the same place, in my heart. And they get along perfectly, I assure you. The clergy must stop creating a myth of sibling rivalry where there is none."

This is the essence of eastern mysticism--you can get to God any ol' kinda way. People operate by absolutes in EVERY area of life--a foot is 12 inches, stop at a stoplight, pay taxes, etc.--but when it comes to the most import thing in the universe all of a sudden people get "stupiditis" and say they can't know the truth about the Lord God who created them. The truth of the matter is they want to choose a religion that is convenient for them. They want to be in God's good graces--but they want to do it their way. This is unacceptable to God! "There are many paths just find the one that best fits you," is a lie from Satan.

Paul Harvey says religions get along perfectly—look at the writings of each and see that they CONTRADICT each other. Is Mr. Harvey crazy? Has he lost his mind? Finally, "the clergy" is not creating sibling rivalry because...

1. The Bible is what is dividing people and exposing the truth, not the "clergy." Jesus said in Matthew 10:34, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." Amen and glory to God. The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharp. Mr. Harvey espouses an imaginary Jesus who does not resemble the real Jesus Christ who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

    

2. There is no "sibling rivalry" because until a person has been born again, they are not my brother or sister. Any so-called rivalry between the true Christian and the heathen is not rivalry at all. The non-Christian is simply offended at the gospel message. This is no surprise because the Bible clearly says that Jesus Christ is a rock of offense to the disobedient: "...a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient..." ( 1 Peter 2:8)

I have one last comment.
This, "A Letter from God" should be called,

A LETTER FROM SATAN