An OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) manual is the official instruction book for a product, like a car, machine or a computer part, that comes directly from the company that originally made it. The manual is produced by the same engineers and technicians who designed and built the equipment. These are people that know exactly how everything is supposed to work and where everything goes. If you follow the guidelines in these manuals you are following the original design.
The Bible is our OEM manual. If we encounter problems we should refer to our Manual for direction. If we want to know how we should live our lives, refer to the Manual. If we want to know what it takes to make it to heaven, refer to the Manual.
We may have our opinions, but we must verify that they align with the Manual. Even if we have believed it to be a certain way all of our lives, we must read the Manual. I personally had believed a certain way all of my life until I was around 19. At 19 I got into the Word of God and my beliefs didn’t align. Well when you compare your beliefs with the Word and they don’t align, you’re left with a choice. You know the Word isn’t wrong, so it has to be what you’ve believed. You can’t just ignore this. Well, you can, but you shouldn’t. I didn’t. I realigned my beliefs so they matched what the OEM Manual said. You should do the same. Dig into the Word and make sure your life aligns with it.
Psalm 119:105 KJV Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.