Word Wars

Guess there are more KJV destroyers out there among the Monergists than I had imagined previously. It used to be that an Unconditional Electionist fully embraced the KJV and if someone did not stand by the KJV, it pretty much always meant they were of the Arminianistic sway. Well, not anymore. We are in the very end times and it is evident also by the venomous attacks that many Five Point Monergists are making against the last preserved translation of the Word of God. I have always thought it was not a recognizable issue or controversy among who claim and fully appear to teach sound doctrines of salvation. Was I ever wrong. I have been rather naive about this taking place among the true church because I have spent the last seventeen years studying and battling for the omnipotence of God even though God does not need any help:) It has been a great exercise for a young warrior of the Word. That has been my primary area of concern for as long as I have been saved. And I always will continue to make that my primary concern with doctrine in order to keep God exalted but I realize it is time now to begin the cause of the KJV being the preserved Word of God. Division is inevitable but I have not turned against anyone over this as yet. Though I have been attacked. Perhaps I should start considering separation myself. Jesus came to divide and not actually to bring peace among the masses. Recently I had my conviction for the KJV held against me by more than one woman who are supposedly 5 pointers. I hope I am not being naive again when I say I believe these individuals are sisters because they claim to believe the correct doctrine of salvation…but what is going on with this end time attack against the KJV??? And it is an attack when they also fully embrace other translations because that sends a certain message of the fallibility of the KJB. And it is an attack when they discontinue friendship with someone because that person only uses the KJB. This certainly speaks volumes. Something is way wrong with the picture. I notice that nearly all of the Monergists who embrace other translations of the Word happen to be Reformers. I think that most Reformers are wonderful and I am grateful that they have managed to come out of the ‘daughters of the harlot’ but to me it is evident, that some of these saints have brought some baggage with them and they do not realize it. I am not a Reformer myself. I came from a church that strictly taught the boastless full Grace doctrines of an omnopotent God and I am still in such a Monergistic Baptist church (The Trail of Blood by Jim Carroll). Through the grace of God I have never swayed or believed in any other doctrine of salvation. Neither have I ever considered using other translations. I am not really a traditionalist because most tradition is empty and dangerous but I have to say, I respect the fact that most of my sound forefathers were convicted in the use of the KJB.  These good men who taught the truth and never hesitated to expose heresy, felt confident in the preservation of the KJB. For a Monergist to think lightly of that matter, is really quite arrogant and self defeating. “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” Romans 1:22 These same saints say they agree with Spurgeon and many of the greats who they have also utilized in teaching for the past ten to thirty years, yet amazingly they are disagreeing with those same forefathers on the issue of the KJB. The KJB fully satisfied their forefathers since it came out 400 years back, and suddenly they think they are wiser by embracing other translations??? Well how modern and politically correct they have become! What would they have done a hundred years ago or even seventy, when the only real obtainable translation left was, the KJV?? Would they have said that it was not the preserved Word of God or that it was missing something? If they said that, they would have been insinuating that there was not an available preserved Word around anymore. At least not for 99.99% of the population. The only translation we had for 99.99% of the population, for the last several hundred years, has been the one and only KJV. They say that God has more than one preserved translation for common use but really, does that make any sense when our God is not the author of confusion? When there is one God, one Son, one Spirit, would it make sense there would be more than one Word? I am talking about one Word that is primarily available to most people and not for a select few in the dark caverns underground. And neither is it reasonable to think that God expected most people to learn Greek. That would be inane. God is a reasonable God. The Word was not always available to most people and could only be passed on word of mouth but the fact is, it has been for hundreds of years and that is what we are dealing with; would God have more than one readily available preserved Bible for the masses to read so to allow mass confusion? Or would He only have one predominantly available translation to nullify confusion for the saints? Why would God have more than one when it only breeds confusion? Imagine God offering us more than one legitimate Christ? It is insane to think such a thing. So why do we think He is offering us more than one legitimate Word? I think not. That is not the way God works with His people. I say, these individuals cannot see the forest for the trees. Suddenly, these multi-Worders think themselves wiser than their saintly forefathers who were completely satisfied and convicted in the KJV?? Pretty easy to see what is happening here. Real easy. The devil could not get them to believe a lie that God was not omnipotent…so he decided to attack them through the assurance and preservation of the Word of God. Satan has always done that and he has always tried to destroy the Word of God from the beginning of time. What better way, than to infiltrate the true believers of God. This is the first time in history, to any recognizable degree, that the real saints (so they claim) have begun to discredit the real and authentic translation of the Word of God. You can count me out. This war is on (that I never started) and you can bet I am not backing down any more than I did over the doctrines on regeneration the last two decades. God will win hands down. All I have to do is say what I stand for and why and then step aside. God takes care of the rest. I should have known it was too good to be true when I saw a few more ‘5 pointers’ than I was expecting on the internet. About three times more than I was expecting. Wonder how many of them are authentic and how many of them are wolves. I do not actually need to know. I just need to stand up for what I know is true. When they start to spit nails at me, I am gonna start to seriously wonder where they are really coming from. I have never said or thought that someone is not saved because they disagree with me on this matter. And neither should anyone think that. It is not about who is saved and who is not. It is about what translation we should ideally use. I would really appreciate it if no one held it against me for my conviction on the matter which has indeed happened.

An attack against someone for only using the KJV is definitely an attack against the KJV. No matter how unintentional or unaware they may be of what they are doing, it sends a message that the KJV is not sufficient in itself. That additionally connotes that the KJV is not actually the preserved Word of God. If that be the case, it must be only partly true and then we are left never knowing what parts are true and what are not. It would be a book of confusion for even the elect. God however has one Gospel, One Savior, One Word. Like the true church of God, never has there been a moment in history, when the Word has not been perpetually preserved. And I don’t mean through the fires of the Catholic Cult, I mean outside of that institution. There are not two true Gods, two true Gospels, two true Saviors, or available translations of the Word. That would be confusing and impossible to entreat. That is not God’s way. I cannot for these reasons alone, embrace more than one translation. It being the KJV. The Word is either fully preserved or it is not at all. There cannot be any in between anymore than there is with anything else of God. There is no gray area with the KJV. God either preserved it as He desired or it is not preserved by Him and is unreliable. It is either white or it is black but it cannot be gray. People need to fully accept it or fully reject it. Just like Jesus himself. We either fully accept him for who he really is or we fully reject him in the eyes of God. We might think we can partially accept Jesus but in reality there is no in between. Like Christ, the Word is either fully legitimate or it is a lie. It has been said that a partial truth is a complete lie because the devil has his influence over it. An example of the greatest lie is 90% loving fact and 10% lethal fiction. God has seen reason in the omission of certain manuscripts in order to protect the Word from heresy. Some say these should have been included but I think God knows better than any of us put together. He has also seen fit to allow italics so that we would know they were not in the original. Yet, if they are there, it by the permission of God. There is no deception in that. Neither on the part of God or the men who physically included them. Furthermore, if God allows a word or two to be included or even a thousand words, it is not in the alteration or destruction of any doctrine. God is not changing in His teachings. They can remain the same no matter the inclusion or exclusion of any words. So in keeping with this notion, that is how the KJV is indeed the preserved Word of God. It is sad that some people who are even the very elect cannot see the forest for the trees.

Few of us are completely scholared in any area let alone the area of translations which is extremely in depth to say the least. At the end of the day or the end of a decade, we can only take what we do know and ask God to discern it for us through the Spirit and to guide us through the matter. I am as analytical as anyone trying to count the sands on the shore but when all is said and done, try to keep it simple. The truth that God would have us understand is profound yet always simple. The still small voice in the wilderness that was always speaking to the elect from early on. The devil will not confound you if you really seek the truth in this area and pray to not be overwhelmed by the mess of misinformation out there. The KJV is either the one or it is not. There is no grey area in truth. I am with the KJV 1611 until the Spirit leads me otherwise. The same Spirit that has led me into all truth, has kept me with this translation without wavering. This same Spirit is not a changing Spirit. Neither will it allow me to be misled when I do not wish to be. Grace.

 

 

http://www.wayoflife.org/kingjames/index.html?gclid=CJXPpuiUlJ4CFShSagod-WyapA

http://theshepherdsvoice.org/kjv/kjv-controversy_listing.html

http://www.biblebelievers.com/Branson_KJV1.html

 

Though he encouraged learning Greek and Hebrew when possible, I think this is also what Spurgeon believed who also figured  the KJV was sufficient to use for his entire ministry and life… despite what some anti-KJVers falsely portray. I will include some quotes by beloved Spurgeon that help convey a further story on what he believed regarding the Word of God (KJV) that he used until the day he died:

“Today it is still the self-same mighty Word of God that it was in the hands of our Lord Jesus.” – Spurgeon

“We need nothing more than God has seen fit to reveal. Certain errant spirits are never at home till they are abroad: they crave for a something which I think they will never find, either in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth, so long as they are in their present mind. They never rest, for they will have nothing to do with an infallible revelation; and hence they are doomed to wander throughout time and eternity, and find no abiding city. For the moment they glory as if they were satisfied with their last new toy; but in a few months it is sport to them to break in pieces all the notions which they formerly prepared with care, and paraded with delight. They go up a hill only to come down again. Indeed, they say that the pursuit of truth is better than truth itself. They like fishing better than the fish; which may very well be true, since their fish are very small, and very full of bones. These men are as great at destroying their own theories as certain paupers are at tearing up their clothes. They begin again de novo, times without number: their house is always having its foundation digged out. They should be good at beginnings; for they have always been beginning since we have known them. They are as the rolling thing before the whirlwind, or “like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.” Although their cloud is not that cloud which betokened the divine presence, yet it is always moving before them, and their tents are scarcely pitched before it is time for the stakes to be pulled up again. These men are not even seeking certainty; their heaven lies in shunning all fixed truth, and following every will-o’-the-wisp of speculation: they are ever learning, but they never come to the knowledge of the truth.”-Spurgeon

“If the revelation of God were not enough for our faith, what could we add to it? Who can answer this question? What would any man propose to add to the sacred Word? A moment’s thought would lead us to scout with derision the most attractive words of men, if it were proposed to add them to the Word of God. The fabric would not be of a piece. Would you add rags to a royal vestment? Would you pile the filth of the streets in a king’s treasury? Would you join the pebbles of the sea-shore to the diamonds of Golconda? Anything more than the Word of God sets before us, for us to believe and to preach as the life of men, seems utterly absurd to us; yet we confront a generation of men who are always wanting to discover a new motive power, and a new gospel for their churches. The coverlet of their bed does not seem to be long enough, and they would fain borrow a yard or two of linsey-woolsey from the Unitarian, the Agnostic, or even the Atheist. Well; if there be any spiritual force or heavenward power to be found beyond that reported of in this Book, I think we can do without it: indeed, it must be such a sham that we are better without it. The Scriptures in their own sphere are like God in the universe—All-sufficient. In them is revealed all the light and power the mind of man can need in spiritual things. We hear of other motive power beyond that which lies in the Scriptures, but we believe such a force to be a pretentious nothing. A train is off the lines, or otherwise unable to proceed, and a break-down gang has arrived. Engines are brought to move the great impediment. At first there seems to be no stir: the engine power is not enough. Harken! A small boy has it. He cries, “Father, if they have not power enough, I will lend them my rocking-horse to help them.” We have had the offer of a considerable number of rocking-horses of late. They have not accomplished much that I can see, but they promised fair. I fear their effect has been for evil rather than good: they have moved the people to derision, and have driven them out of the places of worship which once they were glad to crowd. The new toys have been exhibited, and the people, after seeing them for a little, have moved on to other toy-shops. These fine new nothings have done no good, and they never will do any good while the world standeth. The Word of God is quite sufficient to interest and bless the souls of men throughout all time; but novelties soon fail. “Surely,” cries one, “we must add our own thoughts thereto.” My brother, think by all means; but the thoughts of God are better than yours. You may shed fine thoughts, as trees in autumn cast their leaves; but there is One who knows more about your thoughts than you do, and he thinks little of them. Is it not written, “The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity”? To liken our thoughts to the great thoughts of God, would be a gross absurdity. Would you bring your candle to show the sun? Your nothingness to replenish the eternal all? It is better to be silent before the Lord, than to dream of supplementing what he has spoken. The Word of the Lord is to the conceptions of men as a garden to a wilderness. Keep within the covers of the sacred book, and you are in the land which floweth with milk and honey; why seek to add to it the desert sands?” – Spurgeon

“Some of you, younger brethren, have only tested the Scripture a little as yet; but others of us, who are now getting grey, can assure you that we have tried the Word, as silver is tried in a furnace of earth; and it has stood every test, even unto seventy times seven. The sacred Word has endured more criticism than the best accepted form of philosophy or science, and it has survived every ordeal.” – Spurgeon

“As for us, we cast anchor in the haven of the Word of God. Here is our peace, our strength, our life, our motive, our hope, our happiness. God’s Word is our ultimatum. Here we have it. Our understanding cries, “I have found it”; our conscience asserts that here is the truth; and our heart finds here a support to which all her affections can cling; and hence we rest content.” – Spurgeon

 

 Jesus is the WORD OF GOD and the Bible is THE WORD OF GOD　

   Jesus is called the Word of God (John 1 and I John 1 and I John 5:7 and in Revelation 19:13.  He is called the Word of God); The Bible is called the word of God. We know this, but we overlook the obvious. Is this just Holy Ghost rhetoric and parsely on the plate and coincidence? Nay. This quick parallel will help. The Bible is a manifestation of God Himself, an extension of His being. When Jesus said his words are spirit and they are life, are they separate spirit than the Holy Spirit? Nay, but Jesus will slay the antichrist by the Spirit of His mouth (2 Thess 2:8) and yet it’s a two-edged sword (Heb.4:12 and the Sword of the Spirit Eph. 6:17) that comes out of His mouth in Revelation 19:15 (word of God) to smite the nations and Antichrist. The word of God was manifested into this earth through sinful vessels (holy men with sin natures/errant men wrote the Bible). Jesus, the Word of God was manifested through Mary (she said “I rejoice in God my Saviour” implying a need for a saviour and she needed a time of purification according to Luke 2, etc.). The 66 books of the Bible were manifested onto this earth. They were in the predeterminate will and mind of God from all eternity. The word of God is His infinite mind and will. It didn’t have a beginning, but manifested onto the earth. (Dan. 10:21 – The angel tells Daniel “But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth…” The scripture of truth was pre-existing) .Jesus was and is the word of God before manifesting onto the earth. He had appearances in the O.T. (Theophanies). He was the Angel of the Lord in many places, the fourth man in the fire (Dan. 4:35), etc. Now ask yourself a few things. Do we have an exact genealogy/chronology/chronicle/play-by-play of where all He was? No. Was He recognized as the word of God when he manifested onto the earth? No. We know he was born in a stable. We think this was 4-5 B.C, but our Gregorian calendars are scrambled and we don’t know exactly, but approx. 2000 years ago. I don’t know where Jesus was from birth to age 18 months or so when the wise men came to His house, or from that age until He was 12 and stayed back in the temple confounding the Expert Exegetes, or where he was from age 12 until he first publicly began His ministry at age 30 (and then began to show forth His glory – John 2). I know some about where He was for 3 and ½ years during His ministry (but we suppose the world couldn’t contain what all He did per John 20). We don’t have a perfect diary of events, a perfect traceable path of the Word of God (Jesus) before incarnation and during incarnation. However, I KNOW WHERE HE IS RIGHT NOW. 1. He’s in my heart. 2. He’s at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven. This is crucial because we often ask questions like ‘Where was the word of God before 1611?’ or ‘Where will the word of God be 1000 years from now?’ The most important question is ‘Where is the word of God NOW in 2010?’ If a person can’t give any or all the details of where the word of God (unlinked trails, etc.) was in other past generations, does this negate their Bible position? Not at all. The Captain of our Salvation was made perfect through sufferings (Heb. 2:10). Is the two year old Jesus better than the 32 year old Jesus? I say no. The 32 year old Jesus is better. The crucified, resurrected, and glorified Jesus is better than the newborn Jesus. They are the same Word of God (Jesus) but in different stages. Not a bone of Jesus was broken (Ps.34:20 etc), and the scriptures cannot be broken (John 10:35). Jesus could not be bound (death and the grave could not hold him – I Cor. 15) and the word of God is not bound (2 Tim.2:9). Jesus was being perfected (Heb. 2:10) though He was born perfect, and the word of God is pure and yet purified 7 times (Psalms 12:6,7). Priscilla and Aquilla expounded the way of God ‘more perfectly’ to Apollos (Acts 18:26). People ask where the word of God was before 1611. This is similar to ‘Where was Biblical Christianity before the Protestant Reformation?’ One answer is ‘The same place your face was before you washed it: Behind the dirt.” The English word of God was being purified. English reached its climax and pinnacle of purity. I accept by faith (etc.) the KJB as the resurrected word of God in English. I don’t know where all Jesus was before His resurrection, but I know where He is right now. He went underground for a season (but for those 3 days/nights He was dead, I don’t know exactly what all He was doing). 2 Percent of the known world spoke English in 1611. Now, an estimated 2 billion speak English. This was the world’s population in 1950. Did this catch God by surprise? There were even some English letters upon the cross (inscription over Jesus’ head; Greek and Latin contained letters that later formed part of the English alphabet). Did God not know this? The incarnation is a mystery (great is the mystery of godliness 1 Tim. 3:16). I Cor. 4:1, 2 says we are to be good stewards of the mysteries of God. Jesus was the bread that came down from Heaven (Manna means “What is it?” reinforcing that this is a mystery). When the written word manifests, it likewise is shrouded in mystery. We are the epistles of Christ built upon the principle of Christ in us; the glory of this mystery which is Christ in you (Col. 1:27). Jesus was belittled as the son of Joseph and ‘Can any good thing come from Galilee?’ And the written word is likewise questioned. But some receive Him (John 1) and I Thess. 2:13 says, “…When ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received NOT AS THE WORD OF MEN, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” Many Catholics and Protestants scandalized the King James Bible. They tried to catch Jesus, the Word of God, in His words and find fault with Him. Such is the case with the KJV (as well as other manifestations of God’s word in other languages). People will strain at typographical gnats and swallow Dynamic Equivalent camels. Jesus, the Word of God, was accused of being a sinner. In John 7:52, they said, “Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.” And people today say things like, “The Bible doesn’t say anything about the word of God in English.” Etc. They plucked the Word of God – Jesus’ beard from His face (Is. 50:6), and today whole passages and verses are removed from the word of God (Like Matt.17:21, 18:11; 23:14; Mark 7:16; 9:44,46; 11:26; 15:28; Luke 17:36; 23:17; John 5:4; Acts 8:37; 15:34; 24:7; 28:29; Rom. 16:24; I John 5:7, etc.) Jesus was so marred more than any man (Is. 52), and the word of God is marred today often beyond recognition. When Jesus, the Word of God showed up, he was supposed to have been the son of Joseph. With the written word of God, there is no clear-cut textual genealogy to satisfy the skeptics. [Another thought: God doesn’t answer a fool according to His folly. God thrusts Himself upon the world (In the beginning, GOD.). The skeptics want better, more satisfactory answers that this. Listen to atheist/skeptic debates with theists, and they’ll continually want some historical record or breakdown of HOW God created the universe, and exactly WHEN and all the intricacies, etc. This is a stacked question (they want to subjugate God to the philosophy of empiricism, rationalism, and the wisdom of men), b/c God has not revealed these things but requires a pre-comittment or presupposition – you have to believe God in order to have a foundation for thought/knowledge. Likewise, the Bible is our foundation for knowledge and we must begin with the Bible and not end with the Bible after using knowledge/science to prove or validate the Bible. The Bible, like God, thrusts itself upon the scene and we must deal with it from a presuppositional standpoint rather than evidential proofs from empiricism. Atheists and skeptics always say they are agnostic/atheist because nobody has offered satisfactory proof that God exists. You’ll never satisfy the skeptical mind that is predisposed to a pre-commitment that God doesn’t exist. Likewise, regardless of how much evidence you marshal, one who denies that God can and has produced an inerrant translation will never feel any answer is satisfactory.  

 

– Randy Hartinger