Biblical Inspiration – Part 3 - Which Bible?

Temple Baptist Church - 5-1-2011

Jude 3

Introduction:

A. I have been asked many times, “How do you know which bible is the right one?” It is a legitimate question and needs a logical answer. How do we know for sure that we stand right in light of the many different bible versions on the shelf? I do not know just how many English versions of the bible that there are but it is in excess of 50.

B. Fundamental bible believers accept only one and that is the authorized King James Bible. We that stand for the old King James Bible have been slandered and belittled for simply believing what God said. We are called:

1. A King James Cult by ignorant people who do not even know the definition of a cult.

2. Ruckmanites – If you believe in one Bible that is perfect, the liberal links you to Peter S. Ruckman. If he was a bible believer, he would not be thrice married and still in a pulpit! He also teaches double inspiration while we teach single inspiration and perfect preservation which keeps the inspiration intact!

3. Divisive – we are not divisive; we are separatists.

4. Narrow minded – we are neither narrow minded nor are we broad minded. We are bible mindful!

5. Ignorant and unlearned men – I neither count myself either ignorant or unlearned. Though I do not have all of the answers, I do believe that I have a “good handle” on the bible. I certainly am not a novice.

6. Bible believers have been called many things but I thank God we have never been called liberal!


WHICH BIBLE? WHY DO WE BELIEVE THAT THE KING JAMES BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD AND NOT OTHER TRANSLATIONS?

1. Because Of God’s Promise Of Both Divine Inspiration And Perfect Preservation. If the Word of God is not the King James Bible, then where is it?

a. The Bible declares that the Word of God was given only once and they preserved it through divine providence! The Lord brought up the subject of divine Bible preservation, not man. Bible preservation is therefore a Bible doctrine that needs to be taught and preached!

1 Samuel 3:19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

Psalms 12:6-7 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

Matthew 5:18 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.

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

b. Bible preservation, according to Scripture is verbal pertaining to the words of God and not the doctrines only.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (No place in the Word of God is room left for error or mistranslation! This is a man-made doctrine and is contrary to clear biblical teaching.)

c. If verbal preservation is so, and the Bible says it is, then we must have the very Word of God in our hands if we have the right bible. Now, the question will arise: “Which version is the right one?” Many different people use many different versions and divine inspiration and preservation demand that there only be one Bible for the English speaking people. Things that are different are still not the same!

2. Because The King James Bible Has No Copyright! The text of the KJV may be reproduced by anyone for there is no copyright forbidding its duplication. This is not true with the modern versions.

COPYRIGHT, n. The sole right which an author has in his own original literary compositions; the exclusive right of an author to print, publish and vend his own literary works, for his own benefit; the like right in the hands of an assignee.
Psalms 68:11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.

Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (You can print the bible from your own computer and give it to anyone you want.)

3. Because The King James Bible Was Translated During The Philadelphian Church Age. (Revelation 3:7-13)

a. The modern versions begin to appear rather late on the scene as the lukewarm Laodicean period gets underway (Revelation 3:14-22), but the KJV was produced way back in 1611, just in time for the many great revivals (1700-1900). (The greatest missions’ outreach that the world has ever known was “fueled” by the King James Bible!)

b. The Philadelphia church was the only one that did not receive a rebuke from the Lord Jesus Christ, and it was the only church that "kept" God's word.

Revelation 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

4. Because of the text from which it comes! There are two major lines of manuscripts.

a. The Textus Receptus or Received Text from which we get our King James Bible. (This was the Majority Text with over 99% of extant manuscripts in agreement with it.)

b. The Wescott-Hort Text or Critical Text from which other versions come. (This was the Minority Text with less than 1% of all extant manuscripts agreeing with it and they disagreed with each other.)

c. There are over 5,000 differences between these two lines of text!

d. The time of the translation of the King James is further proof that it is the right Bible from the right line of texts! (During the critical years of the Reformation, Revival, and one of the greatest eras of mission’s outreaches!)

e. If the Westcott-Hort Text is the right one, then why was it either not available (and it was) or not used in the greatest translation work in the world? It was rejected by the translators as corrupt!

f. Why would God allow the Reformation Period, Revivals and mission’s outreaches of England, Scotland, Wales, etc. be left with an inferior Bible off of an inferior text? (God’s Word would have not been preserved for a period of app. 270 years before the Wescott-Hort Text was translated!)
5. Because Of The Confusion and division That The Other Versions Have Caused!

a. Different versions cause confusion in reading. 1 Timothy 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. (Here at Temple, we begin our services by reading chapters of Scripture in unison. Can you imagine the confusion with many different versions being read?)

b. Different versions cause confusion in memorization. Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Which Word and does it make a difference? I believe that it does make a difference! We have our children memorize Scripture in VBS. We had a family once at Temple who intentionally told their children to memorize the NIV because of their rebellion. I rewarded the children though they memorized the wrong version because it was the parent’s fault. How ungodly and rebellious!)

c. Different versions cause the preacher to not be able to expound or preach upon individual words within a text because other member’s versions may or may not have them. 2 Timothy 2:9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. (Different versions limit the effectiveness of expository preaching!)

d. Different version cause division and strife. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. (There was no division or strife concerning God’s Word among Christian before the new versions. It was the new versions that caused the problem, not the Bible believers who stood for the King James Bible.)

e. God is neither the Author of confusion nor strife! 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

6. Because Of The Authority Problem Other Bible Cause. If there are many Bibles, then you can pick and choose to suit your own particular beliefs.

a. Four things can be your authority spiritually:

The Church – this is Catholicism

Personal Experience – this is Pentecostalism

Human Reason – this is Intellectualism

The Bible – this is Fundamentalism

b. If the Bible is our Final Authority and I believe that it is, then we must have one that is right! (The other versions disagree with the King James and, therefore, correct the Authority!)

c. If the Bible is not our Final Authority, then man can do that which is right in his own eyes and man becomes the authority!

Romans 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

7. Because The Introduction Of The New Versions Have Brought About A serious Deterioration In Spirituality.

a. There has never been a major revival using another version other than the King James. This lack of Spiritual Revivals has brought about a Sinful Revolution within “Christendom!” Churches are now permeated with the sins that God’s Word condemns and the sinful are comfortable!

b. When other versions are introduced and used, all standards of holiness begin a serious decline! Worldly music, worldly dress, and worldly people are now catered to.

8. Because The King James Bible Produces Good Fruit.

Matthew 7:17-20 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (No modern translation can compare to the KJV when it comes to producing good fruit. For nearly four hundred years, God has used the preaching and teaching of the KJV to bring hundreds of millions to Christ. Laodicean Christians might favor the new versions, but the Holy Spirit doesn't.)

9. Because The King James Bible Exalts The Lord Jesus Christ.

a. John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

b. There is no book on this planet which exalts Christ higher than the King James Bible. In numerous places the new perversions attack the Deity of Christ, the Blood Atonement, the Resurrection, salvation by grace through faith, and the Second Coming. The true scriptures will TESTIFY of Jesus Christ, not ATTACK Him! (Some of the newer versions change the “thee” and “thou” along with genderless nouns and pronouns to please the feminists! God forbid that the bible name sin and condemn sinners! The King James Bible is both correct and handles the sin problem correctly.)

The Bible

Majestic, eternal, immutable Book,

Inspired, inerrant, complete.

The Light of my path as I walk on life’s way,

The Guide and Lamp to my feet.



Its writings are holy and verbally true,

The unalterable Statute of Light,

For profit, for doctrine, for correction, reproof,

Infallible Guide to the right.



My Treasure, My Comfort, My Help, my Stay,

Incomparable Measure and Rod,

Each page is replete with its textual proof,

The Bible, the EXACT WORD OF GOD!