Robert Steven Hays Sr

The last writing that was posted was about the Bible being God manifest in language. This one deals with a more controversial subject: which version do we believe or use?

For me, it is the Authorized Version, or what is commonly called the King James Version. I realize that many who make that claim can be mean spirited about its defense, and recently, I have seen where they make the claim that if you do not believe their particular ludicrous doctrines, you cannot be a real Bible believer. Satan will use whoever and whatever to keep people from the words of God.

Do I believe you can be saved using a different version? YES. Do I believe you can be right with God, love God, and serve God with another version? YES. But I also believe that having something to stand upon in the worst of times is necessary. Something that cannot be corrected, has never been proven wrong, and I have never come across a Biblical doctrine that cannot be found in the pages of my Bible exactly as it has been written. If there are mistakes in our Bible, or mistranslations, then how do you know the parts you want to believe are not mistakes as well? As a preacher, how am I supposed to stand in the pulpit, claim that I have the answers to life and eternity, hold up a book that is the basis for our faith, and yet in the back of my mind I believe it has faults and mistakes?

So, allow me to explain: There are basically two groups of manuscripts: First, those from Antioch called the Byzantine text, Syrian text, or as Nestle’s Greek text critical apparatus calls them, the Majority texts. This is because the majority of all Scripture manuscripts known to exists are part of this group.

Second is the Alexandrian texts. These include the texts from Rome, Alexandria, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, and others. They are commonly referred to as the oldest and best manuscripts, but that is simply publicity. There are older manuscripts that are from the first group.

The King James Bible is based upon the first group. All other versions are based upon the second group. Antioch is where they were first called Christians [Acts 11:26]. Rome and Alexandria were known to fight against the Christians.

There are some major differences: Other versions will often refer to Joseph as the father of Jesus - Luke 2:33 Other versions will say we look for the glory of Jesus rather than the bodily return of Jesus - Titus 2:13 Other versions will leave out total verses which confuse the salvation doctrine - Acts 8:37 Other versions will confuse the doctrine of dispensations so there is no rightly dividing: II Timothy 2:15 and Galatians 2:7 which explains Acts 2:36-38 and I Corinthians 1:17 And the list goes on.

Now, I realize the Authorized Version has gone through some revisions. But every revision was accepted by Christians without controversy or division. The new versions that come out seem to only serve to divide. For whatever reason, to say I believe the King James Bible has often brought out snarky, or even angry, remarks from other Christians.

I also realize that the Bible has gone through several languages. But we are talking about God being involved. The God that spoke and the whole universe came into existence. I believe that God can keep His words preserved regardless [Psalm 12:6-7]. This psalm states that the words of God are pure, purified in a furnace of earth seven times [the process], and preserved. The miracle of our Bible being preserved is no less a miracle than that of Jesus Christ being Jewish after all the invasions and captivity Israel went through, or the nation of Israel being revived after 2,000+ years. It is only attributed to the hand of God.

Believing the Bible I hold in my hand is the perfect and preserved word of God gives me the confidence to stand in the pulpit and say, thus saith the Lord. It gives me the ability to open my Bible to parents who are burying a child, or someone who was just given a death sentence by an awful disease. It allows me to truthfully tell of the grace of God that forgives any sin, and while the world rages, it gives me the peace of God that passes all understanding. In a society that constantly changes its views [compare headlines today and two years ago!] I have a solid foundation that does not need to be changed and has never failed.

What is the Bible in a literal sense? For me, the Bible is God manifest in language. Everything I believe in life, every decision I make, is built upon this concept. That in no way implies that I always do right or make the right decisions. Believing in gravity did not stop me from jumping out of hay lofts when I was a boy, and suffering the bruises from doing so. But as I have gone through life believing in gravity, I also now go through life believing the Bible is God manifest in language. So, what would be the basis of this belief? Going through Scriptures, it is impossible to separate the Person of God from the Bible 1. The word is the testimony of Jesus Christ - Revelation 1:2,9; 6:9; 20:4 2. They both must be received - John 1:12; 12:48 3. They both will judge - Matt. 7:21-23; John 12:48,
Revelation 20:11-12 4. The Bible is quick [alive] - Hebrews 4:12 5. The Bible is a discerner; it descerns - Hebrews 4:12 6. They both are the seed of eternal life - John 6:35; I Peter 1:23 I am not referring to the cover of my Bible which used to be a cow, nor the pages which used to be a tree. I am referencing the actual words of the Bible which are described as pure and preserved, Psalm 12:6-7. Everybody has a central or core belief that they follow in life. We do not obey it in all situations, but it guides us through life and defines our being. We have all done something that we would say, “that is not really me.” That action defies our core belief in life. But we still have the core belief. It is what the Apostle Paul is describing in Romans 7:15. I believe there is a God. That God spoke and all of creation came into existence. That God also gave us a Book, which would be the most important document in the history of mankind. Considering that Book is also going to be our judge [John 12:48] we might want to find out what it actually says. Every Christian ought to want to find out what God said about any given subject. Our faith comes from hearing what God said [Romans 10:17]. Our obedience is to submit to what God said. Our peace comes from knowing what God said: (1 John 5:13) “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

A person’s last words should probably be considered important, especially when they know it is the last thing that will be recorded. When God closes His Book with The Revelation, He gives us some last words to which we should take particular heed. Before delving into those, let’s just be clear that they are the last words. John is the last living apostle, and as such, is qualified to tell the church what belongs in the New Testament or not. It is not up to a committee, nor are there “lost” books of the Bible to be discovered. John also gives the warnings of not adding to, or subtracting from, the words of God. Psalms 12:6-7 lets us know they are preserved words, and Psalm 138:2 gives us the knowledge of how important God says these words are. The last words of this all important document are: (Revelation 22:20-21) “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. {21} The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” Two things stick out: we are to be longing for the return of Christ, and the grace of God will be there to help us in the wait. This longing for the Lord’s return is the primary hope of the Church [Titus 2:13]. We are not looking for the Lord’s glory, as some of the newer versions state. We are looking for Jesus Christ Himself. As the last words of the Bible, this is paramount. Over and over, in commands and parables, the Lord admonishes the saints to be watching and ready. We are not to be distracted by the things of this world. Which includes the troubles and trials AND THE TIMES YOUR SIDE WINS. No matter how bad or good this life gets, our longing to see Jesus Christ should never wane. The Lord even gives a reward at the Judgment Seat for those Christians who were longing for, and love, the return of Christ. (2 Timothy 4:8) “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” I am extremely thankful when the good and right actually win a conflict. I am usually hopeful and tend not to think the worst of people [yes, I am quite gullible]. But even winning the occasional battle does not replace the hope of Jesus Christ’s return. Our Messiah has not come back yet and all the world’s problems are not going to suddenly end because … The Rapture is not an insignificant doctrine, nor is it new. One of the first arguments of the early church was whether to take the Scriptures on the return of Christ literally or not. The Chiliast said to do so and I certainly agree. Hymenaeus and his buddies would also agree now since they were turned over to the devil for discouraging the church concerning the return and resurrection of the saints [I Timothy 1:19-20 and II Timothy 2:17-18]. The world, the flesh, and the devil will use anything to distract us from what God said and the hope He gave. They will even use earthly “blessings” if that will work.