The Word of God Shall Not Perish
(Psa 40:7) Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
Theme:
What is the fundamental problem with many “Christians” today?
It is a failure to believe that a Holy God exists.
That He hates sin.
That He will judge the sinner.
That He made provision through a miraculous plan for the redemption of that sinner.
That the Atonement will free mankind of his sentence to Hell.
That the plan was laid out in eternity past.
That the plan was then given to mankind in words which God breathed to men who wrote them down as God wanted.
That God has preserved His words for you and I.
Intro:
With the prolifieration of all kinds of versions – how do you know which is truly His Word?
The King James Version (1611)
American Standard Version (1901)
Revised Standard Version (1952)
Amplified Bible: New Testament (@1958, 1987)
New Testament in Modern English (?1947, @1958, 1959, 1960)
New American Standard Bible (NASB- 1960,1962, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995)
Version Reina Valera (1960)
This Spanish language Protestant Bible is stylistically equivalent to the Revised Standard Version.
Amplified Bible: Old Testament (@1965, 1987)
The New American Bible (1970)
The New King James Version
Full Life Study Bible
Rainbow Children’s Bible
Original African Heritage Bible
One Year Bible
Men’s Devotional Bible
New Adventure Bible
NIV Study Bible
Women’s Devotional Bible
Young Explorer’s Study Bible
Life Application Bible for Students
Spirit Filled Life Study Bible
Harper Collins Study Bible with Apocrypha
New Oxford Annotated Bible
New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha
Parallel Reina-Valera (1960) and King James Version Bible
Parallel Reina-Valera (1960) and New International Version Bible
From Genesis to the Promised Land
English Standard Version
The list actually goes on to include more than 300 versions since the publication of the King James Version 1611. Not all of them are in print any more.
Why is this important to us?
Since yours and my salvation and eternal destiny depend on the declared Word, we must know for sure what we have in our hands tonight is from God.
We must be sure it is what He preserved for us down through the ages.
It should be pointed out that there never was a real question about the Hebrew text. It was solidified at the time of Christ. He quoted from it and thereby put God’s stamp of approval on the text in use during His time. We know it today as the Masoretic Hebrew Text.
The question for many in the last few decades is whether we have all of the Greek text. These critics have come to the forefront.
A little background – not too much!
During the 19th century we had intellectuals in science (evolution), in psychology (Freud) government (Karl Marx) and in theology (critics). They seemingly grew fast after the introduction of evolution which occurred early in the 19th century. These theological critics were mostly based in the higher learning centers of Germany. Many of our preachers and professors of theology studied in these German schools. That was where the universities were. There weren’t that many in this country. So the infection occurred of questioning the legitimacy of the texts that were in hand.
So the first question is, who was the first critic?
I. Critics of the Word
a. Jesus was not a critic
i. He quoted the Word
(Luk 24:27) And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
ii. He verified the limits
(Mat 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.
iii. He set the standard
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Joh 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
Joh 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
Joh 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
And answering the Saducee critics, Jesus said:
(Mat 22:29) Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.
b. Disciples were not critics.
i. The remembered His Word. (Joh 2:17) And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
ii.They believed His Word (Joh 2:22) When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
c. Paul was not a critic.
Quoted OT passage regarding the Messiah providing verification for the Word – (Heb 10:7) Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
References Psalm 40:7
d. The critic revealed.
i. His words (Gen 3:1) Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
ii. His contradiction Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Gen 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
iii. His distortion (Gen 3:4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
This is the Satanic attack.
It was the primary effort to distort, destroy and disrupt the belief in the Words of God.
It is an attack which was mounted in the Garden of Eden and has been honed to Satanic perfection during the past 6000 years. He knows that if he can destroy the trust in the Word of God and ones reliance on it, then he has won the victory. He can destroy the joy of Christians. He can cause the blind to remain that way due to the arguments against the veracity and reliability of the Holy bible.
His work is shrewd, subtle and specific.
He knows the pathways to create doubt.
He does it without raising a flag that it is his work.
He targets what counts – the Holy Bible.
From it, comes the humanistic attack.
(Rom 3:2) Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
(Rom 3:3) For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
(Rom 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.
So what if someone does not agree about the Word of God!
It does not change the needs, the provision and the requirements of faith.
God is true.
Mankind is the liar.
2. Character of the Word
A. God – Breathed
(2Ti 3:16) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
We are not left to the doubts and criticism of mankind.
God breathed out the very words he wanted you and me to have.
Prior to this verse, Paul gives a warning.
(2Ti 3:13) But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
Mankind will only become worse, just as this verse declares. Even though that happens, Paul, inspired of God, states that we can and will rely on that which never changes, God’s Holy Word.
B. God Protected
1. Settled in heaven.
(Psa 119:89) Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
(Psa 119:90) Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.
In the following passage, Jesus Christ, a Christophany of the Old Testament appears to Daniel in the early verses and holds discourse with him. He concludes with this statement:
(Dan 10:21) But I will show thee that which is noted in the Scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.
2. Surety of permanence
(Mat 24:35) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Jesus stated this verse here at the Olivet Discourse – regarding the last days, but also was stated in the Sermon on the Mount. Twice he uttered these words in the book of Matthew.
(Mat 5:17) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
(Mat 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.
Jot – smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet (jod) or Greek (iota).
Tittle – smallest difference in the letter. Tiny little flag among two other little flags on a Hebrew letter.
This means the Word is more sure than the ground on which you stand or the air you breathe!
If this world were to be destroyed by some sort of annihilation, which it will eventually, the word will be there yet after that happening.
This is more sure than gold.
This is more sure than family.
This has the backing, not of Fort Knox or some government, but of the Creator God of the Universe! He created the gold, silver, diamonds and established the bounds and boundaries of mankind. He certainly will know how to keep His Word so it cannot be destroyed.
C. God Preserved
A few verses on Continual Preservation.
We looked at the inspired Words and they are Gods. Now we look at how He planned to preserve them for generations to come.
1. (Psa 12:6) The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
(Psa 12:7) Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever.
2. (Psa 78:1) Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
(Psa 78:2) I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
(Psa 78:3) Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
(Psa 78:4) We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
(Psa 78:5) For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
(Psa 78:6) That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
(Psa 78:7) That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
(Psa 78:8) And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.
3. (Psa 105:8) He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
4. (Psa 119:89) Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
5. (Psa 119:111) Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage forever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
6. (Psa 119:152) Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them forever.
7. (Psa 119:160) Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever.
8. (Pro 22:20) Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
(Pro 22:21) That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
9. (Ecc 3:14) I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
10. (Mat 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.
11. (Mat 5:17) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
12. (Mat 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.
13. (Mat 24:35) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
14. (Joh 10:35) If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken;
15. (Col 1:17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
(1Pe 1:23) Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.
(1Pe 1:24) For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
(1Pe 1:25) But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
3. Course of the MSS
a. Byzantine - Original copies
1) Or Traditional Text
2) Over 5200 of them
3) Out of Antioch and Syria.
4) Climate more harsh and wet than Alexandria.
5) Many copies of the original made.
6) Many copies of the copies made.
7) One family of copies which represented over 95% of all known copies of the original MSS.
8) Used prolifically by Chrisitans
b. Alexandrian
1) 50 copies suspicious beginnings
2) Liberal Christian School
3) Philosphers
4) Mystics
5) Gnostics
6) Cults
7) Dry climate
8) Alexandrian rejected left on the shelf.
9) Local church rejected
Narrative:
For almost over 1500 years the common accepted Greek and Latin texts followed the Byzantine family of MSS.
It was from that family, the birth of the KJV occurred in 1611.
The KJV was without argument regarding its source and doctrine except for some errors in recording, not in translation. These were corrected in minor revisions that had nothing to do with changing what the Greek text offered.
Then, after the introduction of evolution, Freud’s psychology and Marxism, a groundswell of criticism occurred in the intellectual circles of theologians. They were having a difficult time harmonizing new ideas with the ancient text of the KJV. A shrewd and subtle plan was laid out to the throne of England and to the theologians that a revision was needed to the KJV to get rid of some ancient words that were difficult to understand. This sounded reasonable. There are words which were not in common use in the 1850s. The mission was approved.
Meanwhile, Westcott and Hort had been busing developing the Critical Text.
Out of the discovery of Alexandrian MSS located on the shelf of the Vatican Library and the coal bucket of St. Katherine’s monastery at Mt. Sinai, came the basis for a revised Greek text.
The Alexandrian MSS which were not in use, but were dead and on shelves or in trash somewhere, were discovered by some who went looking for something different that what was in use. This was an agenda driven search..
Many fragments were discovered and used.
The new Greek version heralded by Westcott and Hort was eclectic.
They took from this text and that text and another text and so on until they were able to bring together the first critical text.
It is called the critical text or CT for short.
It was used during this translation work done from 1871 to 1885.
So, when the Greek text was finished, you had a Greek copy of MSS that never existed before. Nowhere in the first century would have found and original MSS or a distorted copy that was even close this new one.
In the KJV, we see the preservation of the Word by God’s hand. We see in reality what came from God to man.
In the new versions we see what Man decided God should have given us. We have the ERV, ASV, RSV, NIV, ESV and the NLT plus many more. These are all products, or should we say spawn of Satan. Yes, there is an abundance of scripture in them that agrees with the KJV. The danger is in the changes, omissions and additions. One who does not compare them will not see these problems with studying them comparatively. For many young Christians or those not steeped in the understanding of this issue, the use of them is a slippery slope. The issues in them will cause questions regarding the validity of God’s promises and whether or not we have the Word.
It is the result of the Satanic attack began in the Garden of Eden.
It will not stop.
The battle will continue to rage.
If Satan can create confusion over the Word of God, then he subverts the joy Christians should have to doubt.
He causes a lack of confidence in God-breathed Holy Words upon which you can rest your eternal soul.
We could give many reasons why the Traditional Text is the correct one but that would require an hour or more to lay it out.
So what should we do?
(1Pe 2:2) As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
Get the best milk on the shelf. Don’t 93% milk and 7% contaminants. Use what we know God has preserved. It is evident in the Satanic attack that Satan and his minions are not happy with the formal translation of the Textus Receptus into the English KJV.
He will continually assault the reliable “Volume” we have.
Witness to the lost.
Show them the KJV scriptures because there will be no doubt that you are showing them what God intended for us. You can have confidence in the Holy Word.
Pray for a burden to win the lost. No, you won’t argue the points of the translations with them. A person can get saved out of one the new translations. A faithful Christian will lead them to the “correct” milk!
A lot needs to be done in our own community. Satan would have us write off this town as unwinnable because of the abundance of Catholics and Lutherans.
But I believe His words are true here, or in Arkansas or Mexico:
(Joh 4:35) Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
He can preserve His Word.
He can save folks in Quincy.
He can save your friends and family.
Dedicate yourself to believing and practicing what you know is right.
Pray for a burden for this town and your loved ones. Bring it before God daily. Don’t delay. Satan is not!