A PERSONAL CHALLENGE
The 2012 edition of the DBRS marks the 15th year that my dear friend, Shirley Huntley Hughes, and I have challenged people to read the Bible. This year, in addition to challenging you to read the Bible; I want to challenge you to think seriously about what you are reading. Ask yourself, “Am I reading the authentic, infallible Word of God; or am I reading a counterfeit version?”
The current year, 2011, marks the 400th year anniversary of the King James Bible. It is recognized as the authorized, Holy Spirit inspired version of the Bible. There are several other versions available today; and to say any version other than the King James is counterfeit may seem harsh, even offensive to some.
However, let us consider some important facts. The King James Bible consists of a collection of divinely inspired writings designed to guide and influence human hearts by communicating the mind and will of God. The Holy Spirit moved upon certain men to write exactly what God impressed upon them to write [2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21]. The written Word reveals to us God’s commandments for living a righteous life on this earth; and for attaining eternal life.
People have said the King James Bible is hard to read and difficult to understand. Man, therefore, determined to simplify the Word of God. Publishers of these modern day Bibles would like us to believe they have not altered God’s message; but have simply made the reading easier. You might ask yourself on whose authority they have based their interpretation. God’s Word is unchangeable. “Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” [Psalm 119:89].
Man’s interpretation has been authored by none other than Satan himself. Satan is the great deceiver. He knows that if he can deceive people by distorting and misrepresenting God’s Word, he can create doubt and confusion in the heart of man, leading to sin. When Satan determined to lead Eve into sin against God, he used the Word. He deceived Eve by distorting God’s command and creating in her a sense of doubt; false assurance and even pride.
Satan is still using the Word today to deceive and destroy lives. Let us imagine the following scenario: A pastor stands before a congregation, reading the Word from his choice of Bible translations. Throughout the congregation, people using various other translations try to follow his reading and its meaning. As you can imagine, there is certain to be doubt and confusion in the midst; and God is not the author of confusion.
Words are containers for power; the power to succeed or fail; the power to heal or destroy. Words or groups of words are used as a means of conveying information. A word or passage of Scripture directly before or after a statement will usually shed some light on the subject and influence your interpretation of its meaning. When words are altered, no matter how subtly, it also diminishes the effect of surrounding Scripture that would have shed light on God’s intended message.
We may not always easily understand the way words or phrases are written in the King James. But, when in doubt, it is important to weigh the consequences of our actions; whether to defer to man’s interpretation for understanding; or to seek wisdom from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells within each born-again believer. He is our spiritual guide. He can and will enlighten our minds; giving us wisdom and discernment of the Scriptures when we ask Him.
As true believers of Christianity, we become part of the body of Christ through a unified faith. That faith is in the one source of truth; the Living Word. Jesus became the Living Word when He became flesh and dwelt among us [John 1:14]. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” [John 14:6].
The Bible is our source of spiritual nourishment. Without it, we cannot live the victorious life God intends for us to have. God’s Word warns us to guard our hearts with all diligence. Therefore, we should be careful of the words we allow our hearts and minds to feed upon. The Bible says it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man but that which comes out of the mouth. Rather, it is that which comes from the heart; and that which comes from the heart is based on what we allow our minds to feed upon.
Would you consciously take food into your body that you knew had the smallest trace of arsenic? To read and meditate on anything other than the inspired Word of God would be like putting sugar laced with arsenic in your coffee and drinking it. The taste might be sweet to the palate as it enters the body; but the result over a period of time could be devastating, even deadly.
Reading anything but the inspired Word of God can lead to all sorts of sin. Satan has woven an underlying web of deceit that runs throughout any translation he has authored. This distortion of God’s Word is slowly destroying the core of our faith and leading America to destruction.
America is like the frog dipped into a pot of warm water. The frog adapts to the water temperature and life goes on. Each time the temperature is raised, the frog adapts to the change; until one day the frog realizes the water has reached the boiling point and there is no escape. America is simmering in a pot of tolerance and compromise. We have indulged ourselves in self-gratification; and we have accepted the declining state of the moral values established by our forefathers. We have ignored the imminent warning signs of disobedience to God’s Word; and soon, very soon, it will be too late for America!
Several years ago, I adopted the phrase, “I’m a tree, I can bend” to my life. I learned to compromise in the workforce, in marriage, and in other relationships. Compromise for the sake of peace or tranquility is a good thing. Compromise in the spiritual realm will only create turmoil and anxiety.
Satan is always roaming about seeking whom he may devour. Even when we are faithful to read and meditate on the Holy Spirit inspired Word of God; Satan will come and try to steal the seeds of faith and truth from our heart.
The only way to stand against the wiles of Satan is to be firmly rooted in God’s inspired Word. We must be as the tree planted by the water, deeply rooted in our faith so that we can bend without breaking when the storms of life come against us.
God’s Word is truth; and it is truth that sets us free from the bondage of sin. It is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, who convicts a heart of sin, and saves a repentant soul.
You may find alternate versions of the Bible easier to read; and the interpretation may be easier for you to accept. You should realize, however, that spiritual truths are compromised or misrepresented in any paraphrased version.
Ask yourself, “Is my heart and mind feeding on truth in its purest form, or is it tainted with subtle deceptions?” Think about it; the choice, of course, is your own. As for me and my house, we will live by the Living Word; and not the word of man.
Gail Little Purvis
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