What's In Your Bible?

By David Wyper

It has well been said that "To destroy America, first destroy America's Bible." That destruction is systematically taking place right now, and right before the eyes of the organized church in America, even as the church goes about caring for the hungry, the sick, the homeless, and a slew of other social concerns.

Whatever translation, paraphrase, version, or re-do of the Word of God you prefer, take this litmus test for accuracy:

1 Timothy 3:16 "God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."

Does your Bible say this? God! And this "God" was Jesus Christ himself. This is what the King James Version says. The King James Version is the great Bible, using texts translated into English by brave and gifted men - some at the cost of their lives! The King James Version is free to all, no copyright needed. Other re-dos of the Bible indicate "he" came or "he" appeared in a body or human form or some such thing. Who did? Let's be clear: God did!

When "he" or "him" or "it" or whatever, is substituted, it changes the whole plan of the finished work of the Cross. It violates the doctrine of Christ found in this verse:

2 John 9: "Whoever transgresses, and abides not in the doctrine of Christ, has not God."

John continues, "He that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he has both the Father and the Son." In other words, that person has God. Jesus is God! That's the doctrine of Christ.

Preachers may use many different renditions of the Bible, sometimes because one or another says something just the way they want to say it and understand it. Our duty, however, is to preach the Word whether we understand it all right away or not. The Holy Spirit is the One who will guide us into all truth, if we really, by faith, believe.

If these verses in 1 Timothy and 2 John are changed in your Bible, I guarantee there are hundreds of other places where the name of God is deleted, the Blood and Holy are eliminated, and the supernatural becomes almost natural. This is all done with the excuse that the words in the King James are too tough. Actually, this is true, for our dumb-downed society. God forbid that we have to look up the meaning of words and learn. We would find out that the words used in the KJV mean what they say and say what they mean: no wriggle room. The changed words leave it up to us to believe whatever makes us feel good.

The NIV version, which is always changing and continues to make money for the copyright owner (currently Rupert Murdoch), has eliminated the name of God over four hundred times. Mr. Murdoch has said that he wants to make the NIV more palatable and acceptable to more people.

Saint Paul said, "...preach the Word" -- "in season and out," and Jude challenged us to "earnestly contend for the faith." Check your Bible. Know what's in it -- and what's not.