I was listening to something by John Piper the other day and it got me thinking (thanks, Rob, for the URL hookup). So much the more so because it dovetails with the History & Heritage of the Bible course I teach (AKA Manuscript Evidence). So here are my
TOP 10 REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE IS
Why do we take the stand we do on the King James Bible? Why is it so important to know I have the words of God in the English language?
10. There is a denial of the existence of truth as an absolute standard and final authority
Some in our society deny the existence of truth at all. Certainly people have increasingly moved toward the position that there is no absolute standard to be found and no final authority to be followed outside of themselves and their ability to reason.
9. Secular society criticizes the Bible as a mixture of truth and error
They look at the Bible only as giving us what I would call “morality by mythmaking.” Now, mostly their morals are unzipped and their ethics erased, but they do view the Bible as full of legends that teach us to be loyal to ourselves.
8. When the Bible has been revised in English it has tended to become relativised
Most revisions move us along a line of getting a translation that is more and more contemporary and less and less faithful to the Hebrew and Greek texts. So you go from the NASB (a new text) to the NIV (a new translating philosophy). Then you go from the NIV to the TNIV and NIrV, and versions that use inclusive language and are gender-neutral (or maybe they are transgender?), which further relativises the text and makes what has been said subject to our changing society.
This would include the Qur’an (which with modern immigrants and students, is much closer to us today than it was a few decades ago), and the book of Mormon utilized by the Community of Christ (old RLDS churches) headquartered in Independence.
6. The Bible becomes the basis of disunity when it is viewed skeptically
I would further state, it is the basis of disunity when it is not viewed dispensationally, because rightly dividing the word of truth is what harmonizes the word of truth and resolves the questions and contradictions it contains. But if you view the Bible skeptically, and you question certain portions, then you end up starting your own religious system. This is the historical basis for the heretical movements of the first few centuries of the church. For this reason,
5. Critics are trying to find a “canon” within the canon
4. Satan makes sure that old heresies are continually recycled as new creative attacks
Just during 2007 we had three major efforts: The Da Vinci Code, the Tomb of Jesus in Talpiot, and The Gospel of Judas.
3. Eternal life hangs in the balance because only the Bible has the words of life, Ps 115:3-4,8; John 6:68
2. If we spend our life following something untrue, we are of all people most miserable, 1 Cor 15:19
1. The Bible claims to be inspired by the Holy Spirit, truly authoritative, and inerrant—but if we are not certain of the words of truth today, that does not matter
Somebody break out the Bible!
TOP 10 REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE IS
Why do we take the stand we do on the King James Bible? Why is it so important to know I have the words of God in the English language?
10. There is a denial of the existence of truth as an absolute standard and final authority
Some in our society deny the existence of truth at all. Certainly people have increasingly moved toward the position that there is no absolute standard to be found and no final authority to be followed outside of themselves and their ability to reason.
9. Secular society criticizes the Bible as a mixture of truth and error
They look at the Bible only as giving us what I would call “morality by mythmaking.” Now, mostly their morals are unzipped and their ethics erased, but they do view the Bible as full of legends that teach us to be loyal to ourselves.
8. When the Bible has been revised in English it has tended to become relativised
Most revisions move us along a line of getting a translation that is more and more contemporary and less and less faithful to the Hebrew and Greek texts. So you go from the NASB (a new text) to the NIV (a new translating philosophy). Then you go from the NIV to the TNIV and NIrV, and versions that use inclusive language and are gender-neutral (or maybe they are transgender?), which further relativises the text and makes what has been said subject to our changing society.
Relativism: the idea that the truth of a matter is subject to some other circumstance or situation. It is not an absolute standard, but dependent on some other idea, and so it can change in certain situations.7. A body of other “holy books” now competes with the Bible
This would include the Qur’an (which with modern immigrants and students, is much closer to us today than it was a few decades ago), and the book of Mormon utilized by the Community of Christ (old RLDS churches) headquartered in Independence.
6. The Bible becomes the basis of disunity when it is viewed skeptically
I would further state, it is the basis of disunity when it is not viewed dispensationally, because rightly dividing the word of truth is what harmonizes the word of truth and resolves the questions and contradictions it contains. But if you view the Bible skeptically, and you question certain portions, then you end up starting your own religious system. This is the historical basis for the heretical movements of the first few centuries of the church. For this reason,
5. Critics are trying to find a “canon” within the canon
The canon (not cannon, which is something you shoot with) is the body of 66 books accepted as Holy Scripture, genuine, inspired and authoritative. Derived from the Greek word kanonicos, it literally means, relating to a rule (or ruler, meaning the norm or standard of measure).They cannot simply get rid of the Bible, because then they have no job. So what they do is sit in judgment on the canon handed down to us by the priesthood of believers through history, and try to decide (like the “Jesus Seminar”) which sayings in the gospels really belong to the historical Jesus. And then whatever they decide is what they give themselves to as the “real” word of God. Former evangelical Christian, Bart Ehrman (new book, Misquoting Jesus) is another example of this. So is Luke Timothy Johnson. They do not accept all the books of Paul (for example) as really being written by Paul (now where did I lay down my cannon?).
4. Satan makes sure that old heresies are continually recycled as new creative attacks
Just during 2007 we had three major efforts: The Da Vinci Code, the Tomb of Jesus in Talpiot, and The Gospel of Judas.
3. Eternal life hangs in the balance because only the Bible has the words of life, Ps 115:3-4,8; John 6:68
2. If we spend our life following something untrue, we are of all people most miserable, 1 Cor 15:19
1. The Bible claims to be inspired by the Holy Spirit, truly authoritative, and inerrant—but if we are not certain of the words of truth today, that does not matter
Somebody break out the Bible!
