“He promised to preserve His Word. He preserved his WORD. I BELIEVE HIM. Now where is it then?”
This is an often asked question brought to me by militant King James Onlyists when they are confronted with the truth that the King James Version of the Bible is just that – a version – authorized by King James of England and produced by the Church of England… and that it is but ONE of the versions God has used and will use to glorify His Name. When they can’t answer the many problems with the King James with anything but excuses, they resort to challenging me to provide them with a perfect Bible if it is not the KJV.
It occurred to me this morning that this is the perfect opportunity to do just that.
I love the Father. I love the Son. I love the Holy Spirit. I love God. I believe in Him and trust in Him in all my ways. I know He came to this world in the flesh – died our sins – rose again – and is now sitting at the right hand of the Father… I am not perfect, I am a work in progress, but I know He is always shaping and molding me to be a better man in Him.
How do I know this? Where did I learn it? The answer is I learned it through the Holy Spirit as I was reading the Living Word as a child. I learned it through the Holy Spirit again as I began reading the New International Version some 15 years ago. I learn it today through the Holy Spirit as I read the New American Standard. I will learn it in the future through the Holy Spirit as I continue to read the many translations I have been blessed with. Has the Holy Spirit spoken to me through the King James Version? ABSOLUTELY! Many of the verses I have memorized are memorized from the King James Version. It is a beautifully written translation but it is not the only translation God has spoken to me through.
People searching for perfect scriptures are missing the point entirely. Let me use an analogy here to show you what I’m getting at.
I remember when I was a child, and I would come in from playing just dying for something to drink. The choices in my home were usually water or koolaid… either capable of quenching my thirst – but as a kid I was naturally drawn to the koolaid. Remember those little paper packets of koolaid that were like – 3 for a dollar? The grocer always carried a wide variety of colors and flavors so you could pick your favorite. Mom would empty the colored powder into a huge jug, add sugar, fill it with water – and you’d have yourself a sweet refreshing drink.
In a way, the scriptures are like a packets of koolaid. Over the history of the creation of the Bible – its been presented in many colors and flavors. In the original points of its creation, They were presented in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. These are the original languages of the Bible. As time went on the scriptures were shared in different “flavors”; Syriac, Latin, German, English, French, Spanish – Byzantine, Alexandrian – Tyndale, Wycliffe, King James, New International… just to name a few colors and flavors. Some have a favorite color or flavor. Others like a wide variety of choices – but in the end – we are still dealing with the same basic substance… be it koolaid or the scriptures.
With koolaid – you add sugar and water – and it produces a refreshing drink. With the scriptures – when the Holy Spirit is added to them along with a faithful believer – there you will find the perfect Bible. The Word of God on this earth is not the Perfect Bible through paper and ink alone but through the hearts led by the Holy Spirit to glorify His Name! His Word goes beyond this world and only truly exists in this world when it is experienced. While you may not be able to have the Perfect Bible at all without written scriptures, it won’t matter what translation is read if one lacks the Holy Spirit and a faithful heart.
Yet – how do we know its the Holy Spirit we are following when reading the scriptures? After all, you could replace the water in koolaid with almost any clear liquid and it would appear to be the same thing, wouldn’t it? You would know whether or not the mix was using water by its taste – and even its smell in some cases.
Is the nature of the Holy Spirit not given to us regardless of the translation? Consider the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Knowing this, we can taste – and sometimes even smell when something other than the Holy Spirit is leading a believer who reads the scriptures. We can see whether or not he is reading the true Perfect Bible.
Separate the ingredients – and you will see what really matters -
Koolaid is bitter without sugar and water… if you simply take the packet and pour it into your mouth – it is bitter and revolting. Like the Living Word of God, Jesus Christ, the scriptures are not accepted by the world. In its totality, the scriptures are bitter and revolting to the world without the Holy Spirit. In either case – it can not be considered refreshing.
Sugar is sweet – but it is hardly refreshing on its own… likewise – a faithful heart is sweet – but if that faith is placed in anything other than God – it becomes self serving and all consuming to the point that it can actually be considered toxic to one’s life. In either case – it cannot be considered refreshing.
But the water – it’s pure and refreshing regardless – it does not need the powder or the sugar to be refreshing yet it is somehow more palatable to the child who is thirsty. Likewise – God’s Living Word, Jesus Christ, doesn’t need the scriptures or the faithful heart to be what He is yet through the Holy Spirit He is somehow more palatable spiritually to us when combined with the scriptures and the faithful heart. In fact, like a child who is so young that he or she doesn’t realize that koolaid can’t exist without adding water, yet water exists regardless – we often don’t realize that God Almighty Himself is working in the lives of those who call on the name of His Son and not all of them are reading the particular translations we might prefer for our own reading for His reasoning – not ours. Whether we like it or not – whether we agree with it or not – God is the One calling the shots.
The scriptures are one part of the formula in having the Perfect Word of God. While the scriptures come in different colors and flavors – and while people may prefer one over the other – if God is truly part of the formula – the end result is the same substance… the Bible translation in question becomes God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the faithful heart will be fully equipped for every good work to glorify His name!
In other words – the Perfect Bible is not determined by the translation a person reads – but by the Holy Spirit and the willingness of the person reading the Bible to have the faith to follow Him. HIs scriptures are alive in the experience but simply paper and ink on this earth. As we know – God is three – He likes the number three – the Ark of the Covenant contained three items – Noah had three sons – Jesus was tempted three times by Satan – is it any wonder His Perfect Word exists here on earth in the form of three united components?
