Bible Studies

THE DANGER Of Relying SOLELY on Newer Bible Versions

by John Tyler
07/28/15
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THE DANGER OF RELYING ON NEW BIBLE VERSIONS

There are MANY interpretations or newer versions of the Bible.  Most, if not all of them, fail to bring the true meaning or intent of what God is trying to teach us...and there are literally hundreds of these missing intents of God's Words.  This is not an indictment of those versions, and they are VERY NECESSARY to enhance our understanding of God's Words.....but if we MISS the INTENT of God's words...as a born-again believer or as A PREACHER, then it's not a good thing.  Many, many missing INTENTS are found, but let me just illustrate ONE for the purposes of demonstration.

Let's say that a preacher was going to teach about REPROBATES.

What is a REPROBATE?

How does God view a REPROBATE?

If the preacher reads from the KING JAMES VERSION – ROMANS 1:18-32, he would teach the following: 18 -”For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence (payment) of their error which was meet....

The NEW LIVING TRANSLATION IS HELPFUL HERE.....”And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.”

THIS IS WHY I LOVE TO READ MANY VERSIONS OF THE KING JAMES – TO GET FURTHER CLARIFICATION, BUT SOMETIMES...THE NEWER VERSIONS LOSE THE INTENDED MEANING OF A KING JAMES VERSE....

STAY WITH ME......THE NEXT VERSE WILL SHOW YOU WHAT I MEAN.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a REPROBATE MIND, to do those things which are not convenient; God gave all those who are defined above (who reject Jesus as Lord & Savior), and REPROBATES do the following: 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

So, the lesson being taught by the preacher is all about the times in which we now live, and the preacher is attempting to say that all who reject Christ will be given over to a REPROBATE MIND.

So, “What's the big deal?”

The BIG DEAL is that ALL other versions MISS THE INTENT of what God is trying to teach.

The meaning of REPROBATE comes from the Bible....

I always love to prove the Bible – with the Bible!

If you type in the word REPROBATE in the New Living Translation (NLT) to do a study...you will find ZERO references.

If you type REPROBATE into the New International Version (NIV), you will find ZERO references.

If you type that word into the KJV, you will find seven (7) (the number of perfection!)...verses, so let's continue searching out that word REPROBATE.

The FIRST RFERENCE is critical to understanding REPROBATES.

Jeremiah 6: 27-30 tells us, “I (God) have set thee for a tower and fortress among my people (Israel), that thou mayest know their way. They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters. The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. REPROBATE silver shall me call them because the LORD hath REJECTED them.”

So, now the preacher would teach that REPROBATES are REJECTED by God.

Therefore, the intention of Romans 1 is that REPROBATES are REJECTED by God.

We are not done!

The first thing I would do is get further clarification of Jeremiah 6....so I would turn to the NLT for clarification and better understanding in English of what God was telling His prophet to teach us.....

NLT - “Jeremiah, I have made YOU a tester of metals so that you may determine the quality of my people (Israel). They are the worst kind of rebel...full of slander. They are as hard as bronze and iron, and they lead others into corruption. The bellows fiercely fan the flames (God's furnace of testing) to burn out the corruption. But, it does not purify them, because the wickedness remains. THEREFORE, I will label them, “REJECTED SILVER”, for I – the LORD, am DISCARDING or REJECTING them.”

That clarification of the KJV proves that REPROBATES are REJECTED by God.

Further study reveals that Paul, the apostle of Christ who wrote half of the New Testament (there are 27 Book...Hebrews is the only Book with no known author, so of the 26 remaining Books, Paul wrote 13.............half) - had much to say about REPROBATE MINDS. 

This apostle – chosen directly by Jesus, had this to say about REPROBATES:

2 Corinthians 13:5 - “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how Jesus Christ is in you – unless ye be REPROBATES.”

The distinct verbiage of Paul tells the preacher to teach that REPROBATES are REJECTED by God and, unless Christ is in you (His Holy Spirit through the confessions of sins and the asking of Jesus to save us), then REBROBATES (according to the lengthy definition of Romans 8) – do NOT have Christ living in them......although they may profess that they “believe in God”.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, had this to say about those who say they “believe in God”....

James 2:19 - “You believe that there is one God..? You do well: The devils (plural meaning Satan and all of his demons) also believe...and they tremble.”

The problem with relying solely on other, newer versions is this: All of them MISS THE MEANING AND INTENT OF REPROBATES!

To demonstrate, let me get the NIV and the NLT versions of 2 Corinthians 13:5 now.

NIV - “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?”

Nothing in that version tells us that REPROBATES do not have Christ living in them through His Holy Spirit....they are not SAVED. (According to Paul).

NLT - "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.”

Nothing in that version tells us that REPROBATES are REJECTED people....not saved.

Even the NEW KJV omits the intent of REPROBATES/REJECTED people.....”Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith; prove your own selves. Know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are COUNTERFEITS.”

“COUNTERFEITS” is good...but it totally changes the INTENT of Jesus who speaks through Paul.

A COUNTERFEIT is, according to Merriam Webster's Online Dictionary, “made in imitation of something else with intent to deceive.”

It's meaning avoids the INTENT of telling us that these COUNTEREITS are rejected by God because of what God reveals about them in Jeremiah 6 and Romans 1.

THEREFORE, how can a preacher honor the INTENT of God's Word...the Bible, when he misses the truth and intent of God's Word?

Paul had a lot to say about preaching the whole counsel of God....

In Acts 20:26-27, he said, “Wherefore, I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men – for I have not shunned to declare unto you ALL THE COUNSEL OF GOD.”

This message is NOT an indictment of pastors who fail to use the King James Bible....it is just a reminder that, to preach the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD requires that they have a COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING of God's Word.....so, using the other versions (as I do also), as a tool to better understand God's Word...and to get a COMPLETE PICTURE and INTENT of what God is trying to teach the congregation, they need to use the KJV as the foundational book of truth.

Why is that so vitally important?

It is important that the unsaved soul who hears the Word preached, that they KNOW their sins are forgiven by Christ if they ask Him to forgive those sins as outlined in Romans 1.....and elsewhere.....but to completely miss the consequence of those sins is fatal (eternally speaking) to the listeners in their congregations.

So what?

“Obey them (pastors) that have the rule over you (to preach the whole counsel of God), and submit yourselves; for they (those pastors) watch for your souls, AS THEY THAT MUST GIVE ACCOUNT (to God - for how they taught you), that they may do it with joy, and not with grief (grief is losing a soul for lack of proper teaching), for that is unprofitable (of no eternal value) for YOU.” Hebrews 13:17.

Pastors have to give an account for their own soul.....AND YOURS as to how they taught you!

I have a “Prayer of Salvation” located online at www.JohnTyler.com/Salvation.htm in case you or a loved one wishes to avail themselves of it.

I also have a Book Store online where I have Nine (9) books written.

All of the books that are bible-based are always FREE for you or a loved one to read and learn from.

www.RelationshipBooks.com

John Tyler, Author