The past few days my thoughts have turned again to which Bible Reading Plan I should use in 2023.
I admit 2022 and in fact all the Covid Era has been a challenge. I do need to get back to a more disciplined approach to reading God’s Word.
My current thinking 🤔 is to refocus on the words of the New Testament. The idea of highlighting all the one on one conversations documented in the Bible came to mind. Another is all the explicit exhortations of Jesus. I’m currently reading a new book of J. C. Rylie’s Christmas Thoughts. The first is based on:
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
I will keep you posted….I may base my reading on the M’Cheyne Plan, but just the NT passages. So I have a daily outline.
Today’s thoughts turned to a relook at why I switched to the KJV, a few years back. I was troubled by a post by one of my favorite bloggers who mentioned a verse in the KJV or Authorized Version, that he though they had gotten wrong. This kind of thinking is pretty common and years ago I would have just accepted it. You can read it here:
Knowing the True Rejecting the False
I agree with almost all Mike says but I guess I would have chosen to use different words. “The best Greek manuscripts do not render v18 as the TR does.”; “ This confuses the reading of the text.”
“The King James Bible translates this as. “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.””
1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
It’s interesting Old John Gill wrote about that text over 250 years ago, based on the KJV. Not surprisingly he basically said essentially what Mike discussed and concluded (which I agree with) is the true understanding of the text. But without making it seem the KJV has it wrong! In fact the NA28 which Mike used and infers is among the best didn’t exist until the last 100 years, so no chance Gill would have used it. You can read more about that below after I finish this thought. You can read Gill here: 1 John 5:18 and best to also read: See Gill on 1 John 3:9).
After thinking 🤔 about it, I will stay with the KJV “he” and contend that it’s the new translations that make it confusing. The point is, it is the true Christian believer who is the “he”, (or for modern folk the “she” too), who actually is empowered. Both Mike and Gill wrote empowered to not walk in the way of sin….but we can only do that because God through Christ and the Holy Spirit has both chosen and enabled us to do that. But we still need to be encouraged to walk that path. And actually do it. That’s what John is encouraging and the KJV translators captured in English.
Anyway you can decide for yourself.
One final and important point, if you are lead to think about reading the KJV and want good articles to that point, check out.
KING JAMES BIBLE
WILL KINNEY – BRAND PLUCKED MINISTRY – KJV BIBLE BELIEVER
I would echo the usefulness of the works of Kinney and Pinto which I have used.…
Last week I highlighted the ministry of Christian J. Pinto – Noise Of Thunder Radio/Adullam Films.
Btw..this is a new site for me…it seems to be safe to reference and what Warren Tanner says here is very much like my own experience.
Produced by Adullam Films
Running Time: Approx. 3 hours
– The sequel to “A Lamp in the Dark” and “Tares Among the Wheat”
This week I’d like to highlight the ministry of Will Kinney. Here’s a link to his website.
I would use caution with some of Pinto’s stuff but his work on the history of the Bible is useful. I think these are available on Amazon to rent. The first one gives a good summary, but the prior details are helpful.
The lastly, I would add the Sermons Dr. Steven Dilday did on the various texts and translations.
You don’t have to become a KJV-Only believer but hopefully you will better understand the controversy.
Interesting quote Tanner made:
“I maintain it’s vitally important that all Bible believers look into this issue — laying aside all preconceived opinions. You might think it’s no big deal. But … I assure you it’s a bigger and more important issue than you imagine. There is definitely an agenda behind it all. There really is nothing new under the sun in relation to the issue of God’s preserved Word.”
“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said …?” Gen. 3:1
If you get through all that let’s discuss!
Rainbow Trout 