I wanted to more fully develop some thoughts I had while reading Mike Ratliff’s latest post on Biblical Authority. My original comment was here:
Thanks Mike, I’m going to repost this on my own site. I always appreciate you leveraging my thinking on these tough issues.
If it’s of interest to your readers…there is an old sermon on the MLJTrust.org site on Authority…that’s in the context of the Bible as our Truth and presentation of the Armor of God. There are seven in total on just this portion of verse Eph 6:14 “having your loins girt about with truth”. Apparently he thought this was important.
Also I’m very excited about a new book I acquired from the Bible League Trust. Surprisingly it makes me think of Nathanael… John 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth (England)? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
Sorry I shouldn’t read into scripture my own thoughts.
Over the years, since I was drawn toward the Reformed Faith, I’ve done a fair amount of reading and research on the topic. I was recently looking for a book that was readable and presented the evidence in a shareable manner. As one who came to faith through a long string of modern Bible beginning with the RSV. Then NASB, NIV, ESV the idea of reading the Geneva Bible or the KJV was a completely foreign concept to me. Anyway, I’m hopeful that this new book presents some of the ideas in a useful manner. No pun intended it’s certainly a minority view in todays world.
I recommend those who are open to this check it out.
IT IS WRITTEN A Believer’s Guide to the Doctrine of Scripture There is a link to a good Introduction Interview with the Editor.
If you want the link to the Dr. MLJ sermons on The Only Authority, you can find all seven at his site…this one, the seconded is the one I have managed to listen to.
But check out all seven if you have time. Along with the entire 68 sermon Armor of God series or 233 sermon complete Ephesians study….
You can check out my other posts on the Bible and KJV in the Category Links sidebar.
As for a bit more on my own journey I mentioned I came to Faith and have read a long series of modern Bible translation. Beginning with the RSV, then moving to the NASB, a few others like the GNB, Living Bible, and a couple of other paraphrases like the Phillips, I eventually was moved to the NIV once it was introduced as a new version and being used in churches I attended. Later I decided that the ESV was a better translation and used it extensively. Only after almost 40 years did I discover the KJV lying in dust on my shelf. And freely available in my online e-Sword apps. Once I began researching the history of the Bibles I became convinced that there really was valid concerns about the modern version, and if you read more about that you can see it’ still a very controversial area.
I can’t affirm that I am a strict KJV-only person. Just look at my faith history. But it is interesting that around the same time that Darwin and Marx and others were changing our worldview that the Critical Text Tract began changing significant portions of our Bible.
I’m looking forward to what I think will be a very tactful and balanced perspective on all the lost concerns that those who spoke out about the Critical Text in those early years and some new people being introduced into this ignored area.
You can judge for yourself.
Some of the areas that particularly need to be fully understood are:
Does God really preserve his word?
Do the many and varied modern translations introduce confusion, or uncertain of the Bible’s authority?
Do the backgrounds of the translators make a difference?
Is there a Gnostic influence in the Alexandrian texts, used in the Critical Greek Text? Does the Septuagint introduce other confusion.
There are many more, and I hope the new book gives a useful perspective on most of them.
In my own journey along the way I did also find some of the lessons of Dr. Stephen Dilday to be helpful.
Anyway hopefully this is helpful and some will be drawn to look into the area.
I’m not a great apologist and have yet to convince anyone to follow my path…neither my wife, family nor friends have converted. I am very glad to see Mike Ratliff using often now the Geneva Bible. Although I had nothing to do with that. He has a much deeper understanding of Greek than I do and recognizes amongst many translations what are good translations and even translates the text himself at times.
I only ask that if possible that one understand this issues and concerns before they are completely lost.
The Geneva Bible like the KJV is an excellent translation of the excellent majority Greek text.
The KJV is not perfect in all places, and even highly respected pastors like Dr. MLJ and Dr. SLJ who have used it will at times say a word or two, might have been been phrased in English differently. But overall both the KJV and Geneva Bible are very readable and understandable.
I will end with quoting the old Westminster Confession as it opens…
CHAPTER 1 Of the Holy Scripture
1. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing: which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God’s revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.
2. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these:
Of the Old Testament:GenesisII ChroniclesDanielExodusEzraHoseaLeviticusNehemiahJoelNumbersEstherAmosDeuteronomyJobObadiahJoshuaPsalmsJonahJudgesProverbsMicahRuthEcclesiastesNahumI SamuelThe Song of SongsHabakkukII SamuelIsaiahZephaniahI KingsJeremiahHaggaiII KingsLamentationsZechariahI ChroniclesEzekielMalachi
Of the New Testament:The Gospels GalatiansThe Epistle according to Ephesians of James Matthew PhilippiansThe first and Mark Colossians second Epistles Luke Thessalonians I of Peter John Thessalonians IIThe first, second,The Acts of the to Timothy I and third Epistles Apostles to Timothy II of JohnPaul’s Epistles to TitusThe Epistle to the Romans to Philemon of Jude Corinthians IThe Epistle toThe Revelation Corinthians II the Hebrews of John
All which are given by inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life.
3. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority in the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings.
4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.
5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man’s salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.
6. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word: and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.
7. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all: yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.
8. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which, at the time of the writing of it, was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by his singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical; so as, in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal unto them. But, because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come, that, the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner; and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope.
9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.
10. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.
Likewise, although the Reformed Confession starts with a correct affirmation of our only God. Most of its initial text says much the same thing about the Bible.
A Reformed Confession of the Dutch Churches.
Article I – There is Only One God
We all believe with the heart and confess with the mouth that there is one only simple and spiritual Being, which we call God; and that He is eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, immutable, infinite, almighty, perfectly wise, just, good, and the overflowing fountain of all good.
Article II – By What Means God is Made Known unto Us
We know Him by two means: First, by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe; which is before our eyes as a most elegant book, wherein all creatures, great and small, are as so many characters leading us to see clearly the invisible things of God, even his everlasting power and divinity, as the apostle Paul says (Rom. 1:20). All which things are sufficient to convince men and leave them without excuse. Second, He makes Himself more clearly and fully known to us by His holy and divine Word, that is to say, as far as is necessary for us to know in this life, to His glory and our salvation.
Article III – The Written Word of God
We confess that this Word of God was not sent nor delivered by the will of man, but that men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit, as the apostle Peter says; and that afterwards God, from a special care which He has for us and our salvation, commanded His servants, the prophets and apostles, to commit His revealed word to writing; and He Himself wrote with His own finger the two tables of the law. Therefore we call such writings holy and divine Scriptures.
Article IV – Canonical Books of the Holy Scripture
We believe that the Holy Scriptures are contained in two books, namely, the Old and the New Testament, which are canonical, against which nothing can be alleged. These are thus named in the Church of God.
The books of the Old Testament are the five books of Moses, to wit: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; the book of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, the two books of Samuel, the two of the Kings, two books of the Chronicles, [commonly called Paralipomenon, the first of] Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther; Job, the Psalms [of David], the three books of Solomon, namely, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs; the four great prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, {Lamentations,} Ezekiel, and Daniel; and the twelve lesser prophets, namely, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
Those of the New Testament are the four evangelists, to wit: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; the Acts of the Apostles; the thirteen [1] epistles of the apostle Paul, namely, one to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, one to the Galatians, one to the Ephesians, one to the Philippians, one to the Colossians, two to the Thessalonians, two to Timothy, one to Titus, one to Philemon;[2] Hebrews; the seven epistles of the other apostles, namely, one of James, two of Peter, three of John, one of Jude; and the Revelation of the apostle John.
1. “Fourteen” has been changed to “thirteen”.
The following has been replaced with a semicolon: “, and one to the”.
Article V – Whence the Holy Scriptures Derive Their Dignity and Authority
We receive all these books, and these only, as holy and canonical, for the regulation, foundation, and confirmation of our faith; believing without any doubt all things contained in them, not so much because the Church receives and approves them as such, but more especially because the Holy Spirit witnesses in our hearts that they are from God, and also because they carry the evidence thereof in themselves. For the very blind are able to perceive that the things foretold in them are being fulfilled.
Article VI – The Difference between the Canonical and Apocryphal Books
We distinguish those sacred books from the apocryphal, viz: the third and fourth books of Esdras, the books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Jesus Sirach, Baruch, the Appendix to the book of Esther, the Song of the Three Children in the Furnace, the History of Susannah, of Bel and the Dragon, the Prayer of Manasseh, and the two books of the Maccabees. All of which the Church may read and take instruction from, so far as they agree with the canonical books; but they are far from having such power and efficacy that we may from their testimony confirm any point of faith or of the Christian religion; much less may they be used to detract from the authority of the other, that is, the sacred books.
Article VII – The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures to be the Only Rule of Faith
We believe that those Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God, and that whatsoever man ought to believe unto salvation is sufficiently taught therein. For since the whole manner of worship which God requires of us is written in them at large, it is unlawful for any one, though an apostle, to teach otherwise than we are now taught in the Holy Scriptures: nay, though it were an angel from heaven, as the apostle Paul says. For since it is forbidden to add unto or take away anything from the Word of God, it does thereby evidently appear that the doctrine thereof is most perfect and complete in all respects.
Neither may we consider any writings of men, however holy these men may have been, of equal value with those divine Scriptures, nor ought we to consider custom, or the great multitude, or antiquity, or succession of times and persons, or councils, decrees or statutes, as of equal value with the truth of God, since the truth is above all; for all men are of themselves liars, and more vain than vanity itself. Therefore we reject with all our hearts whatsoever does not agree with this infallible rule, as the apostles have taught us, saying, Prove the spirits, whether they are of God. Likewise: If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house.
Rainbow Trout 