Posted on 01/27/2018 6:52:30 AM PST by tiredofallofit
Okay, so there is more than just one problem with the KJV Only movement. I know that. But having grown up in a KJV only church, there is one major problem that sticks out to me above the rest. It is not just a major problem; it is an insurmountable problem. And it drives me crazy.
If the King James Version, which is a 1611 English translation of the Bible, is truly the only infallible, inerrant, and inspired Word of God, then what about the billions of people who have lived and died and never understood a word of English? At this very moment, there are more than 6 billion people in the world who understand little or no English.
And lest we forget, it wasn’t until 1455 that the first Bible was printed (on the Gutenberg Press) and then much later into the 16th century before the Bible became affordable and widely available. These early Bibles were printed in Latin. This begs an important question. Did the Faithful over the centuries who either never had access to the Bible or had to read it in Latin go to hell because they never held the King James Version in their hands?
By claiming that the King James Version is God’s only chosen version, the KJV Only crowd is dismissing tens of centuries of Christendom and implying that the majority of the world populations today cannot know the truth of God’s word. Such a claim is arrogant and nonsensical. Most of these KJV types proclaim their adherence to “Sola Scriptura” yet nowhere in the King James Version does it tell us which version is the true one. Many of these same people also express their disdain for the”traditions of men” while at the same time swearing allegiance...
(Excerpt) Read more at runningawayfrommychurch.com ...
Christ said "This is My Body" The Holy Spirit tells me the actual words of Scripture are True. The bread is His flesh.
Does the Holy Spirit tell you something different?
“You seem to imply that everyone can have their own interpretation of Scripture.”
Just look at the disagreements between Peter and Paul about circumcision. Paul who you quote was one of the most frequent persons to argue scripture. For Paul, it was ok to disagree with others as long as you agreed with him. How many times in his letters is he criticizing people?
And the number of times the disciples disagreed with Jesus.
Or Saul who was killing Jesus’s followers.
Even Jesus later in His life disagreed with things He said earlier in his life, such as who His ministry was for.
However, Peter really said it well when he said, “If you say that you Love God and do not Love your neighbor, you are a liar.”
Peace and harmony will only happen when we are fully filled with the Holy Spirit and commune as one with Jesus Christ.
Thank you Metmom for sharing the excellent scriptures.
It is a constant battle in life to stay open to the Holy Spirit.
I feel the Holy Spirit in me and am constantly working to become one with it. Some days I gain ground and some days I lose ground. It is a constant battle.
All it takes is for my thoughts to go astray and anger to move in and I can feel the Holy Spirit leaving me. Even if evil people are near me, I must stop and pray as I feel them trying to pull me down.
Two weeks ago I visited Bourbon Street in New Orleans and walked into a few establishments to hear the excellent music. In two of them the smell of sulphur was so bad that I had to cover my face and leave. I had walked into an opening to hell. No one else smelled it.
It is only by constantly focusing on God and His Love that I can stay afloat. Even so, I stumble, fall and need to ask for His Grace again and again.
The Holy Spirit is my Father in me and my life is nothing without Him.
Excellent comments. And this is how each of the people at Pentecost heard the sermon in their own tongue.
The Holy Spirit of Jesus moved into them and served as their interpreter. So it should be with the many versions of scripture.
“The word says that obedience is required for salvation”
While obedience helps, it is not possible without Grace.
You seem to imply that your Roman Catholic church ensures that every Catholic is perfectly united in their minds and thoughts and there are no divisions. Are you?
No.
However, Jesus also told us that His words conveyed SPIRITUAL truths and that He did not require people to break the Law.
Do you ever get hungry?
Or ever get thirsty?
Or expect to die?
So, It means whatever you think it means?
Any translation that does not utilize a word for word translation into English from the original manuscripts will be prone to make frequent errors. Without a word for word translation, interpretation and bias will inevitably rear its ugly head, and defile what God has truly revealed. Most modern versions will mislead in this regard, and study will sometimes cause confusion instead of providing enlightenment.
The words of God are pure, refined seven times as in a furnace. Translating those words are not inspired, no matter what the version. All attempts in translation should be held suspect until vetted through a concordant study.
>>>what about the billions of people who have lived and died and never understood a word of English<<<
Perhaps because it is the only Bible for the ENGLISH-speaking people?
What? You don’t think God can meet the needs of non-English speakers?
There are many levels of the Holy Spirit, just as my Father’s Mansion has many rooms.
The higher you go, the better you see and hear.
I once had a nasty spirit that had no physical body approach me in a friend’s house. It had been wreaking havoc by trying to kill a family member every time he slept. I went inward in prayer to listen to him through the Holy Spirit and all I could hear was jibberish.
So I prayed and went further into the Holy Spirit where I could hear the spirit clearly. I explained to my friend that a friend of his oldest son was visiting from Italy and was killed in an auto accident. The spirit is him. In prayer the spirit was redeemed and left forever.
The Tower of Babel concept works with the Holy Spirit. As you raise higher you are beyond words and you hear and learn through pure knowing as an epiphany.
When you are one with Christ you enter a state of what I refer to as the Divine Library. All knowledge is there for you instantly. Sorry to say, when you refocus on your earthly life it is gone.
Focusing on God in prayer and meditation is how you enter the Kingdom while still attached to your physical body. Pondering scripture in the process is an excellent ladder.
Things that are different are not the same.
“So, It means whatever you think it means?”
No. Why would I go through several human translations in many languages to determine the meaning of God’s Inspired Word when I can just ask God?
Since my hearing is not the best, I then verify what God told me through the Holy Spirit by going back to the scripture, reading several translations with a concordance to validate the message received.
I found this process much easier than I used to do which was to use key words in scripture first, looking up every scripture containing them in the Bible. Then trying to reconcile often contradictory appearing scriptures to understand the greater meaning.
While what you say is the ideal, it is not possible.
Have you ever translated any text from one language to a another.
For example, from German where the verbs tend to be at the end of the sentence.
Often there is no similar word in both language.
Or, from the scripture that it is easier to get a camel through the eye of a needle than a rich man into the Kingdom of Heaven.
According to the Aramaic scholar Lamsa, the words “rope” and “camel” appear identical in Aramaic text. While both situations would be difficult, which makes more sense?
Since both words convey that it is difficult, does the correct word really matter?
“Things that are different are not the same.”
True, however the higher you are above them, the more they look the same.
Our worries work this way. When we are in the gutter, mole hills look like mountains. When we are with God, mountains look like mole hills.
Our perception of reality is a function of the level of consciousness from which we view it. This is in large part why Jesus gave us the truths in His Sermon on the Mount.
That. Was. Deep.
Why not just accept that there are contradictions in the text?
Amen
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