Volume  3    Issue   37   July 20th, 2003

A publication of the:
Butler church of Christ

Our meeting location is:
201 5th Ave.
Butler, PA 16001
724-287-0628 (building) / 724-282-9417 (home/office)

Assembling Times:
Sunday Bible Class - 9:30 AM
Sunday Worship – 10:30 AM
Wednesday Bible Class – 7:00 PM
 

Editor / Preacher –
Brian A. Yeager
 

Check out the web site:

http://www.wordsoftruth.net

    One issue that has been a “pet peeve” of mine over the years is the Bible Version issue.  It has always disturbed me how many brethren find it of no importance to examine what English version they are recommending to others to learn about the Lord.  It does not take any Greek knowledge to notice clear contradictions made by the hands of translators.  I will stand on the fact that if a congregation is willing to be loose on an erring version of the Bible, they are loose on doctrine.  In this article we will demonstrate this FACT by a brief review of the NIV “Non-Inspired Version”.  While we are examining the NIV maybe each reader of this article ought to check the version you are reading to see if some verses are missing or perverted.  Make sure you, your mate, and your children are using a reliable version of the Bible.  I personally recommend the King James or the New King James version of the Bible.

    The NIV is a Calvinistic version.  It perverts Psalms 51:5 to have David a sinner from conception: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”  This of course is the “Inherited Sin” doctrine.  God is clear that we do not inherit sin (Ecclesiastes 7:29, Ezekiel 18:20, James 4:17, and I John 3:4).  Romans 10:10 in the NIV saved at confession [removes the preposition “unto”]: “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”  John 3:16 in the NIV has a believer saved with faith only: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”.  Does this mean there are saved demons (James 2:19)?  The NIV omits passages completely such as: Matthew 17:21; 18:11; 23:14, Mark 7:16; 9:44; 9:45; 9:46; 11:26; 15:28; footnotes 16:9-20, Luke 17:36; 23:17, John 5:4; footnotes John 7:53-8:11,  Acts 8:37; 15:34; 24:7; 28:29, and Romans 16:24.  Those are the ones I know of, there may be more.

    The NIV does it’s best to pervert God’s law on divorce and remarriage.  It changes the translation of “fornication” into “marital unfaithfulness” in Matthew 19:9.  Why does this matter?  Fornication means “illicit sexual intercourse”.  Marital unfaithfulness could be so broad as to include a man who is unfaithful in his vow to care for his mate, thus leaving a second, third, fourth, etc. clause in Matthew 19:9 that the Lord never intended to be there.

    If a congregation is not concerned with having a reliable translation of the word of God this will demonstrate their lack of concern for truth.  Having an erring version in the pew or pulpit is another form of a false teacher.  Versions such as the NIV clearly violate God’s instructions not to change His word (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32, Proverbs 30:5-6, Galatians 1:6-12, and Revelation 22:18-19).  A preacher stands in the pulpit and says “one must be born of the water and the spirit to be saved (John 3:5)”, then a man stands up in the audience and says “that’s not what the Bible in your pew says” while citing John 3:16.  Congregations need to be consistent with what is taught.  Inconsistency is a mark of error.  One thing said in the pulpit and another said from the pew Bible is inconsistency.  (Jeremiah 26:2) “Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.”
 
 
 

Quick Notes

Those Serving Today:
Announcements – Brian Yeager
A.M. Song Leader – Mike Lockwood
Lord’s Table – Jay Wager
Assisting – Young Jay Wagner and Bill Graham
First Prayer – Terry Nannie
Closing Prayer – George Papp

Those In Need of Our Prayers:
Tony Sassano (going through chemotherapy), Joan Croyle, Marie Glunt (a friend of the Papp’s who is suffering from cancer), Brenda Graham (having knee problems), Kathleen Santana, and Julie Rado (a friend of the Graham’s who has been diagnosed with breast cancer).