Thursday, March 3, 2011

CHOSEN

CHOSEN


THE NEWSLETTER

FOR MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN.

MATTHEW 22:14

MARCH 2011 VOL. I ISSUE. I



ABOUT US

Greetings everyone! Congratulations, you’ve been selected to receive my monthly newsletter, CHOSEN. You’ve been selected not by random chance, but because somewhere in life, our paths have crossed. The purpose of this letter is to update you on our ministry and present circumstances in addition to giving you some Topics For Discussion and Points To Ponder. As many of you know, Stacey and I have been through a lot over the past year. For those of you who are not up to date, let me fill you in.



Our trials began shortly after our marriage. Our life in Christ was not well received by two members of Stacey’s family. Shortly after our marriage the attacks became severe, from harassing phone calls to death threats. Stacey and I chose to remove ourselves from the volatile relationship, six months later we found ourselves in court being persecuted under the law. These two members wanted unsupervised access to our children, Raven (6) and Malachi (1.5). Under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) all children have a right to an identity which means any blood relative. In Canada anyone can petition for access to your children, whether they’re a blood relative or complete stranger. In addition, under the UNCRC a judge can make it illegal for you to pray in your children’s presence, home school, or take your children to church. All that is required to begin the process is for the child to have one “advocate” acting on their behalf. In May of 2010 the Aboriginal Social Services received a report alleging 15 allegations against myself in regards to my wife and children. The allegations were so erroneous it was obvious to the social workers that the call was malicious. We were interrogated separately for two hours, the third hour we spent sharing our testimony!



In July of 2010 through a series of events, God moved us to sunny Keremeos! These were trying times as we felt led of God to defy the court orders for access. With the possibility of serving time in prison, our only assurance was God’s care. Two years into this ordeal we’ve not yet had to serve any time and continue to defy the court orders.



Trial was set for November 9, 2010. Stacey and I went before the judge with absolutely nothing prepared. Their lawyer taunted us with every opportunity he could muster. We could not afford a lawyer and so we stood with our only hope in God. It turned out that the trial would have to be postponed; one of the applicants needed a life threatening emergency surgery the following week. As of February 2011 no date for trial has yet been set.



We continue to follow God’s leading in regards to this matter and life in general. We are excited to announce the arrival of our next little one sometime in August. Stacey has been supporting us by working at the First Nations Band School as an executive assistant. I am currently memorizing scripture and working towards my Bachelor’s in Biblical Studies in addition to home schooling our children. We are thankful for our trials, bearing in mind James 1:3 “knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience”.



Due to this ordeal we left everything behind. We currently live in an RV on the First Nation Reservation. Life has been anything but easy, but we move forward expectantly as we journey in God’s university of life. We are thankful for the many things he has taught us and would endure this hardship again to learn the vital things we have gleaned thus far.









TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

Support For The King James Version



Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name -Psalm 138:2, KJV



The battle for the Word of God is going on today as it always has. The work of the Evil One himself has always been to cause men to doubt the Word (Gen. 3:1), to corrupt the Word (2 Cor. 2:17), and to misquote the Word (Luke 4:10-14). There are many Modern Versions on the scene today all claiming to be more accurate or more readable renderings of the Word of God. Most of these versions follow the MINORITY Greek Text even though the text exhibits corruption throughout. The King James Version was translated from the MAJORITY Greek Text which agrees with about 95% of all manuscripts.



All new bible versions compare themselves with the Authorized King James Version of 1611. Why is it that they don’t compare themselves with other newer versions? I believe that Matthew 12:26 explains the reason.



The KJV translators believed they were handling the very words of God (I Ths. 2:13). Just read the King James Dedicatory and compare it to the prefaces in the modern versions. Immediately, you will see a world of difference in the approach and attitude of the translators. Which group would YOU pick for translating a book?



The KJV exalts the Lord Jesus Christ. The true scriptures should testify of Jesus Christ (John 5:39). There is no book on this planet which exalts Christ higher than the King James Bible. In numerous places the new perversions attack the Deity of Christ, the Blood Atonement, the Resurrection, salvation by grace through faith, and the Second Coming. The true scriptures will TESTIFY of Jesus Christ, not ATTACK Him!



The KJV translators were honest in their work. When the translators had to add certain words, largely due to idiom changes, they placed the added words in italics so we'd know the difference. This is not the case with the new translations.



The KJV has no copyright. The text of the KJV may be reproduced by anyone, for there is no copyright forbidding it's duplication. This is not true with the modern perversions.



The major complication caused by copyright is not that it makes a work profitable but that it is a) owned by man and b) that international copyright law states that each new work must maintain a 10% variance from any work created prior. How many English versions are available today? In essence the newer the work, the farther from truth.



There is one true God, yet many false gods. There is one true Church, consisting of true born-again believers in Christ, yet there are many false churches. So why do you think it's so wrong to teach that there is one true Bible, yet many false "bibles"?





King James went through great efforts to guard the 1611 translation from errors. Please note the following:



1. In 1604, King James announced that fifty-four Hebrew and Greek scholars had been appointed to translate a new Bible for English speaking people. The number was reduced to forty-seven by the time the work formally began in 1607.

2. Rather than working together all at one location, these men were divided into six separate groups, which worked at three separate locations. There were two at Westminster, two at Oxford, and two at Cambridge.

3. Each group was given a selected portion of Scripture to translate.

4. Each scholar made his own translation of a book, and then passed it on to be reviewed by each member of his group.

5. The whole group then went over the book together.

6. Once a group had completed a book of the Bible, they sent it to be reviewed by the other five groups.

7. All objectionable and questionable translating was marked and noted, and then it was returned to the original group for consideration.

8. A special committee was formed by selecting one leader from each group. This committee worked out all of the remaining differences and presented a finished copy for the printers in 1611.

9. This means that the King James Bible had to pass at least FOURTEEN examinations before going to press.

10. Throughout this entire process, any learned individuals of the land could be called upon for their judgment, and the churches were kept informed of the progress.





POINTS TO PONDER



Number One:

The preface of the KJV vs. any other version shows the intent of its creation. If you have time, read the differences between the KJV and say the NIV and I think you'll understand my point.



Number Two:

There is no copy right on the KJV. Many will argue that copyright was not around in 1611. That’s fine, however it does pose a problem with current copyright law. All new copyright material must maintain a minimum 10% variance from any other work created prior. That being said, any new versions of the bible must be 10% different from any before it. In essence the newer the version, the farther from truth. What is the intent of copyright? To protect one's work for profit (I Timothy 6:10). If we need to ask the owners of the copyright for permission to utilize it, we should be asking ourselves if it really is God’s word.



Number Three:

This is my favourite reason for why I use the KJV. Any words added due to idiom changes are placed in italics, so you know what’s been added. Some argue that it then, is not the word of God because there have been additions. However, scripture reinforces itself! Many verses in the Old Testament that contain italics are quoted in the New Testament without italics and visa versa.



Number Four:

The KJV has no missing scripture. It was created by what’s called the Textus Receptus (majority text) whereas the other versions were created by the Alexandrian Text (minority text). If you have a NIV look up these verses and you'll see what I mean.



Matthew 17:21, Matthew 18:11, Matthew 23:14, Mark 7:16, Mark 9:44,46, Mark 11:26, Mark 15:28, Luke17:36, Luke 23:17, John 5:4, Acts 8:37, Acts 15:34, Acts 24:7 and Acts 28:29.



These are only from the first five books of the NT where the verse has been removed completely. Many argue that it’s all about the "context" of the scripture, regardless of what version one uses. However, where is the context in the verses that are completely absent? When Zondervan was questioned about the missing verses they stated that they used all available manuscripts. (FAQ @ www.zondevan.com). Seeing how the original manuscripts (majority text) have long since been lost they utilized what was available to them. Are they more capable to interpret scripture now than in 1604 with less than a quarter of the original material? I think NOT!



Another matter for discussion is that of changed verses. One example of a changed verses is the following where Lucifer AND Jesus are ONE in the NIV!



NIV: Isaiah 14:12--“How you have fallen from heaven, morning star (KJV reads “Lucifer”), son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!” (emphasis mine)

NIV: Revelation 22:16--"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."

NIV: 2 Peter 1:19--“And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

NIV: Revelation 2:28-- “I will also give him the morning star.”



Number Five:

The godless lives of Westcott and Hort known to be the creators of the “source text” for all modern versions.



1. Together, the Life and Letters of Brooke Foss Westcott and the Life and Letters of Fenton John Anthony Hort run over 1,800 pages. A personal salvation testimony is not given once for either man, and the name "Jesus" is found only nine times!

2. Westcott was a firm believer in Mary worship, and Hort claimed that Mary worship had a lot in common with Jesus worship.

3. Hort believed in keeping Roman Catholic sacraments.

4. Hort believed in baptismal regeneration as taught in the Catholic church.

5. Hort rejected the infallibility of Scripture.

6. Hort took great interest in the works of Charles Darwin, while both he and Westcott rejected the literal account of Creation.

7. Westcott did not believe in the Second Coming of Christ, the Millennium, or a literal Heaven.

8. Both men rejected the doctrine of a literal Hell, and they supported prayers for the dead in purgatory.

9. Hort refused to believe in the Trinity.

10. Hort refused to believe in angels.

11. Westcott confessed that he was a communist by nature.

12. Hort confessed that he hated democracy in all it's forms.

13. Westcott also did his share of beer drinking. In fact, only twelve years after the Revised Version was published, Westcott was a spokesman for a brewery.

14. While working on their Greek text (1851-1871), and while working on the Revision Committee for the Revised Version (1871-1881), Westcott and Hort were also keeping company with "seducing spirits and doctrines of devils" (I Tim. 4:1). Both men took great interest in occult practices and clubs. They started the Hermes Club in 1845, the Ghostly Guild in 1851, and Hort joined a secret club called The Apostles in the same year. They also started the Eranus Club in 1872. These were spiritualists groups which believed in such unscriptural practices as communicating with the dead.

15. The Westcott and Hort Greek text was SECRETLY given to the Revision Committee.

16. The members of the Revision Committee of 1881 were sworn to a pledge of secrecy in regard to the new Greek text being used, and they met in silence for ten years.

17. The corrupt Greek text of Westcott and Hort was not released to the public until just five days before the debut of the Revised Version. This prevented Bible-believing scholars like Dean Burgon from reviewing it and exposing it for the piece of trash that it was.



QUESTION: Does this sound like an HONEST work of God or a DISHONEST work of the Devil?



At this point I don’t question that most of you will be questioning the validity of these points. Most of you will come to a conclusion that most individuals and churches as a whole, utilize other versions and that certainly the majority cannot be wrong… or can they?



Bare in mind that the majority CAN be wrong…

 It was the majority that believed the planets rotated around the earth.

 It was the majority that believed in the extermination of the Jews.

 It was the majority that believed slavery was biblically justified.

 It is the majority that believes in evolution!



Note the strange behaviour of multitudes who, having abandoned the King James Version of the Scriptures, react in various ways:

 Many refuse to discuss the reason for receiving a modern version.

 Many more have an angry reaction when questioned.

 Many in high positions give evasive answers.

 Many say the most ridiculous things, without proof of any kind.

 Almost all avoid an open public debate on this vital subject.



For the reasons noted above, I believe that the KJV is God's inspired, preserved Word.



I admonish you to research your version of preference, knowing why you hold it to be the Word of God.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________



My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6































God Bless and Take Care,

2 comments:

  1. I stopped by and just felt like I needed to comment in love. This issue is so hotly debated - and it shouldn't be.

    The translators/compilers of the KJV were not inspired. They were normal humans, prone to error as everyone else is. The translation is far from perfect - because it was not written, word-for-word, by inspired men. It is still the Word of God, but to put it up as the only version is wicked. Did the Lord tell us to only read that version? No! We have the freedom, as believers in Christ, to choose wisely what translation we will read.

    If someone read the NASB, would you consider him an unbeliever? I don't know what you all think of this specific issue - but I do know that many KJV only people I have met believe that. And it is desperately wrong. If someone came to faith through reading the NIV at a Mormon church, would you declare that he is not saved? God forbid! We know people who had that exact example happen to them. The Lord works through many situations - including the Mormon church. Of course, that does not mean that we should send people there! It is simply an example of the power of Christ and His Word - he can save anyone, anywhere, with any translation, in any church.

    We still have a responsibility as believers to choose a historically correct translation - but once again, we have freedom in Christ. And if someone is truly a believer, they will be convicted by the Spirit if they are reading a version, such as the Message, that does not honor the original text. That is why we have godly pastors who study the original text and expound on God's Word. Through their wisdom, the leading of the Holy Spirit, and through reading the Bible, we are lead to understand which version is best.

    This is not a choose-one-or-the-other issue. But it is an issue of Christian grace and love. Just as it would not be right to refuse to talk to an unbeliever about salvation because his heir was below his shoulders, it would be wrong to make others use a specific version of the Bible.

    Some of the most cruel and hateful people I have ever met have been firstly religious, and secondly KJV only. I don't know any of you, so please don't think I'm grouping you with these people. I don't know where your hearts are. But I do know that these people have yelled and insulted my family and I, simply because we wanted to gently discuss the issue of only reading the KJV.

    Is this Christianity?

    And while men who were possibly very ungodly translated the base text - again, the Lord can work through wicked men. If the resultant text is correct where compared with the original Greek and Hebrew, than praise God! "You meant if for evil, but God meant it for good."

    Please don't be angry with me - and don't think I'm angry at any of you. My heart breaks for you - and I felt like I should comment. This issue is so relevant to where we live, to who we've met, that I had to say something. My Dad is a wonderful, godly pastor, and we have had many discussions on the subject. And if any of you would like, I could give you some specific examples from the text as to why the KJV is not perfect, not inspired.

    We are to have unity in Christ - not to divide over issues like these that are really of no importance.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for this post. I am a KJV only believer and so are my children and husband. Thank you for standing up for God's preserved word.

    Hannah, I have never in my life met a KJV only believer who yelled or insulted someone for not believing.(Not that there aren't any.)It's been quite the opposite for me. Why do you want to talk to these people if they yell and insult you? It sounds as though you are trying to talk to them about it and maybe change their minds?

    You say it's not an important issue, so why are you here posting about it? You are telling the people who wrote this THEY are desperately wrong. You sound like you are trying to prove something you believe to someone who does not believe the same as you.

    Their post did not sound like they were trying to MAKE people use a single version, just letting others know what they have learned. These folks just posted on their own blog what they know to be true. I am truly thankful to be saved by Christ's Grace. Research those versions for yourself. It sounds like the blog owners already did.

    P.S. I do not mean to sound mean. I am just very blunt. This is all spoken out of love. By the way, when I got saved, my church gave me an NIV bible that I gave to my husband to read(my dad had given me his first KJV and I already preferred it). He thought he would try to listen to a bible while he read along. He listened to the KJV while he read the NIV and kept telling me they were different. I did not agree and so started to research. Wow. Anyway, he stopped reading altogether for five years. It's taken a lot of prayer and letting him see what I have researched for him to start reading the Holy Bible again. He reads nothing other than the KJV.

    Hannah, I really think people who have gone through the journey and done their own research will not go back to another version. God has led them to where they are.

    And I am truly sorry you have met people as rude as you have. I can relate to "Christians" behaving badly. They kept me away for a LONG time. Thank you Lord that you never let go.

    In Christ,
    Jennifer

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for reading, and I'm glad you like the blog, if you would like to ask me a more personal question you can find out how to contact me in the "Contact Section"
Please keep the comments non-hateful, Mature and Godly.

Blessings,
Katie