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Why Modern Translations of the Bible Are Necessary

From time to time someone will ask me, “why do we need updated versions of the Bible. Isn’t the King James a good enough translation?” And my response is always the same and quite simple: language changes and so do the meanings of words.

Take, for instance, the way the word ‘gay’ has changed over the last 50 years. Just imagine how much has changed since 1611 when the KJV was published! Or just look at one simple passage from the New Testament, Luke 14:26-

ει τις ερχεται προς με και ου μισει τον πατερα εαυτου και την μητερα και την γυναικα και τα τεκνα και τους αδελφους και τας αδελφας ετι τε και την ψυχην εαυτου ου δυναται ειναι μου μαθητης

Which the KJV translates

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Modern folk see the word ‘hate’ and it means something quite other than the Greek word μισει does in this context. Jesus isn’t urging people to ‘hate’ their family; he is urging his disciples to ‘disregard, be indifferent to’ their family when it comes to choosing between being his disciple or family obligations.

Without updated versions of the Bible, the biblical message is not only sometimes misunderstood, it is obscured and even misrepresented. That should be ample reason for people to consult a number of translations (if they don’t read Hebrew and Greek) when they study the Bible.

Updating the Bible into modern language isn’t a bad thing. It is a necessary thing. Anyone who reads the Bible and takes it seriously will understand this.

How Folk Read the Bible: Selectively

Anyone who has even a passing familiarity with the average believer will know for certainty that people normally read the Bible quite selectively. They pick and choose what they will heed and they simply dismiss, with the wave of a pompous finger, those bits they find personally uncomfortable.

For example, when Paul tells Timothy that it is his responsibility to “study in order to show himself an approved worker for God who needn’t be ashamed” many simply ignore it and refuse to apply the injunction to study to themselves. “That’s for someone else, but not for me” they claim. All the while, nonetheless, claiming those parts of the Bible that they like and applying them completely to themselves. In fact, you can’t find a single Christian who doesn’t want John 3:16 to apply to them.

Selective reading. Jesus has a word of warning for those who practice it.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven (Mt 5).

Selective readers teach others to read and apply Scripture selectively, ignoring the fact that all of it is theologically important and even relevant.   Be wary of selective reading, and selective readers.

Thought of the Day

… those who, by a profession of faith, enter the Church, but are not at all invested with the sanctification of Christ; … such disgraces to his Church, such cankers, God will not always tolerate, but will cast them forth as their turpitude deserves. — John Calvin

Homecoming!

Homecoming went very well today with a great singing service at 10:15 and a wonderful worship service at 11.  Of course It wouldn’t have been proper for me to take pictures during those, but I’m more than happy to do so during the lunch we share together afterwards.  So here are some of them.

 

 

Why VBS Matters

Last year, over 26,000 Southern Baptist churches conducted VBS and saw a total of over 2.9 million kids enroll. Nearly 95,000 VBS attendants made decisions for Christ, and over 212,000 “prospects” were added to Sunday school prospect files.

“These are great numbers,” said Jerry Wooley, VBS ministry specialist for LifeWay Christian Resources. “Vacation Bible School stands alone in its evangelism and outreach.”

Of the Southern Baptist Convention’s total baptisms last year, 26 percent came from Vacation Bible School. With baptisms having dropped for the second consecutive year, VBS is viewed as the single most effective evangelism tool in the Southern Baptist Convention, according to LifeWay.

While Southern Baptist churches continue to embrace the traditional kids outreach, fewer churches are offering the summer sessions, a 2005 study by The Barna Group found. According to the research group, only 69 percent of churches are continuing the VBS tradition compared to 81 percent in 1997.

Survey respondents indicated a lack of teachers as the most common reason for not offering VBS, and pastors are also becoming increasingly likely to mention that their church has “no time” for VBS.

In the meantime, more Southern Baptist churches have been offering VBS in the evenings to accommodate more adult workers who typically have day jobs. According to LifeWay, 66 percent of churches hosted nighttime VBS last year.

Southern Baptist churches were among the congregations most likely to offer VBS amid the decline, The Barna Group found.

More than three million students attend Vacation Bible Schools every year, based on estimates by the publishing industry, USA Today had reported.

You Can’t Have It Both Ways

When Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, he declared that they should “call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the LORD; the god who answers by fire is indeed God.” All the people answered, “Well spoken!”

Elijah rightly recognized that those who serve some other god besides the one True God cannot have it both ways.  Either you call on God, or you go ahead and call on whatever god it is that you serve.

Many people today want to have it both ways.  They want to serve themselves, or the devil, or their boss; but then as soon as they come into some difficulty they want the one True God to rush to their aid.

It doesn’t work that way, though.  As Elijah said to the prophets of Baal and the people assembled on Carmel- it’s time to make a choice and then, once you’ve decided who you want to serve, call on them.  If they can’t help you, then you’ve chosen wrongly and have to live with the consequences of your decision.

Equipping U Sunday School Conference

First Baptist Church, Crossville.  Sunday School Teachers, and leaders, are urged to place this date on their calendar and make plans to attend.

Prayer Request

Pray for rain.

Thought of the Day

Wherever Christ is, Judas, Pilate, Herod, Caiaphas, and Annas will inevitably be also.  — Martin Luther