KING
JAMES ONLY?
ANSWERS TO A PASTOR
David C. Bennett, D. Min.
November 21, 2006
John 5:47 "But if ye believe not his writings, how
shall ye believe my words?"
Recently I received a caustic email from a pastor whose
communiqué was with reference to with whom I fellowshipped and my
belief concerning the Word and Words of God. Therefore I have
written this paper.
The Compromise of Missions:
This independent Baptist pastor said he applauded my
having left the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE)
for he too has "had a number of issues with them over the
years." Yet, in spite of this fact he said he has not dropped any
existing ABWE "missionaries unless they left the field through
marriage, leaving missions, or changing fields, or retirement." In
other words he doesn’t have enough or great enough issues to drop
their support. This is compromise. I have said it before in
other papers and I will say it again, if a missionary stays with
ABWE he is not a separatist! ABWE missionaries are into drama, dance
and the Rick Warren philosophy to name a few. Why do pastors not
drop ABWE missionaries? Is it because they know they will have a
battle within the church. "We have supported this missionary for
years" is the cry. Southern Baptist Convention pastors do not
have a monopoly on compromise!
The Compromise of Affiliation:
This pastor said he was concerned I had gone with Bible For Today
Baptist Church, whose pastor is Dr. D. A. Waite. This pastor
said "Dr. Waite used to be a member of IBFNA in years past, an
organization of which I am a charter member, (emphasis added)
but he has long since disaffiliated himself and travelled in
different directions. Where are you in your affiliations?"
This pastor needs to understand that these organizations are
not heaven sent but man made. Does a man belonging to the group
of which this pastor was a "charter member" mean the man is
therefore trust worthy? Is a man belonging to this group, or any
other man made group, a better Christian, a better warrior for the
things of the Lord? History has shown most of these man made
organizations eventually lose their way.
It is a little ironic that this pastor doesn’t seem to be
concerned about those ABWE missionaries, he has not dropped,
that they are (probably) not members of the group of which he was a
"charter member", where their affiliations lie. This pastor will
continue to support missionaries with an organization (ABWE) that
embraces drama, dance, Rick Warren’s philosophy, and have a
president that will speak at a South Wide Baptist Fellowship meeting
which included Southern Baptists as well but he continues their
support and wants to know where my affiliations lie! I have come to
find that the very best fellowship to be associated with is found in
1John 1:3 which says "…and truly our fellowship is with the Father,
and with his Son Jesus Christ."
The Compromise of the Bible:
This pastor asked if I had embraced Dr. Waite’s "fringe position
of KJO?" He went on to say that he himself is "KJ Mostly, but
not exclusively." Now, I think he is hinting that Dr. Waite is a
Ruckmanite. Peter Ruckman believes the King James Bible is inspired
as were the originals and that the King James even corrects the
Greek Text. I do not believe this and neither does Dr. Waite. Dr.
Waite has stated this publicly several times and in print. In spite
of this fact some do not hear for they seem to have selective
hearing.
This pastor continued by saying "Though I admire the TR, I am
not critical of those whose positions are other than mine
(emphasis added). Though I require speakers to use either
the KJV or NKJV in my pulpit, I do not dismiss them if they choose
to preach otherwise in their own pulpits." I am always suspicious of
someone who says they admire something but they have no problem with
those who do not have the same admiration. Edwin H. Palmer in THE
MAKING OF A CONTEMPORARY TRANSLATION PAGE 196 said "I love the King
James Version (KJV)." He went on to say "But today the KJV will not
do…" That is what this Pastor is saying as well.
This man is very big-hearted to "those whose positions are other
than" his, but is this really true. If this was in actual fact
the way this pastor thought I would not have received such an
acerbic email. My position and Dr. Waite’s position is not as his is
and yet he is very critical of our position. Why does he not accept
my position? He is not open to my position which says there is one
English Bible that is trust worthy, for it and it alone is an
accurate translation of the preserved Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek
Words of God.
He further states that he is a Majority Text man and as
such he appreciates "being alerted when someone in the audience may
have a variance (emphasis added) differing from the one I'm
preaching from as it may impact my choice of words in that passage.
I frequently mention the readings of what I call the 'economy
version'."
Is not this pastor gracious? He wants to be alerted to
different readings "as it may impact my choice of words in that
passage.’ With this kind of thinking how does such a Pastor lead
his people into a firm belief in the authority of Scripture? The
answer is that he doesn’t. 2Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be
instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine." These men are still searching for the
Word of God and it just might be in one of these New Greek Texts or
English translations!
As to these variants D. A. Waite, Jr. in his excellent book
THE DOCTORED NEW TESTAMENT, published by The Bible For Today
Press, page iii, in a footnote quotes from John Burgon’s book
Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels page 35. Burgon says "that
the so-called ‘Various Readings’ are reading that ‘possess really
strong attestation (verification or support).’ He estimated that
‘more than nineteen-twentieths (over 95%) OF THE ‘Various readings’
commonly quoted are only the vageries (quirks or eccentricities,
i.e. mistakes or errors) of scribes, and ought not to be called
‘Readings’ at all."
Sadly, the so called fundamental schools are turning out men
who are open minded to everything and almost everyone except the
one who holds to the King James Bible as being the most accurate
translation of the preserved words of its underlying Hebrew and
Greek Texts. This belief is just too strong and by their unbelief
they will sever fellowship.
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