We are not defending a version! We are defending the BIBLE! The battle has always been for the Word of God. Today, and perhaps until the LORD returns, the battle will be on the doctrine of verbal plenary preservation. The acronym for this doctrine is VPP (all the words are preserved). This biblical truth has been so badly maligned that many have rejected it. Due to the great distortion, the rejection has not been a rejection of the truth but a caricature of the truth. The distortion includes the Ruckman view which teaches that VPP refers to the teaching that the King James Version Bible (KJV) is inspired. This ridiculous view implies that God spoke to Moses up on Mount Sinai in King James English and that God wrote on the two tables of stones in King James English. Ridiculous as it may sound when put in this context, nevertheless many have “bought” into this nonsense believing that this is the view of Far Eastern Bible College and Calvary Pandan BP Church. Because of this most offensive caricature many have rejected FEBC and our stand on the doctrine of VPP.
VPP is always the defense of the BIBLE, not the BIBLE in a translation be it in English, Chinese, Korean, Latin, Swahili or any other language. The BIBLE was inspired in the languages of Hebrew and Aramaic for the Old Testament and Greek for the New Testament. Since a small percentage of the Old Testament was written in Aramaic (DA 2:4-49, Daniel 3, Daniel 4, Daniel 5, Daniel 6 DA 7:1-28 , EZR 4:8-24, Ezra 5 EZR 6:1-18 ; 7:12-26 and Jeremiah 10:11 ) the OT is generally considered to be written in Hebrew. Therefore when we speak of the doctrine of VPP we always refer to the BIBLE in the original languages, never the BIBLE in a translation! The reason is that the doctrine of verbal plenary inspiration (VPI-all the words are inspired) is always in the original languages!
The doctrine of VPP is clearly taught in the BIBLE itself, just like the doctrine of VPI. Some verses that teach the doctrine of VPP include: Psalm 19:7 , “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” Psalm 12:6-7 , “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” Proverbs 30:5-6 , “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Matthew 5:18 , For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 24:35 , “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Luke 16:17 , “And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.” Luke 21:33 , “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” John 10:35 , “If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken.” Revelation 22:18-19 , “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” All these verses of the Bible refer to the BIBLE in the original language, NEVER the BIBLE in a translation!
ALL our doctrines are based upon the BIBLE in the original language, NOT a translation. This means that even before there was the first translation in the English language (namely the Wycliffe Translation in 1384 AD) all our doctrines existed. This is true of all other translations including the Chinese Union Version (CUV). Before there was the first Chinese translation (Marshman’s Version in 1822 AD) all the doctrines of God in the Bible existed! The only time when all the doctrines of God were incomplete was when inspiration was in process. After the completion of the last book of the BIBLE, the Book of Revelation, all our doctrines were completed.
The moment the first book of the Bible in the original languages was inspired and completed, the doctrine of preservation began. In other words both these doctrines of inspiration and preservation ran concurrently. Inspiration took more than 1,500 years to complete. This doctrine has ceased! No one is allowed to add to or subtract from the BIBLE in the original languages. Inspiration ceased when the Book of Revelation was completed in about 95AD. Today it is AD 2007. Add 1500 to 2007 we find that the doctrine of preservation is more than 3,500 years old. This doctrine of VPP is definitely not a new doctrine as some have concluded. It is as old as the BIBLE itself. This doctrine is still operational as long as God is alive, as he has promised us in the BIBLE that all His words will be preserved by Him and will never pass away!
All translations can be improved upon as long as there is the doctrine of VPP. Without the doctrine of VPP there is no BIBLE! Without the BIBLE there is no translation. There is no KJV and CUV! There is no doctrine as well. Every doctrine in the BIBLE comes under attack without the doctrine of VPP. It is the lie of Satan if you ever believe that no doctrine is affected without the doctrine of VPP! The gospel of Jesus Christ is questioned including the doctrine of VPI, we have a perfect God, a perfect Christ, etc. Even if we hold in our hands a translation of the BIBLE with mistakes it does not affect my faith and my trust in the BIBLE because it is founded in the verbal and plenarily preserved BIBLE. Even when we did not have the BIBLE in my language and when I become a Christian all the doctrines were intact and the Word of God sure because we have the perfect BIBLE. Just because I cannot read it that does not mean that I cannot believe in it. Many of us cannot read the BIBLE in the original languages but we still believe in the doctrine of inspiration. WHY' Because we have the perfect BIBLE in our hands preserved for us through the ages. Please see the attached diagrams.
|
|