Did Our
Inspired
Bible
Expire?by HERB EVANS
"...the word of God, which liveth...for
ever." (I Peter 1:23)
"...the word of God is quick...and is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart." (Hebrews 4:12)
We must admit that there was a time when we
were terrified at the prospect of defending the
"inspiration" of the A.V. 1611 (King James) Bible.
Of course, like many Christians, we were influenced
by Bible correcting educators and scholars and their
accepted, traditional, man-made, theological defini-
tion of "inspiration".DEFINE YOUR TERMS As with all theological definitions, the Bible
correcting educator's definition of inspiration is not
infallible and is subject to error. Moreover, any
error in definition can mean a more serious error in
concept.
Bible correcting educators, like the Jehovah's
Witnesses, have discovered that if they are allowed
to define (or redefine) Bible Words, then they can
easily establish their pet doctrines and theories.
Bible correctors and Jehovah's Witnesses both must
be challenged as to whether they have a Scriptural
basis for these definitions.TRANSMISSION Bible correcting educators contend that only the
"Original" transmission of the Scriptures constitutes
"inspiration". They hold that the "inspiration of
the Scriptures" and the "transmission of the Scrip-
tures" are perfectly synonymous terms. All the
emphasis, in most fundamental universities, is
placed on whether the "Originals" were transmitted
mechanically, dynamically, or by illumination;
while the quality of the Scriptures, after they have
been transmitted, is practically ignored.THE ORIGINALS The "Original Manuscripts" are lost and no living
person has ever seen them (a serious flaw in the
Bible correcting educator's theory). Moreover, if
anyone would ever find the "Originals"; they would
not be able to tell if they really were the "Originals".
We have been told for years that the Bible was
originally written in Greek and Hebrew. However,
no one can actually prove that they were so written.
They can assume, suppose, surmise, and deduce; but
no one can come up with either a Proof Text or con-
crete evidence.
The first five Books could have been written in
Egyptian, the language in which Moses was educated
and the country where Israel had lived for years. One
thing is "fer sure, it twarn't Hebrew that Moses was
a speakin' down thayer in Egypt", and conversa-
tions in the Gospel were certainly not spoken in
Greek. There had to be some translating going on
somewhere either way that you look at it. Selah
(think of that D.A.W.)! Just because you have
second and third century Manuscripts that are
written in Greek, does not mean that they were
originally written in that language.
Whenever we make dogmatic assertions without
the benefit of concrete evidence or a Proof Text;
we are guilty of pure assumption. Therefore, if we
are expected to submit to this intangible, unprovable
basis for an inspired Greek/Hebrew only argument;
then if you don't mind, we will look elsewhere for
our views.GOD BREATHED After the "Originals" had been initially trans-
mitted, or inspired, or "God Breathed" (as our
scholar friends love to emphasize the literal mean-
ing of the Greek), what then? Do the "Originals"
cease to be inspired, or do they cease to contain the
Breath of God after the initial act of transmission
is over? Are they still inspired after forty years have
passed? Are they still alive? Are they still inspired?
Do they still contain God's Breath? Let us go a
step further; suppose that we made photocopies of
the "Originals" before they either perished or were
lost. Would the Photocopy Scriptures be alive?
Inspired? Have God's Breath in them?
We insist that these questions must be answered
with an emphatic "Yes"! It is not the parchment or
the ink that is alive; it is the Words! The inspired
Copies of Copies that Timothy knew as a child
(2 Timothy 3:15-16) were certainly not the "Orig-
nals" as admitted by the Bible correctors them-
selves. God did not preserve the parchment and the
ink; He preserved His "Word", the "[S]criptures". He
did not preserve an uninspired Bible; He preserved
an inspired Bible, and it is alive! It has not expired!ALIVE Anything that God breathes into or inspires is
alive for eternity. God breathed into Adam a living
soul. Now, God did not have to breathe into every
man a living soul thereafter. (Man's fall complicates
our parallel; however, man's soul still lives on some-
where forever.) God breathed the breath of life into
the Scripture, never to be breathed into again. The
Bible that we have today (A.V. 1611) is alive!
Inspired! It still has God's Breath in it and will
never ever expire, because it lives and abides forever
(I Peter 1:23)!THE PERVERSIONS The advocates of the Good News bible, the Living
bible, the R.S.V., the R.V., the A.S.V., the N.A.S.V.,
the New King James, King James 2, and any other
copyrighted bible would be the first to admit that
these bibles are neither inspired or alive. Living
things reproduce other living things, and dead things
cause the vermin that feed on them to reproduce.
Some people might object by saying that there are
people that get saved by reading these perverted
bibles. Well, people can get saved by reading a com-
mentary! However, it is not the perverted portions
of either that does the work.
Nevertheless, almost without exception (and we
are not sure about the exceptions); any births,
resulting from the above perverted bibles, are per-
verted also - spiritual cripples. We are reminded
here of the reply that some give in answer to the
objection that some people are really saved in the
Charismatic movement; "You can have a baby out
of wedlock, but that is not the prescribed, accepted,
or legitimate way!"
Perverted bibles, like the Good News bible and
the Living bible, spawn Jesus Freaks and Hippie
type Christians. The R.S.V. bible spawns modernists
and liberals. The more conservative (copyrighted)
bibles produce crippled Fundamentalists who doubt
whether we really have God's Word or not. Never-
theless, instruction in righteousness is not the only
test for inspiration.THE TEST Inspired Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16-17) "is" profit-
able! The "Originals" are not profitable to us now,
nor were they profitable to Timothy in his time;
Timothy had copies of copies of the Originals.
We are told that the Scriptures must be profit-
able for: doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, and for throughly
furnishing the man of God. Furthermore, it must
be alive according to Hebrews 4:12 and I Peter
1:23, a living discerner. It must be an incorruptible
Begetter also (I Peter 1:23 and James 1:18).
We submit that out of all the English Bibles in
use today, only the Authorized Bible of 1611 (King
James) can pass all these requirements. Moreover, a
Bible, in any language, that can meet all these
requirements is inspired.
The 1611 Authorized Bible is unmatched in pro-
ducing revivals, missionary endeavors, souls saved,
founding of churches, founding of Bible Institutes,
moving Kings, moving nations, and even being
translated into other languages without the benefit
of the Hebrew and Greek. It can prove it is alive!CHOOSE ONE Baptists claim to have but one authority for faith
and practice . . . the Scriptures. Is it too much for us
to demand that we live up to this claim? Brethren,
we are not going to give answer to a History book or
to a lexicon or to a Greek grammar. We are going to
give answer to the Word of God (John 12:48).
We can believe that the A.V. 1611 Bible (King
James) is neither inspired or alive; or we can believe
that it is alive but not inspired; or we can believe
that it is both alive and inspired. If we believe that
it is neither inspired or alive, our position is consis-
tent; but we must admit to preaching a dead book.
If we believe that it is alive but not inspired; then
we are inconsistent and contradictory, claiming that
a Bible can be alive without the breath of God in
it??? If we believe that the A.V. 1611 Bible is both
alive and inspired; then we can join together in de-
manding nothing less than unconditional surrender
to an unexpired Bible by all Bible correctors and
fence straddlers!CONCLUSION Much water has passed under the bridge since a
handful of Bible Believers first took this issue to the
Christian public. Today, hundreds of books and
articles are appearing in every nook and cranny of
Christendom (seminary students are reading them,
by flashlight under the covers). Bible correcting
educators, frustrated and unsuccessful in ignoring
the issue, are unable to find wholesome words
(I Timothy 6:3) or words that cannot be con-
demned (Titus 2:8) to dispute the issue. They have
resorted to name-calling (nuts and heretics) and
words which man's wisdom teaches (I Cor. 2:13)
advocating an expired Bible. Well . . . .
Sticks and stones may break our bones,
But names don't answer an issue.
When you squirrels go down the tubes;
Us nuts won't even miss you!
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