Hinderances to textual purity in the Spanish Bible
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 16 viewsNotes
Transcript
18 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:
19 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.
Here in this famous passage of Scripture we have a harsh warning not to take away from or add to the Word of God.
God takes very seriously the topic of textual corruption.
When many English KJV users learn about the Spanish Bible issue they will immediately ask the question of why…why do churches continue to use corrupt Bibles in Spanish?
I personally asked this question when I first entered the world of ministering in Spanish.
In this message tonight I would like to offer up some reasons as to why this continues to be a problem.
Pragmatism
Pragmatism
The Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines pragmatism as a philosophy that "evaluates theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application."[1]
The basic question of this theory is "does it work?" not "is it true?"
Example: The missionary who argued that the fact that there are many good churches that win souls using the RV1960 means that it is not so bad.
This is a pragmatic argument.
To understand why pragmatism is so dangerous lets look at a story in the Bible.
1 Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.
2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!
4 And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them.
7 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
9 And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him.
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
13 This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.
In this passage we see that Moses disobeyed the clear instructions of God.
However, water still came out of the rock so that people could drink.
Explain: I can start a church and win people to Christ with the NIV. When the Word of God is preached, living water is going to come out.
But that does not change the fact that the NIV is a corrupt Bible.
That it violates the command to not remove or add to the Word of God.
Now God gave the increase even though Moses disobeyed…but never forget what happened to Moses.
He was judged.
He could not enter the promised land for disobeying the clear instructions of God.
I believe the same could happen to those who know the clear commands of God to not accept textual corruption but still choose to use corrupt Bibles.
Even when they have other options that are not corrupt.
One day they are going to stand at the Judgment seat of Christ.
And they too will answer to Christ as to why the ignored His clear commands.
We cannot let Pragmatism convince us that its ok to disobey God’s commands even though we don’t see immediate consequences for doing so.
Ignorance
Ignorance
6 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.
A common reason that the Critical Text translations continue to be popular is that the information about its history is simply not widely known.
Most Christians simply do not know the differences between Bible versions and why those differences are there.
In the context of missions, new missionaries who arrive on the field are often given a corrupt translation by a veteran missionary.
When someone questions if the Bible has corrupt readings in it, the older missionaries play down the Critical Text readings as "not a big deal."
Pastors who only speak English trust their missionaries to make the right decisions about the Bible translation issue.
They are not directly affected by other language translations because they only speak English.
They are often assured by others that the corrupt translation is a "good version" or "based on the Received Text."
Because of their inability to read these Bibles, there is often little motivation to verify these claims.
Ignorance has been a very powerful tool for those that seek to propagate the use of the Critical Text Bibles on the mission field.
Ignorance in regards to the Spanish Bible issue has also been propagated by bad actors and flat out lies.
Calvin George
Calvin George
2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, And from a deceitful tongue.
Testimony: How I was told to read Calvin George
Explain: Who Calvin George is and how he has convinced many that they should continue to use the RV1960.
Calvin George is the Mark Ward of the Spanish Bible Issue.
He wrote a rebuttal to my book in which he argues seven reasons why God’s Word cannot be perfectly preserved.
Calvin George, also recognizes that the RV1960 contains the Critical Text but he does not have a problem with that.
He states in one of his book: “I believe that Westcott and Hort can be consulted in the process of translating (such as was the case in the Reina Valera 1909 & 1960).
[4] Calvin George, The Battle for the Spanish Bible, (Kearney, NE: Morris Publishing, 2001), 115.
Calvin George defends the RV1960 by attacking the King James.
He falsely claims that the KJV used corrupt manuscripts in its translation and therefore it is fine for the 1960 to use Westcott and Hort.
These claims are completely false and are intentional lies.
For Example, In his rebuttal to my book he tells us that Psalm 22:16 in the KJV is uses the Septuagint and that there is no Hebrew manuscript evidence
16 For dogs have compassed me: The assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: They pierced my hands and my feet.
George tells everyone that “pierced” is just from the Septuagint. Since the KJV uses the Septuagint then its fine to use the Critical Text in the 1960.
But George is lying.
There are Hebrew manuscripts that contain this word. Yes it is also found in the Septuagint, dead sea scrolls, and a variety of other places.
Another example of his deception from his hit piece on my book…
George: En Jer. 3:9, el margen de la versión King James dice fame [fama] (qol) junto con el hebreo kethibh, pero el texto de la versión King James dice lightness [ligereza] (qal) de acuerdo con la Septuaginta y la Vulgata latina.
George tells us that Jer 3.9 is an example of a verse in the KJV that departs from the Hebrew to follow the Septuagint and Latin Vulgate.
He then says that if the KJV does it, why can’t the 1960 as well.
George cited a book by Hill., but if you look up that book and where he talks about this, Hill does say that the reading is the Vulgate and Septuagint but that there are also Hebrew manuscripts that support the KJV reading.
Why does George leave out this important information that there are Hebrew manuscripts that support the KJV?
He lies when he said that the KJV follows the Septuagint and Latin Vulgate.
Why is he lying?
Because he is trying to deceive his audience so that he can libel the KJV in order to justify the use of the corrupt RV1960
The problem is that many people read these lies from Calvin George and don’t look into it to see that it is false as we do.
Example: He says the KJV used the corrupt Latin Vulgate. That is not true, they had Latin manuscripts, but they were ancient one.
These are examples of arguments that you will find when reading Calvin George and his defenses of the 1960.
He tells his readers in his attack on my book that he does not believe that perfect preservation of God’s Word is possible because there are no two manuscripts exactly alike.
That is a lie.
For example: 4Q2 is exactly the same as Códice L
I could go on and on, but sadly this person has convinced many pastors to continue to use the corrupt RV1960 Spanish Bible.
He has deceived them and his false information that he propagates needs to be confronted and denounced.
The arguments that George uses to defend the 1960 are no different than arguments that are used to defend the NIV.
Example: Matt Smith saying that he was no longer sure what he believed about the KJV after being influenced by Calvin George.
Ignorance is a huge problem when it comes to the Spanish Bible issue.
Fear
Fear
25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
Another reason that Critical Text translations continue to be popular is fear.
42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
There are many missionaries, pastors, and Christians who know that the translation they are using is corrupt but continue to use it anyway.
For many of them, the main reason is fear of being "put out of the synagogue" for using a less popular Bible version.
The Spanish Bible Issue has become extremely political.
As a foreign missionary, I have lost financial support and friends, because of my stand on the textual issue.
There is a cost to not using the popular Critical Text Bibles in your ministry, and an even greater cost if you dare to speak up about the issue.
Because of this cost, those that choose to stand for what is right must not love the praise of men more than the praise of God.
It takes courage to stand up for what is right, because one will certainly be attacked for it.
Example: The whatsapp group of pastors that slanders me. They say I am getting paid the use and distribute the RVG.
This is nothing new in Christianity.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Explain: Using the KJV in English is accepted and popular in our IFB churches. But using the RVG is not in the Spanish churches. You will be attacked if you stand up for what is right on this issue.
Many new missionaries are too worried about being accepted that they are willing to compromise on the important issue of textual purity in order to be accepted.
Compromise
Compromise
Another reason the RV1960 continue to be popular is compromise.
Many missionaries and pastors say that they use a Critical Text translation (possibly for the reasons already mentioned), but they simply tell their people where the errors are when they preach from the Bible.
Note: Almost all Spanish pastors know that there are errors in the 1960 and will admit. Yet they do not care.
This is a dangerous compromise.
If the men who claim this are honest, they must admit that they do not have every Critical Text error marked in their Critical Text Bibles, and then point it out every time they preach.
Even if they did, they have crossed the dangerous line of telling their people that their Bible is full of errors, and only they have the knowledge of what is truth and what isn't.
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
The Bible is not the property of one person.
The layman needs to know he has the Word of God and can trust in it just as much as the preacher.
This compromise is completely unnecessary today since we have the RVG.
Pastors do not have to tell their people that their Bible is full of errors.
They can simply give them one that isn't. Knowing that you can trust in your Bible is very important for spiritual growth.
Once a believer believes that his Bible is full of errors it is a small step to then confessing it is just a book written by men.
I have seen this progression first hand on the mission field amongst Christians who use the Critical Text translations.
Example: The conference in Bogota where Calvin George taught on the 1960. After they finished many started using the NIV because “why not”?
Lack of Conviction
Lack of Conviction
Many missionaries say that they are King James in order to get support.
But the reality is that they do not have a true conviction about the Bible and textual purity.
They use the KJV in English because that is what is popular to use in IFB churches and that is how they are accepted.
In Spanish they are accepted by using the RV1960 so that is what they use.
We need to do a better job of teaching textual purity and its importance in our KJV churches.
It is not enough to just give someone a KJV and say use this its the best Bible version.
They need to be taught why.
And pastors need to do a good job of vetting their missionaries to make sure that they are truly men of conviction and not just opportunists who conform to those around them.
Pride
Pride
The final reason that will be given, as to why the Critical Text translations continue to be popular despite their corruptions, is simply pride.
Many preachers simply do not want to admit that they have used a corrupt Bible for so many years.
They view any information against their Critical Text translation as a personal attack.
Rather than examining the evidence and making a wise decision, they are offended and do not even consider if the arguments made are valid.
This proudful spirit is condemned in Scripture.
Example: Those who say that the only ones who care about this are gringo missionaries.
That is so not true. So many hispanics are so grateful to have the pure Word of God in their language.
In my personal experience, many Christians who are taught these truths, and then given a pure translation of the Scriptures, have been beyond thankful.
Pride should not be the reason that a Christian continues to use a corrupt Bible translation.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Whether it be due to pragmatism, ignorance, fear, compromise, pride, or other reasons, the Critical Text RV1960 continues to be popular in Spanish churches.
But I believe things are changing.
More and more churches are waking up to this important issue and doing what is right.
Example: My friend who has been using the 1960 for 50 years who emailed me recently about switching to the RVG.
God is working.
Pray for us on the RVG Bible Society as we continue to produce content that teaches these important truths about the Spanish Bible issue.
Pray for more printers to print the RVG as the need all over the Spanish world is great.
And pray that God would work in the hearts of His people to get away from the corruption of the Critical Text and obey His commands not to remove or add to His Word.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
These Bibles contains the unclean and corrupt Critical Text, and this contamination should cause the Christian to separate from them and use the translations that are faithful to the preserved text of the Bible.
The deception of Satan in the garden of Eden against sinless man was based primarily in questioning God's Word.
Satan has not changed his tactics.
It is my personal belief, that one of the greatest influences toward apostasy in churches today is the loss of confidence in the purity of God's Word.
This does not have to continue.
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; Also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
What is important in the Bible textual issue is not popularity, not personal disputes, and not personal opinions.
The only thing that matters in the Bible textual issue is the truth.
There is nothing worth defending more than the purity of the Word of God. May God's people go forward, standing for the truth, in this important matter.
140 Thy word is very pure: Therefore thy servant loveth it.