Dear Pastor Jackson,
Would you use a math textbook that said 2+2=4.0000000000001? Of course not!!! Yet Christians use Bibles that say a young woman shall conceive and bear a son in Isaiah 7:14 (RSV) instead of a virgin shall conceive and bear a son. (King James Bible). When I point this out they say, "Well that's close enough." Is 2+2=4.00000000000000000000001 close enough?
Elon Musk will never get to Mars using this kind of math and reasoning. Math books and math reference tables must be taken as a whole. The Bible must be taken as a whole. One error, omission, footnote in just one place destroys, undermines, and weakens the entire Bible. The new Testament teachings, doctrines depend on the Old Testament.
The doctrine of Christ that He is God and man in one person is taught throughout the Old Testament and then quoted in the new Testament. For example Matthew quoted Isaiah 7:14 in the new Testament. In Matthew 1:18- 25 we read, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the LORD by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the LORD had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. Remember there are NO alternate readings or texts other than the text chosen and used by God the Holy Ghost during the reformation: The King James Bible and Luther's Bible and the TEXTUS RECEPTUS. The NU text (Vaticanus, Nestle-Aland etc.) were REJECTED by God the Holy Ghost for the Reformation. LCMS and WELS were vibrant, strong, and growing with the King James Bible and the TEXTUS RECEPTUS. Now they are frail, weak, and shrinking with the ESV, NIV, RSV, NRSV, NKJV and their rejected corrupt foundation (Vaticanus, Nestle-Aland, United Bible Society or NU text). Like Arius the heretic, LCMS, WELS, etc have received their reward : big salaries, endowments, and big empty church buildings.
This is their reward for rejecting the ONLY Bible chosen by God for the reformation: King James Bible, Luther's 1545 German Bible and their foundation: the TEXTUS RECEPTUS. No one can deny this. Yet they chirp, "Oh it's close enough." or "Well it's just a nuance. It's saying the same thing." NO it isn't. The corruption of Nestle-Aland text is massive with over 8,000 changes, and deletions (see 8,000 Differences, Dr. Jack Moorman, London, England, ISBN #1-56848-054-7 and The King James Version, Gregory L. Jackson PhD, ISBN #9798429093451)
The King James Version |
Tom Fisher