Dear Pastor Jackson,
A
little while ago I was having a discussion with a LCMS pastor about the
Words Christ spoke to institute the Lord's Supper the night He was
betrayed. I thanked him for faithfully instituting Holy Communion
according to the pure Words of Christ in the King James Bible which
holds onto that little Word "testament" instead of the word "covenant"
used by the corrupt modern Bibles (ESV, NKJV, NIV, NASB, RSV, Beck's,
etc) He said, "It doesn't matter. What's the difference? As a matter of
fact I prefer the word 'covenant', but if I said 'covenant' I would have
a lot of explaining to do, so I stick with the words of institution in
the hymnal and say 'testament'".
I
told him that the little word 'testament' was precious to me and is the
opposite of the word 'covenant'. The word 'covenant' is Calvinist. It
gives nothing. It bequeaths nothing. In contrast the word 'testament'
brings to mind children inheriting their parent's estate. Holy Communion
is Christ's Last Will and Testament bequeathing to me forgiveness of
all sins and eternal life. Luther said:
"So
in this matter you must above all else take heed to your heart that you
believe the words of Christ and admit their truth when he says to you
and to all, 'This is my blood, a new testament, by which I bequeath to
you forgiveness of all sins and eternal life." (Martin Luther, LW, Vol.
35, pg. 88)
Luther went on to say:
"That
little word 'testament' is a short summary of all God's wonder and
grace fulfilled for us in Christ." (Martin Luther, LW, Vol. 35, pg. 84)
Martin
Chemnitz, the Second Luther, has a stern warning for all you LCMS
Pastors who are not afraid to change Christ's Last Will and Testament
into a Calvinist covenant that bequeaths nothing:
"For
since Christ instituted His supper in the form of a testament, it is
also not allowed at another time to distort even a man's covenant, if it
is confirmed, by adding or subtracting. How much greater sin it is
therefore, to change or mutilate the testament of the Son of God."
(Martin Chemnitz, Ministry, Word, and Sacrament, CPH, 1981, pg. 122)
Christ
is our true Testator saying "to you and to all, 'This is my blood, a
new testament, by which I bequeath to you forgiveness of all sins and
eternal life." (Martin Luther, LW, Vol. 35, pg. 88)
Luther said the Bible must be understood as a harmonious whole. Taking this to heart we go to Hebrews 9:15-17:
"And
for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means
of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the
first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of
eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of
necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force
after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the
Testator liveth." Hebrews 9:15-17
Do
you see the sharp difference between an empty Calvinist covenant and
Christ's Last Will and Testament bequeathing to us forgiveness of all
sins and eternal life? Are you beginning to see the sharp difference
between Christ our Calvinist Covenantor giving us nothing and Christ our
true Testator bequeathing to us forgiveness of all sins and eternal
life?
Words
form pictures and images in our minds. The word "covenant" never
brings an endearing picture of children inheriting their parent's farm
or family business. For me the word "covenant" brings to mind a picture
of a harsh, gaunt, emaciated, self-righteous, and stubborn Calvinist
working his way to heaven, consistently rejecting forgiveness of sins
and eternal life in the Office of The Keys, Holy Baptism, and the Lord's
Supper, and the gospel.
Christ
died for our sins, dead, buried in a sepulchre, and risen from the
dead, ascended into heaven, and seated at the right hand of God for us.
Christ has swallowed and destroyed our death, and our hell in a victory
for us.
"I
will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from
death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy
destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes." Hosea 13:14
"Therefore
prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my
people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your
graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I
am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought
you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall
live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I
the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD." Ezekiel
37:12-14
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And
this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath
given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the
last day.
40 And
this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the
Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise
him up at the last day. John 6:37-40
Christ
is risen from the dead and ascended to God the Father to make His
Father our Heavenly Father and to make His God our true God.
"I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God and your God." John 20:17
Christ
is risen from the dead to destroy our death, and our hell and will
raise us up from the dead on the last day. Christ comes to us today. He
stands in our midst and speaks to us:
"Why
are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my
hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit
hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." Luke 24:38,39
Christ
is true God begotten of His Father from all eternity, and also true man
born of the virgin Mary. Christ is God and man in one person. He is
with us the same as He was with the apostles after His resurrection. He
is with us in Holy Communion bequeathing to us forgiveness of all sins
and eternal life as our true Testator. Christ gives us His true body in
with and under the bread. Christ gives us His true blood shed for us in
with and under the wine. Luther said that he was absolutely certain that
Christ gives us His natural physical body in, with, and under the
bread. What else other than Christ's true body and blood is able to save
us from our sins and give us eternal life?
We must grasp Christ's words in Holy Communion by faith and reject our reasoning and unbelief.
Here
stands the exact words of Christ's Last Will and Testament for us
sinners. They cannot be doubted or changed. Christ's Words here in Holy
Communion shall never pass away.
" Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." Luke 21:33
Hold onto these pure eternal words of Christ by faith.
13 And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
19 And
he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them,
saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance
of me.
20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Smug,
arrogant, clumsy, unbelieving LCMS pastors, professors, and laymen
imagine that they can change the words of Christ's Last Will and
Testament in the King James Bible, Luther's 1545 Bible, and the Greek
TEXTUS RECEPTUS. They especially forcefully press to delete the word
"testament" in favor of the word " covenant" in Christ's Last Will and
Testament. Like wild swine they rush past the Words of God and proudly
hold their heads high in a final and decisive victory as they gleefully
squeal over and over: "We do not have the original autographs, therefore
we can never be 100% certain of the text of God's Word." They purposely
ignore Christ's Words in their hardened unbelief.
"Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." Luke 21:33
Which
Words is Christ referring to here? Christ is referring to all the Words
God inspired the prophets and apostles to write thousands of years ago.
God perfectly preserved the Words He inspired the prophets and apostles
to write in the Greek TEXTUS RECEPTUS, Luther's 1545 Bible, and the
King James Bible. These are the Bibles God chose to attach Himself to
at the beginning of the reformation and continues to attach Himself to
for our modern day reformation. The gavel of God's decisive and final
judgement against the corrupt and fraudulent Vaticanus / Sinaticus
family of Bibles slammed down at the beginning of the reformation: God
rejected the corrupt Vaticanus (Nestle-Aland, ESV, NIV, RSV, NKJV, NASB,
Beck's Bible, etc.) and chose the TEXTUS RECEPTUS (Luther's 1545
Bible, King James Bible).
"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." Psalm 12:6,7
Which
Words is God referring to here in Psalm 12? God is referring to the
Words He inspired the prophets and apostles to write thousands of years
ago. These are the Words God preserves for us in the Greek TEXTUS
RECEPTUS, the Hebrew Ben Chayyim Masoretic Text, Luther's 1545 Bible,
and King James Bible.
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
24 For
all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.
The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." 1 Peter 1:23-25
Which
Word of the Lord is referred to here in 1 Peter 1:23-25? Yes, this
passage refers to all the words God inspired the prophets and apostles
to write. These are the Words of the Lord that endure among us
Christians for ever and ever in the TEXTUS RECEPTUS, Luther's 1545
Bible, and the King James Bible. It is true we do not have the original
autographs, but God has perfectly preserved all of His Words from the
original autographs in the Greek TEXTUS RECEPTUS, Luther's 1545 Bible,
and the King James Bible. Are you beginning to see the sharp difference
between faith that believes God's Word and unbelief that squeal's, "We
do not have the original autographs; therefore we cannot be certain of
God's Words in any text or Bible "
6 The
voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and
all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. Isaiah 40:6-8
Are
you beginning to see and experience the perfect harmony of God's pure
Words in the King James Bible? You cannot and will not experience the
harmonious certainty of God's Word in the corrupt and fraudulent
Vaticanus / Sinaticus family of Bibles(Nestle-Aland Greek, United Bible
Society Greek, Hebrew Dead Sea Scrolls, ESV, NIV, NKJV, RSV, Beck's
Bible, NASB, etc.).
"For
ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto
all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. Psalm
119:89,90
"I
will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy
lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above
all thy name." Psalm 138:2
"O
praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his
merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth
for ever." Psalm 117:1,2
1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100
Are
you beginning to see the sharp difference between faith that trusts
God's Word and unbelief that squeals, "We do not have the original
autographs; therefore we do not have any of God's Word with any
certainty."
"So
then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. But I
say, Have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the
earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." Romans 10:17,18
Note the harmonious certainty of God's Word in the King James Bible. St. Paul is quoting Psalm 19 here.
"The
heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his
handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth
knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not
heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to
the end of the world." Psalm 19:1-4
Notice
how faith holds to these Words of God and believes them. In contrast,
unbelief squeals, "God's Word is only certain in the original
autographs. It can't be certain in other languages."
"And
I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting
gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation,
and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear
God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and
worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains
of the waters." Rev. 14:6,7
The
everlasting gospel are the Words God inspired the prophets and apostles
to write. Notice the everlasting gospel is preached in all languages,
even to every nation, and every tongue. The Words God inspired the
prophets and apostles to write are preserved by God in the precise
translations of His Words from the Greek TEXTUS RECEPTUS and Hebrew Ben
Chayyim Masoretic Text: Luther's 1545 German Bible, King James Bible,
and many others.
The
darkness of unbelief and reasoning squeals in protest saying, "We don't
have the original autographs. All copies of the original autographs
including the Hebrew Ben Chayyim Masoretic Text and Greek TEXTUS
RECEPTUS contain at least some errors and omissions. We do not have the
exact words God inspired the prophets and apostles to write in the
Hebrew Ben Chayyim Masoretic Text and the Greek TEXTUS RECEPTUS
therefore we do not have God's Word in Luther's 1545 German Bible, and
the King James Bible. All Bibles contain at least some errors and
omissions. God did not preserve the exact words from the original
autographs. God preserved the thoughts and concepts but not His exact
Words. God could not and did not keep errors and omissions from
corrupting the Words He inspired the prophets and apostles to write. My
name is reasoning and unbelief. I am not afraid to speak a word against
God the Holy Ghost. God the Holy Ghost did not and cannot guide us into
all truth. He allowed errors to corrupt all Bibles and texts. God the
Holy Ghost allowed God's Word to be lost to corruption, doubt, and
uncertainty. My name is reasoning and unbelief.
Sound
familiar. I have heard this mantra of vile reasoning and hardened
unbelief my whole life. It seems everyone believes it instead of the
Words of God.
"Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." John 21:33
"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." Psalm 12:6,7
"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever." Isaiah 40:8
"Being
born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word
of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass,
and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth,
and the flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth
for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto
you." 1 Peter 1:23-25
Pastor
Gregory Jackson, PhD said, " Yale's Nils Dahl asked his doctoral
seminar what they knew for certain about the New Testament. We were all
stymied. He said, "The text! The text! We have the text! That is how he
moved away from 19th century apostate theories." (The King James
Version: Apostolic Texts, Precise Translation verses Fraudulent Texts
and Heretical Translations; Gregory L. Jackson, PhD ; pg. 189, fig. 18;
ISBN 9798429093451
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And
that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able
to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:13-17
God
has perfectly preserved His Words from the original autographs in the
Hebrew Ben Chayyim Masoretic Text, Greek TEXTUS RECEPTUS, Luther's 1545
German Bible, and the King James Bible. These pure Words of God continue
to bring forth fruit.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For
as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not
thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that
it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So
shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return
unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall
prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah 55:8-11
God's
Words went forth out of His mouth into the original autographs
thousands of years ago. God has perfectly preserved these Words for us
in the King James Bible. He attached Himself to them at the beginning of
the reformation and continues to attach Himself to them for the
reformation of the world today. I have ways believed this!! You should
too!!
The darkness of unbelief is past. So believe God's Words!!
"Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." Luke 21:33
"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." Psalm 12:6,7
In Christ,
Tom Fisher
