Now to get on track again. More on the King James Only Controversy.
INTRODUCTION
There is a great difference between the modern version view and the King James Bible only view. Also, there are parallels between this issue and the evolution versus creation debate.
APPROACHING THE BIBLE
How we approach the Bible today, and whether we believe there is a perfect manifestation of the Bible in one book depends actually on our heart. It is dependant on our “world view”.
Evidence exists today. Old manuscripts are not in the past (though they existed in the past). Old manuscripts are here now.
Depending on our “world view”, we will interpret the evidence (the old manuscripts) into a narrative of how the Bible came to us today, and whether or not we have a perfect Bible right now.
WHERE DO WE START?
Many scientific and other innovations and advances were discovered after the Renaissance and Reformation. If you look at the British Empire or America, you can see how much knowledge has increased. Many of the scientific pioneers, like Isaac Newton, had a high view of the Bible.
Paul wrote, “And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.” (2 Thess. 3:2). This verse says that having no faith is unreasonable. In other words, reason and faith go together. That is why proper Christian inquiry is important and good.
Opposite to this are the rationalists who divorce reason and faith. They think that advancement comes through humanistic endeavour. They think that religion gets in the way of progress.
Today we can either believe that the Bible is true, self-authenticating and explore it on that basis, or else we can start from theories about the early history of the Scriptures, which always emphasise the weakness of men (i.e. that people made mistakes in copying), and always minimises the involvement of God in actually keeping the Bible from mistakes.
Thus, we either look at the King James Bible and receive a doctrine that it is true, pure, etc., and therefore interpret history in that light, or else, we start from the idea that man is subject to mistakes today, and that despite our best efforts, we will never have a perfect Bible, and history likewise is interpreted in this light (which seems to tend toward the most outlandish claims dressed up in serious sounding language, and an attachment to the most divergent manuscripts on the weakest arguments).
HOW WE INTERPRET THE BIBLE IN HISTORY
Remember that interpretations and narrative of what happened during, say, the Dark Ages exist right now. It is the case which best fits the evidence.
As long as people are disputing on that ground, they have no final authority of appeal. This is why it is heavily practiced by modernist scholars, because they believe that there is no final authority of appeal, but the misguided faith in the “learning” of modernist men.
Modernist thought, by the way, is contradictory, in that while it tends toward denying “faith”, it actually is a faith, and a blind one at that. This is obvious, because people who bring out anti-KJBO propaganda demonstrate an a priori commitment to their theory, which they purport to be fact. Moreover, as much as they have attachment to human reasoning (the deification of man by himself), they hold the contradictory notion that no man is right, and that all are subject to erring.
That is why it is important for Bible believers to stand on the Scripture as it has been given right now as the primary argument, in that the Bible speaks of God, and since God must be working now, this must be His Word right now: “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” (1 Thess. 2:13). “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” (2 Thess. 2:15).
If we have a perfect Bible today, then we have a sure point of reference to understand what actually was occurring in the Dark Ages. In other words, history is not just subjectivity, or a changing story about the past, or today’s current truth, but we have a link to the true view, and we are able to enter into God’s view... so a Christian inquirer might be said to be unlocking the secrets of God’s creation since we are surrounded by an absolute framework.
People who argue against KJBO must therefore have to accept some sort of subjectivity, some sort of hindrance to human achievement, and most drastically, some sort of limitation of God, even to the point where some deny His existence.
BUILDING UP FROM THE FOUNDATION
“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3).
If we have the perfect, infallible Word of God in one book present right now, we can see how everything else will be built up and in place: a proper interpretation of Scripture, right doctrines, proper laws, pure conscience.
If we do not in practice have a perfect Bible today, and hold to a doctrine that we do not know if we can have one, then the whole building of our faith and doctrine begins to crumble. That is why there is a direct link between rejecting the King James Bible and a lukewarm Christianity.
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