It was pointed out to me recently by a brother in Michigan, Evangelist Barton A. Swarthout, that until 1900, what we commonly call "the King James Version" (KJV) or the "Authorized Version" (AV), were simply termed "The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testament."

He said that he had made a study of the matter and had concluded this fact. One might say, "What does this prove or ever matter?" It proves that until there started to be a proliferation of versions in the late 1900's and early 1900's, the "King James Version" was considered THE Holy Bible.

This was the term used from 1611 until the German higher-criticism movement began interjecting doubt into the translation of certain passages and ultimately the entire Old and New Testament.

I own a 1616 (five years after the 1611) entire Bible and checked its front page and I found it to read, "The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testament." King James "Version" (with the emphasis on "Version") was not mentioned!

I also own a 1773 entire Bible and its says the same. I further own an 1812 entire Bible and it says the same. Brother Swarthout sent me a copy of an 1852 which also says the same.

That's interesting! You mean for 289 years no one questioned that the 1611 was in fact "THE BIBLE!"? No one but unbelievers!

In other words, there was no "version" issue until man decided to "mess" with the King James Bible and come out with a "new, better, easier to read," so-called one! (version)

So, when you read the works of Wesley, Whitefield, Moody, Spurgeon, David Livingston, F.B. Meyer, George Mueller, Andrew Murray, John Newton, Hudson Taylor, Jonathan Edwards, David Brainard, John Bunyon, John Calvin, Charles Finney, and other great preachers of the past, and they referred to "the Bible", they were referring to what we now term, "the King James Version."

When Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., M.R. DeHaan, Theodore Epp, Sam Jones, B.R. Lakin, J. Frank Norris, G.B. Vick, H.A. Ironside, Billy Sunday, (George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Stonewall Jackson, or any of the great founders of our country) and all the other speakers I heard during my days at Bob Jones University in the 1950's, used the term "the Bible", they were referring to the KJV!

They were not referring to the original autographs (writings of the Bible) whom no one possesses or has ever seen since the first century, they referred to the KJV! It was good for my Fathers, it was good for our Mothers, but it's not good enough for me!

Can you follow the train of thought that the Devil has used there? If he could not get rid of "the Bible", then he would criticize the Bible in small places and then larger places, until he would present the idea that a whole new Bible (version) was needed!

At some point in time people dropped referring to the Word of God as "the Bible" and began to debate the virtues of new "versions" being more accurate, readable, etc. Thus, was launched the battle, not for the Bible, but the battle for which version? Some saw it coming; that it was a device of Satan to divide and conquer, confuse, discourage memorization, etc. and others just went along because it was new, or it was considered more intellectual.

No one wants to be termed a "Duh", and so, the Devil appeals to your pride of intellect saying: "the old is not as good as the new." And if you use the "new" you will be thought to be more intellectual! However, you can't get any better than the old plan of salvation by grace through faith!

You can't get any better than the image of a sovereign, omnipotent, merciful God who loved you as a sinner: enough to sacrifice His Son for your rotten sins! No, the new is not better unless the old fails to work, and that is not the case with the King JamesVersion.

When I heard Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. preach he used to say, "The liberal and the modernist says `the Bible just contains the Word of God, but is not the Word of God!' But this Bible is the Word of God!" He would say, holding up his small Scofield.

Now, what Bible do you think Dr. Bob Sr. was talking about being inspired? What Bible did the modernist refer to when he said "it" only contained the Word of God? The KJV obviously! They were not talking about the Hebrew or Greek texts, Textus Receptus, (TR) Majority, Tischendorfs, Masoretic, Stuttgartensia Bibliahebraica, etc.)

By the way, I don't see any difference between the liberal Dr. Bob referred to in 1950, than the so-called "conservative" today that says the KJV contains the Word of God, but is not the Word of God and it can be corrected. When you hold to the KJV you are holding to the BIBLE millions referred to as being the Word of God for hundreds of years! You are in great company! Think about it!

Did you ever wonder why in your NIV, NKJV, or NASV the verse does not exist or match the version read by your pastor? The American Standard Version of 1901 was supposedly the most accurate translation. But it died. The Lockman Foundation bought the copyright and it was said again, to be the most accurate. However, it had to be revised last year again.

A nationwide survey concluded it is only accepted by 9% of churches. Most surveys about the most popular version, has to do only with sales from Spring Arbor (largest "Christian" distributor) and does not take into consideration the many thousands of KJV Bibles and NT's printed and distributed free.

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