"YEA, HATH GOD SAID

"YEA, HATH GOD SAID?"

By DR. HUGH F.PYLE

P.O. BOX 1508

PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA 32402

That was Satan's first question in the Bible (Genesis 3:1). Paul asked King Agrippa, "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?" (Acts 26:8) And I find myself asking, why should it be thought a thing incredible with any of us that God would reveal Himself and His truth in a Book?

Surely all true Christians believe He has given us His Word. If He is big enough to produce such a Book is He not big enough to preserve it, as He promised to do in Psalms 12:6-7, and numerous other places?

I was taught from my youth that my Bible (The KJV was the only one Christians "who hadn't been messed with" used!) was the inerrant and infallible Word of God.

I read it through at age 9 and don't re-call having any trouble with it. When I surrendered my life to Christ to be His servant at age 19 we had a godly Southern Baptist pastor who had power in the pulpit and soon had a grand following of dedicated soul-winning, Bible-searching young people. Of course he used the authorized King James Bible.

Later when God called him to a much larger work his successor read and used the Revised Version. The services became cold, formal, boring. The flock scattered, the revival spirit faded, and he soon was gone. Why try to "fix" what isn't broken?

There are some 100 new versions now, mostly within the past 50 years. By actual computer analysis they are more difficult to read and understand than the authorized version. Confusion reigns, churches are worldly, spiritual power is gone in most instances.

America that knew the great revivals of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries sinks in a cesspool of corruption and violence. Am I to believe that God, who is "not the author of confusion," is responsible for such chaos? If I err I would rather do so on the side of the Book that fundamental Christians have accepted for centuries.

It has preserved my life, sanctified my marriage, raised my children, inspired my preaching, built strong churches, won many souls! Why would I want to embrace the modern "bibles" used by Catholics, modernists, Jehovah's Witnesses and assorted infidels? God's last warning in the Bible was to those who add to or take from His holy Word. (Some of the most popular "versions" remove thousands of His words!)

Since it is impossible for anyone to find and alter the "originals" what Bible is He talking about? You guessed it! All these versions cannot be the Word of God. Things that are different are not the same. If we say we have no Bible that can be trusted to be the God-given Word then we have no answer for new converts or youth who ask, "Which Bible is God's Word?"

To remove words from the authorized Bible because they are "obsolete" or "a better translation would be . . ." seems to declare that we do not yet have a complete Bible. Charismatics and cultists claim to receive new revelations from God. "The Bible of the Month Club" seems to play the same tune.

Does God have after-thoughts? The Gutenberg press and the King James Bible came about the same time. Just a coincidence? God wanted the common people to have the Bible ("the common people heard him gladly" - Mark 12:37). To say that theologians or scholars know best seems to bolster the Roman idea that truth is in the hands of the Pope and his cardinals.

No wonder Catholic dogma changes as often as the "versions!" For 60 years I've enjoyed the precious manna from heaven and memorized many portions of the great Book. I think I'll just stay in the company of Billy Sunday, J. Frank Norris, Charles E. Fuller, Oliver Green, M.R. DeHaan, R.G. Lee, Tom Malone, Lester Roloff, Harold Sightler, Henry Morris, Lee Roberson, Ian Paisley, Walter Burrell, Franklin W. Logsdon and Bruce Cummons. I'M VERY MUCH AT HOME!