11-02-2009, 03:46 PM
(10-30-2009 09:55 PM)art Wrote: [ -> ]One of my pet theories and i think it is accurate is that "false versions begat false doctrine".
Not meaning to cut you off, but that's a good thought. Let us stop, and park here awhile. This isn't exactly Art's point, but it's related:
If I recall correctly from my one economics course in college, there is something called "Gresham's Law." This is simply the statement that "bad money drives out good." It works this way: say that your nation's currency is made of silver. Silver coins, like American quarters and half dollars and dimes used to be. Then, the government begins to introduce copper coins. They might have the same face value, a quarter might still be worth 25 cents, but everybody knows that the silver coins are better. So, what happens? People start saving their silver coins, and hoarding them. They only spend the copper coins. So, in time, the "bad money" (cheap copper coins) drives the "good money" (silver coins) out of circulation, and the only thing you see anymore is the cheap stuff. Bad money drives good money out of circulation.
It works that way with Bibles, too. When I was saved (1969), my very first job was in a Christian bookstore. 90% of the Bibles we stocked were King James Bibles. We had a few Living Bibles, and a few "Good News" Bibles, but the bestseller was the King James. (The less popular New Testaments, like Phillips and Williams, were gathering dust on a bottom shelf somewhere.) Then, in the next year or so, the complete New American Standard Version was published in one volume. Because the "scholars" said it was the best, and the pastors obey the scholars like the Israelites obeyed Pharaoh, it quickly became a big bestseller - - - because the pastors were recommending it to their befuddled congregations. Then, a few years later, came the New International Version, which became even more popular. Eventually, since the scum always rises to the surface, the "New King James" was published in 1982, and was lustily endorsed by the independent Baptists like Falwell, as well as by many other denominational leaders. And very soon, in any "Christian bookstore" in America, the King James became harder and harder to find. The bad Bibles were driving the good Bible, the real Bible, out of circulation.
It even works that way with sound doctrine. We could talk about the decline of Christian magazines, like Moody Monthly or Eternity, both of which were once fine publications; but, since very few of us read Christian magazines any more (and there are very few worth reading), let's look at internet forums, like this one.
I'm not gonna criticize any other forums. But let's think about this one for a minute. Assume that, by God's grace, this blessed little place continues to grow, one member at a time. But, instead of really maintaining the standards that God has placed on our hearts, say that we start letting folks promote false doctrines. Maybe "Lordship Salvation," or "baptismal regeneration," or the charismatic stuff. We don't change our statement of faith; we still have our core beliefs; but we allow the other stuff, too. You know what would happen.
Pretty soon, the false doctrine (and/or arguments over false doctrine) would spread. If two or three charismatics were posting their stuff, more would join. If we let some Sabbath-observing types post their stuff, they'd be joined by others, who would join specifically to "back them up." (I've seen the Judaizers take over the Religion section of a large secular forum.) And pretty soon....
Pretty soon, the people who believe in rightly dividing the word of truth, and submitting to nothing but the King James Bible, would get sick of all the hassle, and gradually drift away. They'd post less and less, or maybe seek other forums. And this forum would become nothing but a place of competing heresies and endless arguments. The bad doctrine would have driven out the good. And at some point in all this, the King James Bible would be abandoned, slowly at first, then completely; because the King James Bible doesn't support bad doctrine.
As Art says, bad Bibles produce bad doctrine; and an acceptance of bad doctrine leads away from the real Bible. It has happened in many churches, and in many forums, and could happen here, apart from the sheer grace of God.
That's why we worry so much about off-brand doctrines being promoted here: and that's why every member of the Moderating team would sooner pull this forum offline than see it become what it could become.
We need your prayers, and your participation. We need the good stuff, to keep the bad stuff out.
Anne. Those are some very valid insights. To take it one step further, if my entire KJB1611 isn't true, how do I know what parts of it are and what parts of it aren't? My very salvation depends on my being able to believe it, beginning to end, because if I can't believe what Moses wrote, for example, how do I know I can believe what the apostles wrote of Jesus' life and teachings, or how do I know I can believe what Paul wrote?