KING JAMES ONLY?

ANSWERS TO A PASTOR

David C. Bennett, D. Min.

November 21, 2006

John 5:47 "But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?"

Recently I received a caustic email from a pastor whose communiqué was with reference to with whom I fellowshipped and my belief concerning the Word and Words of God. Therefore I have written this paper.

This independent Baptist pastor said he applauded my having left the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE) for he too has "had a number of issues with them over the years." Yet, in spite of this fact he said he has not dropped any existing ABWE "missionaries unless they left the field through marriage, leaving missions, or changing fields, or retirement." In other words he doesn’t have enough or great enough issues to drop their support. This is compromise. I have said it before in other papers and I will say it again, if a missionary stays with ABWE he is not a separatist! ABWE missionaries are into drama, dance and the Rick Warren philosophy to name a few. Why do pastors not drop ABWE missionaries? Is it because they know they will have a battle within the church. "We have supported this missionary for years" is the cry. Southern Baptist Convention pastors do not have a monopoly on compromise!

This pastor said he was concerned I had gone with Bible For Today Baptist Church, whose pastor is Dr. D. A. Waite. This pastor said "Dr. Waite used to be a member of IBFNA in years past, an organization of which I am a charter member, (emphasis added) but he has long since disaffiliated himself and travelled in different directions.  Where are you in your affiliations?"

This pastor needs to understand that these organizations are not heaven sent but man made. Does a man belonging to the group of which this pastor was a "charter member" mean the man is therefore trust worthy? Is a man belonging to this group, or any other man made group, a better Christian, a better warrior for the things of the Lord? History has shown most of these man made organizations eventually lose their way.

It is a little ironic that this pastor doesn’t seem to be concerned about those ABWE missionaries, he has not dropped, that they are (probably) not members of the group of which he was a "charter member", where their affiliations lie. This pastor will continue to support missionaries with an organization (ABWE) that embraces drama, dance, Rick Warren’s philosophy, and have a president that will speak at a South Wide Baptist Fellowship meeting which included Southern Baptists as well but he continues their support and wants to know where my affiliations lie! I have come to find that the very best fellowship to be associated with is found in 1John 1:3 which says "…and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

This pastor asked if I had embraced Dr. Waite’s "fringe position of KJO?" He went on to say that he himself is "KJ Mostly, but not exclusively." Now, I think he is hinting that Dr. Waite is a Ruckmanite. Peter Ruckman believes the King James Bible is inspired as were the originals and that the King James even corrects the Greek Text. I do not believe this and neither does Dr. Waite. Dr. Waite has stated this publicly several times and in print. In spite of this fact some do not hear for they seem to have selective hearing.

This pastor continued by saying "Though I admire the TR, I am not critical of those whose positions are other than mine (emphasis added).  Though I require speakers to use either the KJV or NKJV in my pulpit, I do not dismiss them if they choose to preach otherwise in their own pulpits." I am always suspicious of someone who says they admire something but they have no problem with those who do not have the same admiration. Edwin H. Palmer in THE MAKING OF A CONTEMPORARY TRANSLATION PAGE 196 said "I love the King James Version (KJV)." He went on to say "But today the KJV will not do…" That is what this Pastor is saying as well.

This man is very big-hearted to "those whose positions are other than" his, but is this really true. If this was in actual fact the way this pastor thought I would not have received such an acerbic email. My position and Dr. Waite’s position is not as his is and yet he is very critical of our position. Why does he not accept my position? He is not open to my position which says there is one English Bible that is trust worthy, for it and it alone is an accurate translation of the preserved Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek Words of God.

He further states that he is a Majority Text man and as such he appreciates "being alerted when someone in the audience may have a variance (emphasis added) differing from the one I'm preaching from as it may impact my choice of words in that passage.  I frequently mention the readings of what I call the 'economy version'."

Is not this pastor gracious? He wants to be alerted to different readings "as it may impact my choice of words in that passage.’ With this kind of thinking how does such a Pastor lead his people into a firm belief in the authority of Scripture? The answer is that he doesn’t. 2Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." These men are still searching for the Word of God and it just might be in one of these New Greek Texts or English translations!

As to these variants D. A. Waite, Jr. in his excellent book THE DOCTORED NEW TESTAMENT, published by The Bible For Today Press, page iii, in a footnote quotes from John Burgon’s book Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels page 35. Burgon says "that the so-called ‘Various Readings’ are reading that ‘possess really strong attestation (verification or support).’ He estimated that ‘more than nineteen-twentieths (over 95%) OF THE ‘Various readings’ commonly quoted are only the vageries (quirks or eccentricities, i.e. mistakes or errors) of scribes, and ought not to be called ‘Readings’ at all."

Sadly, the so called fundamental schools are turning out men who are open minded to everything and almost everyone except the one who holds to the King James Bible as being the most accurate translation of the preserved words of its underlying Hebrew and Greek Texts. This belief is just too strong and by their unbelief they will sever fellowship.