Authorised Version or Per-version/s.
A brief extract from a sermon by Brian Bradley on Matt.Ch.6v33 Part 25 Seeking the Kingdom of God series [1998]. With which we now more than heartily concur in 2020.
As seekers of the righteous Kingdom of God we must have a great desire for and a great love of the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures. But while loving the Word of God we will detest the devil’s counterfeit of this Word. The Authorised Version, or King James bible has been with us little short of 400 years but increasingly, over the past 25 years or so it has been abandoned in favour of one per-version or another with quite an appalling indifference generated amongst professed believers as to what version they would prefer; to them, it’s simply ‘a matter of choice.’ Some are actively engaged in promoting their particular version, or rather per-version, and encouraging people to leave the time honoured scriptures for their ‘new’ and ‘better’ translations which they say are more suitable to this present age.
Men responsible for translation of the Authorised Version were so careful not to add a word which was not justified by the text and if ever they did so they indicated that it was added by placing it in italics. But this is not the case with new translations which are now promoted as better for not only do they rely upon corrupt manuscripts and corrupt textual scholars but they paraphrase at will and so we have man’s contribution added to the pure Word of God – being not simply a translation but a translation with an included commentary which is man devised.
Now the closing verses of the Bible warn of the serious consequences of tampering with the Word of God for it will meet with the sore displeasure of God and receive what is termed ‘the plagues’ written in this book [Rev.22:19]. One of the worst of plagues is the delusion of thinking one is doing what is best for the good of the church [when] in reality [it] is destructive of that very aim, certain to destroy rather than build, ruin rather than restore the testimony. And these people, be they Charismatic, Ecumenical, Evangelical or Reformed would not agree with our assessment that it is not the God appointed Old Paths that they promote but change, adjustment, making everything relevant to an age which is morally and spiritually bankrupt rather than honouring the demands of God.
… Sufficient to say, if we are to honour our Lord’s directive we will not prove diligent seekers, we will not receive the approbation of our ruler, our Lord of the Kingdom, if we aid the present apostasy with reference to accepting and promoting the devil’s counterfeits of the Word of God. And so we would encourage those who use the Authorised Scriptures to remain with it and to allow no one to convince you of the need of any change and, if you do use other translations forsake them as of urgency.
Now (in this brief excerpt) I have avoided going into detail as to why we should trust the Authorised scriptures and reject all modern versions asking you to note where God’s blessing has rested over such a lengthy period of time – this Preserved Word, this Word which has had the blessing of God upon it for nigh on 400 years. It is most reverent and encourages us [to be so], it has the most superb language and is [thus] most suitable to the worship of God. It can be easily memorized, which isn’t the case with the per-versions, so that the minds of our young ones will be filled with what will prove [to be] of the greatest help and advantage in their journey through life.
The Authorised Version has what some have termed ‘timeless excellence’ and we would concur with this. The scholarship and godliness of the translators of the Authorised Version cannot be denied resulting in a faithful God honouring translation of the text. There is the utmost reverence for its author that is conveyed which all the per-versions lack and thus it speaks for God in a day when men’s thoughts act for the scriptures. Within this righteous Kingdom there is no place for counterfeits, for the devil’s deceptions, for there is nothing that defileth that is welcome, nothing that favours the harlot, nothing that assists apostasy.
The blessing of God rests upon His Word but curses upon what simply claims to be His Word and so the greatest care must be taken to know the difference, to differentiate between what is pure and what is vile, what is from heaven and what is from hell; that which honours Christ and that which pleases the devil.
Now it is not a ‘slight difference’ for we have quoted Revelation 22:19 where God spells out the dire consequences; it’s not a ‘slight difference,’ for tampering with the revealed Will of God is a serious matter so God states that there is a ‘world of difference’ between what he has given and what men determine for themselves.
Many so called ‘Reformed or Protestant or Evangelical’ Churches, Organisations and Ministers have compromised today with the ‘textual criticism’ fraudsters/per-verts. These men, unlike them, we believe to be ‘Christian’ men who have been deluded, the fear of God taking second place to the fear of man, and we pray a ‘wake-up’ call will be theirs before further pernicious damage to the Gospel cause is done.
Our link to AV1611 (see ‘Links’ page] is a good resource for arming yourself against dishonouring the Lord’s Word, falling away and and perverting others; a good example from there being –