Due to some interesting events unfolding over the last few days and weeks, I'm sure my little blog has suddenly become very "popular". In fact, my blog was pretty much a primary source of "evidence" that I am allegedly some kind of heretic.
You see, I believe in a Holy Bible which I have within touching distance on my left hand side as I write this blog. Every time since I got saved as a five year old boy that the Holy Spirit of God has spoken to me, He has done so in English. I've never yet heard the Holy Spirit speak to me in Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. Strange that, isn't it? Who would ever have thought that God could speak English? Who would ever have thought it indeed...
When people have a written statement of faith that says "The Holy Bible is the inspired word of God", they often don't really mean that. Or at least, they DO mean that the phrase "Holy Bible" is NOT a reference to the English King James Bible. If they DO believe in a Holy Bible of any sorts, they SEEM (and I can only say "seem", as they never seem to be able to clearly define their position - how incredibly convenient!) to be referring to:
1. An original manuscript WHICH DOES NOT EXIST ANY MORE.
2. An "original language" WHICH THEY CANNOT FLUENTLY READ.
3. An eclectic text such as the Received Text, WHICH NOBODY CAN QUITE PINPOINT.
Oh, and for those of you reading this post and getting a little hot under the collar, do yourself a favour and RESEARCH whether the "original manuscript" of the Book of Job was written in Hebrew. You see, all extant "original language" manuscripts of the Old Testament have Job in Hebrew. But nobody believes - at least, nobody who has good sense and does their research - that Job was originally written in Hebrew. It was almost certainly penned by Elihu, and if that was the case, he penned it a long, long time before the Hebrew language existed. He probably wrote it in Egyptian, and it was probably translated into Hebrew by Moses.
And while you are on this topic, do some RESEARCH and see the EVIDENCE which indicates that the "original manuscript" of Matthew was probably written in HEBREW. Yet no early Hebrew Matthew manuscripts are extant. The early manuscripts of Matthew are all in Greek. So much for the scholars claiming that they are correcting the King James Bible with the "originals" and the "original languages". These scholars KNOW the evidence, they KNOW it says Matthew was written in Hebrew, so they reduce the evidence to suggesting that "Matthew was written in the Hebrew style". Oh, how convenient. But oh, how intellectually dishonest...
By choosing one of the above positions (original manuscript, original language, or eclectic text in original languages), it puts you in the incredibly convenient position of NEVER having to SUBMIT to the Word of God. You simply pick and choose the relevant text, manuscript, word, or variant which suits your doctrine.
I have never adopted that position. I change my doctrine to suit the Word of God - as it is given to me, by inspiration, in the King James Bible. I have it on my desk. I can read it. I trust it. It has proven itself now for some 400 years. They keep hammering away at the anvil, and the anvil keeps wearing out the hammers.
I never wanted to suffer for the Word of God, but it is truly an honour to do so. And in the very month that is the 400th year Anniversary of the Word of God in the English language. Who would have thought?
Purified Seven Times... (Psalm 12 : 6 - 7)
1. It took seven years (times) to produce.
2. It was the 7th major attempt at producing an English Bible. (Preceded by Tyndale's, Matthew's, Coverdale's, Great Bible, Geneva Bible, Bishop's Bible, and finally purified in the Authorised Version, King James Bible.)
Where the word of a king is, there is POWER... (Ecclesiastes 8 : 4)
Amen and amen. At least I know where I stand. I always did.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Monday, August 3, 2009
Upon that Rock I stand
Years ago, the great American preacher, Vance Havner, preached a message called "Upon that Rock I stand". It was a great and inspirational message. If you ever find it on the 'Net, it is worth your time and bandwidth to download and listen to it.
I wanted to use this post to make it abundantly clear upon what Rock I stand.
I am saved by the grace of God, by faith in Jesus Christ, and repentance from sins. Upon that Rock I stand.
I am a Baptist, and an Independent one at that. No local Church ought to look to any authority anywhere on earth, other than in the pages of the King James Bible. Upon that Rock I stand.
I am a Baptist, and an Independent one at that. But I am not a Baptist Brider. They have done more damage to the cause of Christ than any other group of saved people I know of. And upon that Rock I stand. Christ said "Upon this rock I will build my Church". I have heard Brider preachers actually deliberately MISquote this as "upon this rock I will build my Churches", but it did not say that. Christ's Church is singular. If you want to be a Baptist Brider, please at least have the integrity to admit that you are not a King James Bible believer. You CANNOT be both. Every brider eventually corrects the King James Bible. They have to, because the King James Bible exposes all of the errors of the Brider position. Aund upon that Rock I stand.
I am a King James Bible believer. By this, I mean that the Bible I read on a daily basis (don't try to cloud the waters by talking about differences between a 1611, 1613, or 1769 etc.) is Supernaturally GIVEN BY INSPIRATION (as it says) and is therefore EQUAL TO any "original manuscript" in authority, but in most senses actually SUPERIOR TO the "original manuscripts. And upon that Rock I stand. (Superior in that you can read a King James Bible, but the originals no longer exist. Superior in that it is my native tongue, and Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew are not my native tongues. Superior in that the English KJV is more wide-spread than the original tongues ever were. Superior in that more people were saved through the KJV than through the original tongues.
I am wise to the brethren, nice folks though they might be, who seek to APPEAR to be Bible Believers, when they are not. They "use" the KJV. They "prefer" the KJV. They "use nothing but" the KJV. And yet the call me a "Ruckmanite". For the record, I am NOT a Ruckmanite. It is a name used to smear anyone who stands strongly for the King James Bible. For the record, most Independent Baptist Preachers in Australia DO NOT BELIEVE the King James Bible is 100% free from error, given by inspiration. Don't believe me? Ask them! And be aware - they are very clever at avoiding the issue, and making it SOUND LIKE they are, when they really aren't, and they know they aren't, but they are "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. From such turn away." And upon that Rock I stand. And sometimes, you have to be in the minority to make the right stand.
I am confident that my Saviour will return at the Rapture during my lifetime. The sooner the better. Until then, I will seek to build a Philadelphian Church whilst surrounded by Laodiceans. Yes, it is "hard to soar like an eagle when surrounded by turkeys", but I also know that "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me". And upon that Rock I stand.
It is about time God's people started taking a stand. Corny but true, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything". Ephesians 6 says "And having done all, to stand." Don't cower. Don't stoop. Don't waver. Don't apologise. Don't retreat. STAND!
I wanted to use this post to make it abundantly clear upon what Rock I stand.
I am saved by the grace of God, by faith in Jesus Christ, and repentance from sins. Upon that Rock I stand.
I am a Baptist, and an Independent one at that. No local Church ought to look to any authority anywhere on earth, other than in the pages of the King James Bible. Upon that Rock I stand.
I am a Baptist, and an Independent one at that. But I am not a Baptist Brider. They have done more damage to the cause of Christ than any other group of saved people I know of. And upon that Rock I stand. Christ said "Upon this rock I will build my Church". I have heard Brider preachers actually deliberately MISquote this as "upon this rock I will build my Churches", but it did not say that. Christ's Church is singular. If you want to be a Baptist Brider, please at least have the integrity to admit that you are not a King James Bible believer. You CANNOT be both. Every brider eventually corrects the King James Bible. They have to, because the King James Bible exposes all of the errors of the Brider position. Aund upon that Rock I stand.
I am a King James Bible believer. By this, I mean that the Bible I read on a daily basis (don't try to cloud the waters by talking about differences between a 1611, 1613, or 1769 etc.) is Supernaturally GIVEN BY INSPIRATION (as it says) and is therefore EQUAL TO any "original manuscript" in authority, but in most senses actually SUPERIOR TO the "original manuscripts. And upon that Rock I stand. (Superior in that you can read a King James Bible, but the originals no longer exist. Superior in that it is my native tongue, and Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew are not my native tongues. Superior in that the English KJV is more wide-spread than the original tongues ever were. Superior in that more people were saved through the KJV than through the original tongues.
I am wise to the brethren, nice folks though they might be, who seek to APPEAR to be Bible Believers, when they are not. They "use" the KJV. They "prefer" the KJV. They "use nothing but" the KJV. And yet the call me a "Ruckmanite". For the record, I am NOT a Ruckmanite. It is a name used to smear anyone who stands strongly for the King James Bible. For the record, most Independent Baptist Preachers in Australia DO NOT BELIEVE the King James Bible is 100% free from error, given by inspiration. Don't believe me? Ask them! And be aware - they are very clever at avoiding the issue, and making it SOUND LIKE they are, when they really aren't, and they know they aren't, but they are "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. From such turn away." And upon that Rock I stand. And sometimes, you have to be in the minority to make the right stand.
I am confident that my Saviour will return at the Rapture during my lifetime. The sooner the better. Until then, I will seek to build a Philadelphian Church whilst surrounded by Laodiceans. Yes, it is "hard to soar like an eagle when surrounded by turkeys", but I also know that "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me". And upon that Rock I stand.
It is about time God's people started taking a stand. Corny but true, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything". Ephesians 6 says "And having done all, to stand." Don't cower. Don't stoop. Don't waver. Don't apologise. Don't retreat. STAND!
Purpose of my Blog.
Welcome to my blog!
Finally, I, an IT nerd of all people, bite the bullet and join the 21st century. Blogging. How unlike me. I intend to use my blog, not for work purposes, and not really so much for social purposes, but to provide my Christian brothers and sisters up to date information on our ministry at Bible Baptist Church.
Of course, there is a lot of other stuff happening in life too, and from time to time, I may comment on other things. The impending birth of our second son is a notable example.
I trust you don't find my blog too boring. If it is, well, you are always welcome to leave and read someone else's blog. Or better yet, stop blogging. Get off the Internet, and soak your head in the Bible for a while. It will do you a world of good!
Cheers for now,
Ben Smoker.
Finally, I, an IT nerd of all people, bite the bullet and join the 21st century. Blogging. How unlike me. I intend to use my blog, not for work purposes, and not really so much for social purposes, but to provide my Christian brothers and sisters up to date information on our ministry at Bible Baptist Church.
Of course, there is a lot of other stuff happening in life too, and from time to time, I may comment on other things. The impending birth of our second son is a notable example.
I trust you don't find my blog too boring. If it is, well, you are always welcome to leave and read someone else's blog. Or better yet, stop blogging. Get off the Internet, and soak your head in the Bible for a while. It will do you a world of good!
Cheers for now,
Ben Smoker.
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