Regarding God Securing His Word to Us

Regarding God Securing His Word to Us
Robert J. Fuller, Jr.

I believe that God has secured His Word to believers for use in ministry and life (Isaiah 40:8; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25). By this, I mean that, through the many various texts available to us, the actual rendering is available, though not necessarily in any single text.

First, I acknowledge that nowhere in scripture is there any statement determining or demonstrating the method of this securing. Second, I acknowledge that there are many variant texts and textual traditions available. Third, I find no scriptural authority to exalt one text or textual tradition, or one translation over another. Therefore, I understand that this securing is not accomplished in the same manner as inspiration. I am compelled to accept that, while God miraculously originated the Bible through inspiration, He has chosen to secure it to us through secondary means (see Deuteronomy 17:18 and possibly Jeremiah 36:26-28).

Since God has secured His Word to us in the form of a multiplicity of manuscripts, I acknowledge the need for careful and faithful textual analysis as the means to finding the most accurate representation of the text of the original writings. I acknowledge also, that these representations of the text are compilations done by men. Though biblical interpreters may judge some translations more faithful to the "original text" in general, no one translation, or compiled representation of the “original text”, carries a God-ordained superiority, or a universal biblical mandate, above all others. Consequently, some of the variations in the wording of such translations are interpretive, while others present themselves because of a variance in the text used for translation.

Nonetheless, though no absolute determination regarding the actual text is possible, these variations do not necessarily signify a deviation from God's Word. Because the authority and power of Scriptures derives from the God who gave them, and because God has chosen secondary means to secure the text of Scripture to us, God's authority and power follows through with His chosen means (Deuteronomy 17:18-20) to make available to us translations that are reliable, authoritative, and effective (Isaiah 55:11; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; Hebrews 4:12).

I acknowledge that, when based on careful, normal-literal translation of the best representation of the text of the original writings, today's English (or Spanish, Russian, etc.) translations are reliable, and carry God’s authority and power derived from that of the original writings.

I am sympathetic with the notion that, due to the importance of God’s Word, we need to get this right. I understand that there are opposing theories of textual analysis. However, I find no basis in the explicit statements of scripture, or in the larger teaching of the Scripture, that mandates choosing one theory over another. Recognizing that not all can be 100% right, I am content knowing that all, in some way could be wrong. It is up to me, as a careful student of God’s Word, to give due diligence (2 Timothy 2:15) to both the choice of textual theories I accept, and the method of translation and interpretation I utilize. I must also grant that same freedom and responsibility of diligence to my brother.

Always Forward: Spiritual Development

Recently, I came across another organization that uses the motivational phrase, “Always Forward.” It is 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Training Brigade, stationed in Fort Jackson, South Carolina. In reading through their mission statement and the principles by which they seek to develop leadership in their soldiers, they have 30 principles for command philosophy. As I search the scriptures to see if they conform to God’s command philosophy, I will share them here.
 
Spiritual Development Enhances The Whole Man. Every day demands of us the best we can put into it. We approach our jobs with thought. We approach our families with understanding (or at least we should). And we approach our health with some degree of concern – evidence the diets and exercise to which we subject ourselves. It is not wrong to think before we act. It is not wrong to consider our spouses and our children before we respond, or act in a way that affects them. It is not wrong to be concerned for our health. Our families, and others who depend on us, want us around as long as possible.
 
However, it is easy the think that these things make us ready for life. As important as these things might seem, they only amount to moving around the furniture in a display window. What we need is to embrace the importance of our spiritual training. The training or lack of training, of our spiritual life will affect every area of our life. When mentoring his protégé, Timothy, the Apostle Paul said, "For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come" (1 Timothy 4:8).
 
So easy it is to focus on the near term, on the most pressing, on that which inflicts immediate discomfort that we forget that our soul, and our ultimate day of decision with God, depends on a preparation of a different and more important kind. The training of our minds and hearts in godliness benefits us now and will benefit us in our future with God.
 
One more thought, how are we training our children? What are they learning from us? Do they see in us our desire to be instructed in godly character and service? Are we teaching them to dodge God's training? Sit down and read Hebrews 12:7-11. God's training of us has a purpose. But we will never really see all He can do through us, or through our children, if we insist on looking only at the immediate, only at what meets our agenda.
 
Where does spiritual development come from? It comes from the work of God's Spirit in your life as He works through three agencies - God's Word, God's leaders, and God's people. Soldiers learn when they stop setting their own standards, and start looking to and obeying their commander.

Seems strange.

Check it out. "Islam the Tolerant." Hmmmm.

God, Religion ... Whatever

I just read through an online article that pointed to a definite decline in the Biblical spirituality of America’s youth. I wonder how the youth of FBC would compare. You might want to read this article. It also references another article that is just as startling. Our youth need their parents and other significant adults to train them in the truth of God’s Word. And, lest we forget, the best time to train is when they are young. The results these articles reference show a distinct lack in life training of our youth.

Check out this article. It will open your eyes.

A Spear To The Heart?

Have you heard of the film, “End of the Spear”? It is ostensibly about the deaths of the five missionaries the Curaray River area of Brazil. Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, Peter Fleming, Ed McCully were, and have continued to be, great examples of those who gladly give themselves to the cause of Christ. I was hoping that this motion picture would show the human side of lives surrendered to Christ. I am, however, very disappointed in what is now known of the decisions and evident motives of those who have produced this movie. One of the best analyses I have seen is at SharperIron. This motion picture is not one that should cause believers in Christ to rejoice. I fear it is merely another attempt to water down the gospel of Christ, and desensitize believers to wickedness in our culture.

The Message

I’m sure he thought he had the right information. I’m sure he thought he was delivering good news to those who desperately wanted to hear it. I’m sure that those that heard it thought it was true, and that the miracle they had prayed for had happened. I’m sure.

This could be about the recent tragedy in Sago, West Virginia. The mining supervisor thought he had the right information. He knew that the families had gathered in prayer hoping for the return of their loved ones from the mine. Therefore, he was sure that they would want to know the good news he had heard. Except – what he heard, or thought he heard, was not what really was. Bells rang. People laughed and sang, and got ready to go greet their loved ones. And then – tragedy all over again. The message was wrong. For twelve of the families, hopes turned to horror, turned to hysteria, turned to heartache. The supervisor thought the information was right – but it wasn’t. The people believed the information to be right – but it wasn’t. Everyone thought there was reason for joy – but it was not the joy they had expected. Yes, one miner came through alive. But where thirteen men went into the mine, twelve died there – leaving families, dreams, responsibilities, and promises unfulfilled. The first paragraph could be about this.

But it could also be about what goes on all the time in the name of God. It is just as tragic when people hear what they think is good news about their standing before God. The person giving it may believe it, those hearing believe it. And there is great dependence on it. But, it is not true. Many churches have chosen to remake God and the gospel in their own image. They want the news to be what they want to hear – or what they want to say. So, without being careful and getting the real information from God and His Word, they proclaim a message that has the details in it, but the detail are backwards. They are giving the exactly wrong message. The bells ring, the people are pleased – but the message is false. And instead of finding the peace and destiny they desired, they find emptiness and destruction.

It’s not enough to believe. You need to believe the right message. It’s not enough to give good news. You must give the God’s Good News. Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. This is not by any of our righteous works, but in accordance with His mercy. We can do nothing but trust in Him, personally. Paul said that he preached Christ and Him crucified. The message that contains is not the message the world wants to hear. But it is the truth. It is the message they need to hear. It is the only message that can deliver men and women and boys and girls from the tragedy coming. They have the responsibility to believe the truth. We have the responsibility to give the Truth.

Almost Here

It's the 23rd, and Christmas is almost here. I can remember how this time excited me when I was a child. But, like Paul said, I put away childish things. Yeah, Christmas is still exciting, but differently. This year, Jacque and I are taking the responsibility of hosting the family for Christmas Day and the day after. We will have, to the best of our count, eighteen in our home for dinner on the 25th. I realize that some families are far larger, but this is a crowd for us. It could be more crowded.

Due to distance, our daughter and son-in-law in Greenville, SC won't be able to attend with us (sniff, sniff). But the rest of the family should be there.

Now what is the point of this? I don't really have one. It's just ... well, it's just that, I still love Christmas. I love Christ. I cannot express my thanks to the Father for sending His Son for me. I love my wife, and all of my kids and kids-in-law (including the one who I think wants to be a kid-in-law). God has been so good to our family, His gift has proven itself so precious, that there is no adequate expression of my gratitude.

Christina Rossetti wrote a poem that ends with these words.

"What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb.
If I were a wiseman
I would do my part.
Yet, what can I give Him?
Give Him my heart."

Merry Christmas from the Fullers.