Page 491 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

PRESERVATION

infallible Word and believe God has guarded the FOUR, PRESERVATION IS BROUGHT TO PASS
transmission of the Bible according to His EXPLICIT THROUGH THE PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS. The
promises, and they make this faith a central part of their preservation of the Scriptures took place through the
approach to the Bible text. These include Frederick priesthood of believers. The O.T. text was preserved by
Nolan, Solomon Malan, John William Burgon, Edward the Aaronic priests and the scribes who grouped around
Miller, Herman Hoskier, Robert Lewis Dabney, Edward F. them. “Unto them were committed the oracles of
Hills, Terrance Brown, Jay Green, and Donald Waite. God” (Ro. 3:2). In the N.T. dispensation every believer is
Regardless of whether or not one agrees with these men a priest under Christ. Hence, the New Testament text
in every detail, one encounters in their writings an has been preserved by faithful Christians in every walk
entirely different attitude toward the Bible. It is an of life. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he
attitude of reverence and faith that is missing from the will guide you into all truth” (Jn. 16:13). It was not the
books defending modern textual criticism and the pronouncements of church fathers or counsels that
modern Bible versions. As I began researching this determined the text and canon of the N.T. Rather, the
subject in the early 1980s, the lack of trembling Holy Spirit guided His own into the acceptance of the
reverence toward the Bible and the lack of faith in true word of God. Such copies proliferated, while
divine preservation on the part of textual critics was one defective ones were ignored. The Holy Spirit continues
of the first warning signals that led me to reject modern this work today in the questions that arise over the
textual criticism. wording in the modern versions.
“Hear the word of the LORD, YE THAT TREMBLE AT FIVE, PRESERVATION EXTENDS TO THE ACTUAL
HIS WORD…” (Isaiah 66:5). WORDS. Preservation has to do with the actual words of
PRINCIPLES OF BIBLE PRESERVATION Scripture, not merely the general teaching or concepts.
The following is by Jack Moorman: This is made clear in the list of verses just given.
ONE, QUESTIONING PRESERVATION IS THE Advocates of the modern versions commonly say:
STARTING POINT OF APOSTASY. The questioning of the “There is not a single doctrine missing.” But what they
Bible’s preservation is the starting point of all other fail to tell you is that the words which support and
kinds of apostasy. Satan in Genesis 3 did not begin his develop these doctrines are frequently missing. Thus,
attack by questioning whether there was a God, or the force of the doctrine is diminished. As inspiration of
whether God created, or whether the doctrine of the the Scriptures is verbal so also is preservation.
Trinity is true. Apostasy did not begin with the question SIX, PRESERVATION IS OPERATIVE IN THE SPREAD
of whether God’s word was inspired in the originals; OF THE SCRIPTURES. Preservation has taken place in
apostasy began when Satan asked Eve, “Yea hath God the diffusion of God’s word, not in its being hidden or
said?“ “Eve, are you certain that you presently have a stored. Stewart Custer, in seeking to somehow equate
full recollection of what God said?” When doubt was the use of Vaticanus and Sinaiticus with the doctrine of
given a bridgehead at this point, the other defenses soon preservation, said, “God has preserved His word in the
fell. The same principle applies today: Has God sands of Egypt.” (This statement was made in a debate
preserved His word and kept intact His original work of at the Marquette Manor Baptist Church in Chicago,
inspiration or has He not? It is a fact that the one 1984.) To take such a position would mean that
common denominator in all the varied errors, believers have had the wrong text for 1800 years, and it
deviations, and heresies is that their advocates will first has been only with the advent of two liberal British
criticize the standard received edition or translation of churchmen, and the retrieval of two disused
Scripture. Alexandrian manuscripts that we now have the “true
TWO, PRESERVATION MUST BE APPROACHED IN AN preserved” Word of God. No! The miracle of
ATTITUDE OF FAITH. Like all other Bible truths, the preservation was operative while the Scriptures were
Scripture’s teaching on its own preservation is to be in being disseminated.
the first instance accepted by faith. Edward F. Hills in his “The Lord gave the word: great was the company of
outstanding book, The King James Version Defended those that published it” (Ps. 68:11).
calls it “the logic of faith.” The facts and evidence of “Have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went
such preservation will then follow. into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the
THREE, PRESERVATION IS GROUNDED IN THE world” (Ro. 10:18).
ETERNAL COUNSELS OF GOD. The Bible’s preservation SEVEN, PRESERVATION MUST OF NECESSITY APPLY
is rooted in the eternal counsels of God. The Scriptures TO KEY TRANSLATIONS. As so few can read the original
are as eternal as God Himself. “For ever, O LORD, thy languages, God’s promise to preserve His Word has no
word is settled in heaven” (Ps. 119:89). practical relevance if it does not extend to translations.
The Scripture frequently affirms “that we are born again

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 491