PASTOR’S MONTHLY MESSAGE
Pastor McClain's Message for October 2023
Does The Bible Version Really
Matter?
Does it matter what version of the Bible you read? The answer to that question may be subjective or objective. If you speak candidly concerning any Bible version, there is Bible in each of them. So, the real concern must be the answer to the question: Which version contains the purist flow of Truth? The one constant in the world of Bible translations is the fact that the King James Bible is the one that all the others either compete with or reject.
Does it matter from what source of water one drinks? While some may be acclimated to water sources that are notably not pure of certain contaminates, one cannot deny that the contaminated source is better than no water. In certain cases, the contaminates are flavored or otherwise supposedly enriched to make it more palatable. But, where the real problem shows itself is when the contaminates begin to manifest themselves in various forms of physical abnormalities.
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” (1 Peter 2:2) Understanding this Scripture is the key to spiritual growth and development. Without a doubt, Peter was making it known that sometimes non-pure milk is served. Will it sustain life? Yes! However, it will not be a sufficient supplement for the weightier matters that may challenge one’s faith. There is a huge difference between sincere and non-sincere. I love to distinguish the two with a little story of the “Broken Vase” – One breaks a beautifully painted clay vase and repairs it by cementing its parts together with wax. Next, the vase is repainted with an even more beautiful cover. What would the final disposition be? While some might consider the vase to be more desirable due to its pleasing exterior, is the value of it to be considered based on looks only?
In our fast-paced world, we want what we want . . . quick, fast, and in a hurry. Time is money. That’s a very well-known cliché. Therefore it seems to be that many of the faith in Christ are seeking quick fixes to supplement the time-consuming need to study God’s Word. Like the Bible versions that are not pure, the water that is contaminated, and the vase that was repaired with wax, there is an inevitable moment when less than perfect will not be enough! For the Bible student, it is the missed opportunity to make full proof of one’s faith in an undeniable truth; for the thirsty, it is the cancer that eats away the flesh due to flavored contaminates; for the purchaser of the once broken vase, it is the moment that it is subjected to heat or direct sunlight, and it falls apart.
It ends well if it begins well. The Authorized Version of The Bible, (AV/KJV) is the pure form of God’s Word to English-speaking people. To desire anything less is to desire that which is non-sincere, and that contaminates the soul and leaves one with less than that which God intended. You have a will, you must make a choice, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” (Psalms 12:6)
Nat McCLain