What Will You Have
The Words of Men, or The Words of God
Psalms 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
As stated in the verse, God's words are pure, and He promised that He would preserve them forever so that all the generations of men could get them, and read them.
It is essential for the Christian to have the very words of God to refer to as one would an owners manual on life, to live a successful Christian life.
2Timothy 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Without those very words of God, the man of God will not be throughly furnished to live that life.
In this modern day, many have turned away from the words of God to the words of men. Some have done this without knowing, trying sincerely to better understand the Bible. There is a lot of confusion with all the bible versions. Which one is the best? Which one should you use?
1 Corinthians 14:33b ...God is not the author of confusion....
In this issue of new bible versions it is very easy to discern the difference between the words of men, and the words of God with very little need for biblical scholarship, knowledge of ancient languages, or a theological degree.
The average Christian can easily discern these things by the presence, or absence of the copyright placed on the book.
If the bible that you read has a copyright on the text of the bible, it is the words of men. If anyone should quote extensively from one of the new bible versions in the press, or on the networks, he must pay a royalty to the copyright owner, or risk copyright infringement. Anyone who doubts that the new versions are not the words of men need only quote them at length in the newspaper, or in the mass media, without giving due credit, and the copyright owner will prove to him that the words of that "so-called bible" are owned by the copyright holder with the threat of a lawsuit. It is the law.
Following is a copyright statement from the NASV Side Reference Edition (emphasis is the author’s):
(paragraph 2) Permission to quote - The text of the NASB(R) may be quoted and or reprinted up to and inclusive of 500 verses without express written permission of the Lockman Foundation, providing the verses do not amount to a complete book of the Bible nor do the verses quoted account for more than 25% of the total work in which they are quoted. Notice of copyright must appear on the title or copyright page of the work as follows ....(gives details of presentation)
(paragraph 5) The Lockman Foundation may terminate this permission at any time.
(Paragraph 6) Quotations and or reprints in excess of the above limitations, or other permission requests must be directed to AND APPROVED IN WRITING by The Lockman Foundation...
Does this demand for permission sound like it is referring to the words of God, or the words of men?
On the other hand, there is no copyright on the text of the old King James Bible. The one that has been used, read, printed, published, and quoted extensively by the pilgrim fathers of our country. It is the Bible that this nation was founded upon. It is the most widely distributed book that has no copyright on the text in the history of man.
As a matter of fact, the owner of the words of the Bible commanded you, the reader of this tract, to memorize it, quote it, publish it, teach it, and preach it to all nations. God Almighty owns the rights to His Bible, the King James Bible, the A.V. 1611, and has given the average Christian the privilege, and authority to propagate it widely without having to ask permission of anyone else.
Although one might find a copyright notice in the front of an old King James Bible, the copyright is not on the verses and text of the scriptures, but on the helps and notes, or notations found alongside of the scriptures.
At Liberty Baptist Church we are enlisted with a Bible printing ministry that operates out of a local church. The quality Bibles we handle in our church bookstore are as much as 1/3 the price that you will pay at a retail bookstore. They have no copyright on them anywhere.
If you want just the words of men, get one of the new versions; if you want the words of God, THE SCRIPTURES, get the old King James Bible. It is "able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus". (2Tim 2:15)
For more information on this matter please feel free to contact us.