Is There Not a Cause?

By Andrew Steers Ph.D.

Is There Not a Cause? is not a book for the casual reader. It is instead a book to be read by the individual who truly has the desire to know and understand how God has preserved His precious Word throughout the course of time. Whether you were blessed to grow up in a home where it was never questioned that the Authorized or King James Bible was the preserved Words of God, whether you grew up in a home or went to a church where any Bible was considered the preserved Words of God, or whether you are a new Christian confused by all the different “Bibles” available today, if you truly want to know how God preserved His Words, then this book is for you. This is a book that has been years in the making. Dr. Andrew Steers is an obvious student of the Bible, and he has spent years in the preparation and study needed to qualify him to write this book. This is a book that is desperately needed in this era and should be read and studied by every Christian, but especially by those planning to serve God in full-time service.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Dec 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9781669885641

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Copyright © 2022 by Andrew Steers, Ph.D.

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Rev. date: 01/18/2022

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CONTENTS

About The Author

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Preface

Chapter 1Is There Not A Cause?

Chapter 2A Firm Foundation

Chapter 3Discernment

Chapter 4The Hebrew Books And Arrangement

Chapter 5Corruption Begets Corruption

Chapter 6On Principle A Worthier Choice

Chapter 7Unsubstantiated Claims Against The King James Bible

Chapter 8More Unsubstantiated Claims

Chapter 9Unavoidable Persecution, The Cost Of Following Jesus Christ

Chapter 10The Message No One Could Contain

Chapter 11The Truth Carried Forth

Chapter 12Reformation Days Lead To Brighter Days

Chapter 13Events Leading To English Bibles

Chapter 14Why Yet Another Version In English?

Chapter 15A King Who Sought To Honor God

Chapter 16The Process That Inspired Unity

Chapter 17Who Were The Translators?

Chapter 18Authorization Of The Bible

Chapter 19A Prosperous Nation

Chapter 20A Global Impact Like No Other

Chapter 21A Battle Worth Fighting

Chapter 22The Tool Used To Undermine The King James Bible

Chapter 23Staying With The Old Paths

Chapter 24The Cause Above All Other Causes

Selected Bibliography

Appendix

Glossary Of Terms

Endorsements

QUOTES ABOUT THE

AUTHORIZED or

KING JAMES BIBLE

In regard to this Great Book, I have but to say, I

believe the Bible is the best gift God has given to man.

All the good Saviour gave to the world was

communicated through this Book. But for it we could not

know right from wrong. All things most desirable for

man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found

portrayed in it.

—Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States (1861–1865)

Incomparable in its faithfulness, majestic in

its language, and inexhaustible in

its spiritual fruitfulness, the English Authorized

Version (KJV) continues to reveal to millions the

matchless grace of Him whose name is the

Word of God, and who is crowned with glory and honour.

—Ian R. K. Paisley (1998)

The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the

pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the

soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s

charter. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and hell disclosed.

Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God

its end. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. Let it fill the

memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly,

frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise

of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be

opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It

involves the highest responsibility, rewards the

greatest labour, and will condemn all

who trifle with its sacred contents.

—Author unknown

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A NDREW STEERS WAS born in Wynyard, Tasmania, Australia. He received a bachelor of arts degree at the University of Tasmania and then undertook a master’s degree in urban and regional planning at the University of Sydney (1988–1989). As a graduate student, he assisted with the preliminary research for Sydney’s bid to host the 2000 Olympics. Following graduation, he worked for several years as a city planner in outer metropolitan Sydney and then in Tasmania.

Andrew had been saved as an eight-year-old boy in Tasmania and always had a heart for God, but it was during his time in Sydney that the Lord began to lead him to be more involved in the work of the Lord. He turned his back on his planning career to prepare for the ministry. He graduated from Hyles–Anderson College in 1998 with a master of education degree. Later, he completed his PhD (theology) in Australia.

Andrew served as the principal of a Bible college in Brisbane, Queensland, and then was charged with helping start a Bible college through Grace Baptist Church in New Zealand. Later, the Lord directed him to work in churches in Sydney and Tasmania. He currently serves at Coastline Independent Baptist Church in Devonport, Tasmania.

His educational background, coupled with his penchant for detail and careful documentation of facts, has served him well while preparing the manuscript of this book. Seven years of diligent research culminated in a book that the author hopes will bring glory to the Saviour and make people aware of the preeminence of the King James Bible.

NOTE

Unless otherwise stated in the following pages,

all Bible references are quoted from the Authorized,

or King James Version of the Bible.

NOTE

For unfamiliar or unusual terms found in the following pages, please refer to the GLOSSARY OF TERMS, beyond the BIBLIOGRAPHY.

The sole motivation and inspiration for the research that has resulted in this manuscript has been to bring glory and honor to God. First Corinthians 10:31–33 states, ‘Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.’ Without bringing glory to Him, this author has no grounds for the reasoning, assertions, or other claims presented in the following pages.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

F IRST, WITHOUT LAURA, my wife, and her recognition of honoring her Maker in her own godly and consistent walk with Him from day to day, this manuscript was unlikely to be commenced, let alone ever completed. Excited to share in my vision for the truths surrounding the title of this manuscript, Laura has remained as steadfast as any man serving the Lord with his life would desire from such a beautiful example found in this precious lady. You have far exceeded all the hopes any man worthy of your attention could gain. Thank you, honey, for being my confidante and the best friend a husband could desire in a partner for this earthly life.

Second, I need to acknowledge the one dear friend in Dr John Nordman, who has believed in me from the outset for the past twenty-five years. His encouragement to commit to undertaking a PhD in theology was foundational in getting me to subsequently begin writing a publishable discourse that would bring honor to God. What you are about to read is the culmination of his urging.

Third, thank you, Mrs Kim Marsack, for your proofreading. My, what an unenviable but necessary role you have performed. It is a polished finish, and due largely to your careful, minute attention to detail, and without your suggestions to refine it where needed, it would not have made it to the publisher.

Miss Laura Abrell, thank you, too, for your creative graphic design for the cover of this manuscript—a job well done. Your contribution is greatly appreciated.

Last of all, a heartfelt gratitude needs to be expressed of the highest caliber of men of God who have given me their endorsements for this project and for Dr Owens for his expressions of confidence in the foreword. How else can one give honor to each of these men for the influence they have had on this new writer and his life thus far serving God in the ministry? As each one of these great men have already known for decades, God’s business truly is the greatest business in all the world.

FOREWORD

I T IS WITH great excitement and honor I present the foreword of this manuscript to all who will glean from its pages. I have always picked the books I would personally read first based on the work’s author. My most firm case in point to this methodology is the King James Bible. It is overwhelmingly and emphatically the most important book in the universe. I gladly, daily, and expectantly read it because of its author, which is God! God is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, full of love, and perfectly holy. The quality and make-up of the author determine and assure you of the quality of their writings.

Based on this aforementioned book-choosing premise, I highly recommend to you the author of this fine book, Is There Not a Cause? by Dr Andrew Steers. Andrew is every bit an incredible and inspiring overcomer. The writing of this fine piece is a testimony once again of the fact that overcoming is a prominent part of Andrew’s spiritual DNA. He is an overcomer when it comes to the physical, mental, and spiritual challenges of life. These many challenges for him have been of an extreme magnitude. Although there might be many causes in an individual’s life, it may be that the greatest cause of Dr Steers’s life is the very piece you hold in your hands and are reading at this time. This book, Is There Not a Cause? may be the primary cause for which the great God of the universe placed Andrew Steers upon this earth.

Please allow me to applaud the marvelous content of this treatise. This compilation of words, principles, and truths is thorough, profound, and enticing. You quickly notice that Andrew believes in the old-time religion and is not apologetic in any way for it. For this, I again applaud him. It is a wonderful thing when an author embodies the precepts about which he writes. The multiple subjects that are addressed in this book are desperately needed in any day and have helped to create a wonderful masterpiece. Dr Steers, in both a practical and an ingenious way, defends the veracity and power of the King James Bible. I personally, like many others, believe we do not need to rewrite the Bible; we just need to reread it! Brother Steers makes it clear that the King James Bible is not just one of many, but it is one of a kind! In these pages, it is pleasing that our incredible Baptist heritage and the local New Testament church is eulogized and properly portrayed.

I believe every person who reads this book will come to the consensus that both myself and others have regarding it. There is a standing ovation due to this work’s amazing subject matter and the mind that has laboriously and lovingly prepared it. In many cases, a foreword ‘over’ sells a manuscript. I must apologize, but in this case, my foreword ‘under’ sells the reading experience on which you are about to embark. I rate this book using only one word, ‘EXCELLENT.’ I rate this author using only one word, ‘CHAMPION.’ I describe the person who reads this book using only one word, ‘BLESSED.’

Dr Jeff Owens

Owens Publications

Ye are the light of the world. A city that

is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on

a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your

good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

—Matthew 5:14–16

PREFACE

R AISED TO BE in a church every week, I did not think it strange to be taught from what many today would regard as an outdated, archaic version of the Bible, as in the Authorized or King James Bible, the book of all books that has had the profoundest of impacts around the globe since its inception in 1611, permeating many areas of our culture such as in the arts, music, education, politics, and language, impacting countless lives of individuals the world over, even down to common phrases that are still used today after four-hundred-plus years. No other book, not even alternative versions of the Bible, can lay claim to such a depth of influence as this one book can. For all practical intents and purposes, it is a book full of commands, promises, statues, principles, and truths that Christians are meant to apply to life; hence, it is a doing book, echoed in the active, verb tense. Only when we do what it says will any of us begin to understand what is meant by the phrase ‘living Word of God.’ Perhaps I was naïve to believe everything that I was taught at church as a child! This included what I was learning from reading the Bible and accepting every part of it as true. It was at the age of eight, while participating in a church youth camp and sitting down in the home of the camp director and my Sunday school teacher, when I accepted Jesus into my heart as my only way to Heaven. This occurred at Camp Clayton, several miles east of the town of Ulverstone in northern Tasmania where I grew up, a camp that still exists to this day, though it now also boasts a convention facility. In the early 1970s, most churches in town were still using the same Bible. The same was understood to be true for most other churches around at that time, as it had been for well over three hundred years throughout the English-speaking world.

Study modern history covering the past four hundred years; are we to assume it is mere coincidence that England and America underwent an economic transformation of unprecedented proportions, along with the adoption of democratic principles of government whereby wealth and prosperity came within the reach of many more people than in previous generations? Such was the extent of influence of the gospel message that an unprecedented number of preachers of the likes of George Whitefield and John and Charles Wesley began to affect the British Isles as never before seen. The consequences were so profound that not only was the same affecting North America with evangelists such as Jonathan Edwards and Charles Finney, but so many people were responding to the gospel that an unparalleled number of missionaries also responded to the call, carrying the gospel of Jesus Christ across the seas into other lands. Jamestown on the East Coast of what became the United States was named by the Puritans in honor of King James I, settled in 1607. By the mid-nineteenth century, even in parts of Australia, there was unprecedented economic expansion, generating new wealth previously not realized from the gold mining fields, especially in New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. Concurrent with this industrialization was the ever-growing freedom of churches to preach the gospel and take the message of Christ to the masses abroad, including Australia’s only island state of Tasmania, by the early nineteenth century. It truly was unprecedented, and there was only one Bible being used at the time; it was the King James Bible.

For this one lowly individual growing up in Tasmania, recollection of my early years in church was that it was full of people every Sunday, as was the case for other churches one had visited growing up with family. I merely assumed that the same was true for most other churches relying on the same old Bible. Consequently, this was the only version of the Bible that I knew, and one simply presumed that it is what everyone read, irrespective of what church or denomination that they had attended.

However, an undercurrent of change was on its way, change that would alter the life and thrust of many churches permanently throughout Australia, including the lives of people in those same churches; it was the adoption of modern versions of the Bible. Although there is evidence that this trend commenced in the nineteenth century, it loomed progressively larger as time passed through the twentieth century. Sooner or later, it was certain to come Down Under as it seemed to be already well underway in America and England.

Starting out in a Christian Brethren church¹ in Tasmania, and eventually getting involved in a Baptist church² by my late teenage years, I could testify of similar changes. For some time from my mid-teenage years, I bought and used a copy of the Good News Bible, and by the age of seventeen, I was one of many amongst my peers who gladly purchased a New International Version, being led to believe it was also the complete Word of God, with a more modern and supposedly a more intelligent vocabulary. What more did I need to know? It seemed many friends had one too. Why not get on board, so to speak, and use the same Bible as my friends!

At this juncture, some readers might be concerned or even alarmed at some of the observations asserted herein, principally because they are personal in thrust and are only anecdotal and therefore might be viewed as unreliable without any proper systematic survey. If you are one such reader, please open your eyes, and for instance, contemplate attendance in your church, as it was, say, forty years ago (assuming you are old enough), and contrast it with attendance in your church today (if it still exists)! Notwithstanding the acknowledgement that other factors could influence such change, such as the kind of music being promoted in church, changing demographics, or a change of pastors, etc., ask yourself, ‘Is my church still using the old Authorized Version of the Bible?’ If not, is attendance in your church as strong today (or stronger) as it has been in previous decades?

Perhaps on the other hand, you are a Christian, discouraged by what you have seen in any such downward trend, regardless of the likely causes, that you only attend church occasionally now, if at all anymore! Maybe there are fewer young people in church and a disproportionate number of older members, a common scenario in churches, particularly amongst the many smaller towns or rural communities across our great country! It could also be that some who were once Baptists, or who were from a mainstream denomination, added themselves to a non-Bible preaching church or a church that no longer teaches from the King James Version of the Bible, many of which have seemingly been growing in popularity.

Pertinent to the same is statistical data that anyone can source directly from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (and most certainly from relevant government departments of other English-speaking countries), which clearly illustrate a declining trend in general church attendance, especially since the 1970s, as is the case for Australia. These include all mainstream church denominations that once held to the tenets of the King James Bible. An understanding of ABS data was a necessary part of my undergraduate degree at the University of Tasmania, as well as during my two years of graduate studies in urban and regional planning at the University of Sydney, utilized in my short-lived planning career that followed. If you dig deeper through ABS data, you will also learn in the late nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, church attendance and the incidence of the professing believers were significantly higher amongst the Australian population, upward of 80 per cent throughout the country, and this was prior to Australia becoming a nation with its own national constitution declared on January 1, 1901.

Moreover, although the following examples are only from personal observations, they are undeniably relevant to the topic at hand, especially in terms of church trends over the long term, which you may be able to concur as similar to your own experience. One was a Union Baptist church I was attending for a short while in the suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, which, besides adopting a modern version of the Bible, had eventually incorporated band instruments, including drums, in an effort to draw more young people into the church. It was an addition already commonplace in most Pentecostal churches across the country. Apparently, this pattern has since become quite prevalent amongst a number of other Baptist churches throughout metropolitan Melbourne. One can only wonder at what expense!

By the time I had moved interstate to graduate studies in Sydney, the Union Baptist church I began attending during those two years was in the midst of its own transformation; it seemed to be beyond the point of no return, dispensing with the King James Bible long before my introduction to this church. Soon after leaving it, in an effort to retain church attendance (or increase it), in the main Sunday morning service, the pastor decided to increase congregational singing from ten minutes to twenty minutes while reducing his sermon time from thirty minutes to ten minutes. The rationale was that it would enable everyone to be able to go home ten minutes earlier. Second Timothy 4:3 states, ‘For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.’ Close friends (married with young children), who had been integrally involved at the same church, later disclosed to me that the decision of the pastor to reduce his sermon time was enough for them to leave the church finally. When I had begun attending this church in early 1988, it was running well over 250 people every Sunday in its services, in addition to quite a vibrant youth department. It is 2014 at the drafting of this preface; that church is a mere shell of what it once was, with regular attendance not exceeding fifteen to twenty people each Sunday. In fact, during the last occasion I drove past this church building, the main language posted on the church sign was in Korean, not English, indicative of greater Sydney’s ever-changing multicultural mix. This is located in a major suburb of metropolitan Sydney, the largest city in Australia at the time. The building that houses this church would be the envy of many independent Baptist churches today, with a main auditorium on one level having a seating capacity for at least three hundred and, on a lower level, multiple Sunday school classrooms, a fellowship hall, and a kitchen, not to forget a couple of outbuildings. The auditorium also contained a baptistery, appropriately positioned at the front of the auditorium, behind the pulpit, though during my two years in the church, I do not recall it being used.

Amongst other churches that still exist to this day, sadly, many also seem to be a mere shadow of what they used to be. How? It is as if their light or candle has been extinguished (as the title verse for this preface suggests). Churches that were once active in outreach in some form or another, such as reaching the lost with the gospel, have ceased in maintaining such ministries. Drive through some towns and cities in Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom today (as this writer has done), there are the remnants of what looks like a church building, but it is no longer representative of a church but rather a coffee shop, an art gallery, or a house. Lo and behold, in one instance in New Zealand, there was one advertised as a church bar! Churches that still meet, irrespective of denomination, are now typically only meeting once or, at best, twice per week. If such churches still have any ministry, sad to say, it is a coffee shop ministry, an occasional fete or fair to raise money for a charitable cause, or a garage sale open to members and/or the general public! While such an observation might not be wholly accurate, one can only presume what such trends mean for these church groups in the next generation! Recall God’s admonition to the Hebrews in the midst of their rebellion. Second Chronicles 7:14 states, ‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.’ Observe to whom the charge in this verse was directed; it was toward God’s people, people who professed to know God, in this case, the Jews. Today, its relevance would be aimed at anyone purporting to be a follower of Christ. However, we Christians are kidding ourselves if we think that Christianity is alive and well as Christ the Saviour would hope to see across our lands in the twenty-first century! Rather than be truly alive, it seems that more churches have suffered from a cardiac arrest and, as a consequence, are barely breathing on life support. Some would even say that they are out cold and dead or, at best, lukewarm. Remember what Jesus had to say about the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:15–17, ‘I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.’ It is only a matter of time, and what life might still exist in such churches will likely expire altogether if Christians and churches at large remain apathetic to the cause of Christ. Simply contemplate the church buildings around your community, which have been sold for an alternative use or which have closed down completely!

Against such a background, which ultimately became a motivating force for this writer to get serious over the question of the credibility of the King James Bible, I had every reason to pursue this line of inquiry. Only, it would never have eventuated until first completing certain academic goals, all of which have been satisfied hitherto, including a PhD in theology in 2014. In hindsight, after turning my back on a career in city planning by June 1995, and while in my first year at Hyles–Anderson College in Indiana (1995–1996), I had a good friend back in Australia to thank, who challenged my thinking over largely unsubstantiated claims I had asserted about the King James Bible to him personally. In hindsight, the issues he raised with me were compelling enough to resolve in my heart that if ever the opportunity presented itself, I would undertake my own research on the issue to satisfy myself one way or another if the claims one had heard prior to and all through Bible college in support of the King James Bible could actually be validated or supported.

This leads me to ask the question, is there not a cause for Christians to take a stand on the Word of God any longer, and be prepared to be a witness on behalf of the only One Who can give eternal life? It would appear not, based on current, known, and more visible trends, one is left wondering what attitudes pervade the modern-day Christian and how such an observation correlates with the scripture! Romans 10:11 states, ‘For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.’ If you truly love God, you will NOT be hiding your belief in Him from anyone who wonders if you are in fact a Christian or who asks you of the hope that lies within you. One of the main causes of church decline in our modern world is due to churches adopting modern trends for a ‘new and better way’ since the Bible does not seem as relevant to answering all the ills of our modern society. This, of course, includes new versions of the Bible, foregoing a strong stand on the commands of God’s Word (and where Christians are no longer acting upon those commands) for the more accommodating, soft, benign, non-confronting, non-offensive form of what can only be summarized as lifestyle evangelism. Few churches seem to have any answers any longer, with many suggesting that while the Bible might be helpful, it does not have all the answers to life’s issues for Christians in a modern, advanced technological society. Instead, church leaders seem too busy emphasizing music programs, healing services, or concentrating on prophecy, and where preaching seems almost non-existent, with no thrust to stir hearts, to arouse convictions to do right by His Word. A pastor friend told me of visiting a Church of England for a service several years ago here in northern Tasmania, and the rector or minister read from a poetry book, not the Bible. Church-wide prayer meetings, once the ‘glue’ that held a church to a common cause, are now seemingly non-existent. Revivals are from bygone eras. Where revivals still occur, they are only stirring hearts in continents like Africa and parts of Asia and no longer in nations, where two or three hundred years ago, preachers were boldly proclaiming God’s Word in countries like England and the United States. Ezekiel 22:30 states, ‘And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.’

One cannot help but see similar parallels to the days of Jesus’s earthly ministry; most Jews would not listen to the message of salvation He offered them, let alone take that message to anyone else. He had no choice but to preach it amongst the Gentiles, amongst whom there were many more who would listen, but not only listen but get excited, and hence, momentum for the dispersion of the gospel was carried to the regions beyond. Today, it seems that evangelistic campaigns are for big-name pastors or charismatic preachers only. Ecumenism is not the answer. A new and better way is not the answer. Substituting the Bible for the expert opinions of professionals, in everything from advice on marriage counselling, how to raise children, and better or improved education techniques, takes precedence more than ever in our history, but these are not the answer either, nor are improved methods. Preaching conferences are not the answer, although they might be beneficial for personal character and leadership development. Thus, it seems that Satan has succeeded in fooling so many of us! A similar trend occurred in the Laodicean church³ in the first century. What was Jesus’s response? Again, His reaction would be exactly the same today: Revelation 3:15–16 states, ‘I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.’

CHAPTER 1

IS THERE NOT A CAUSE?

And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

—1 Samuel 17:29

W HAT ONE IS about to read relates to one of the most important questions of the present day: Is there not a cause? Is there not a cause for what is right or wrong? Is there not a cause for the troubles that seem so pervasive around the world, wherever one is willing to look, regardless of the issues in question? These issues seem endless. For instance, is there not a cause for wars concerning disputed territories, or between and/or within different religious groups? Perhaps it might involve disagreements that are evolving or have evolved into skirmishes, if not all-out war, along disputed borders between any two sovereign nations! Is there not also a cause for the kinds of challenges that are plaguing communities, including violent crimes like murder and rape? Then there are child abductions, incest, pedophilia (one of the most abhorrent), human trafficking, vandalism, white-collar crime, money laundering (of which some banks seem to be knowingly complicit in aiding), institutional corruption in the corporate realm or at any level of government, and one cannot forget concerns surrounding racism. What about at a more personal level, such as the differences of opinion among people? These differences can affect friendships and relationships at large, positively or negatively, at all levels, down to even being offended by unkind or thoughtless words echoed by someone one thought was a friend. There are also physical health problems and illnesses that inhibit many from leading fully productive lives.

From an entirely different perspective, is there not a cause regarding political correctness and left-leaning politics (particularly that which advocates a socialistic agenda)? It is undeniable that such an agenda has pervaded institutions of higher education for decades, whereby repeated attempts have seemingly been made to silence any one individual or group who expresses, say, conservative views, whether they be of a political, religious, ethical, moral, or social nature. Thus, one can hardly be surprised that, over the years, leftist views have also crept into the political realms of government and/or amongst many of those who are employed by them. It is not something confined to any one nation which has a Judeo-Christian heritage or one that is founded on democratic principles. Since the advent of the internet, specifically digital communication technology, freedom of speech is now being denied to those courageous enough to echo their concerns over injustices through social media platforms. It would appear that those who control such companies are behaving in a manner that undermines the very foundations upon which such nations have emerged or have been created, and by all indications thus far, the exercising of that control seems to be without legal restraint! If such corporations can remove the social media accounts of political or influential leaders, what is stopping the same from preventing ordinary citizens from voicing their own opinions via the same means of technology? It is as if the Constitution upon which the nation’s forefathers have built, guaranteeing freedoms of expression to all, now means absolutely nothing! Is there not a root cause for these discrepancies?

If one accepts that there is a real Heaven and a real place called Hell, if one accepts that God is real and that Satan is equally real, and if one knows without any doubt in their heart that his eternal destiny is ultimately determined by his or her acceptance of the gospel while living on God’s earth, one must also accept that there truly is a cause behind everything that happens or goes on in this world. If one accepts that Satan was cast out of Heaven for trying to set himself up as God, then it follows that all the warnings spoken of in the scriptures about him must also be true. Why, he has even managed to convince educators to exclude any hint or reference to God in school textbooks, presenting the idea that life just happened by a cosmic accident, whereby a bunch of gases somehow decided to come together at one point in time and go ‘bang,’ bringing forth an array of unique forms of life that never cease to amaze any who care to examine any part of creation. (The Bible tells the state of such people in 2 Peter 3:5, ‘For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water.’)

The Work of God Is Challenged

If one believes the lies promoted by some today, it also follows that the devil is actively at work to disrupt or destroy the work of God on this earth. It is especially true amongst anyone who believes the Bible, who believes in Jesus Christ, not as someone to curse or use His name in vain, but as the One Who was God in the flesh when He came to this earth to die on a cross because He loves everyone unconditionally and wants everyone to have equal opportunity to accept His gift of eternal life. Romans 5:8 states, ‘But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’ History records He arose from the grave three days following His Crucifixion, signifying that He alone conquered death and hence is the One and only One through Whom an individual can be forgiven of the sin and iniquity that pervades his or her life and can be born again, not of the flesh but of the Spirit. Christ gave His life so that one could have life more abundantly. Jesus said in John 10:10, ‘The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ Satan does not care what anyone may believe, providing one does nothing to help further the cause of Christ. Therefore, it should be of little surprise that some who claim to be Christians will not stand for the One Who gave them eternal life! Romans 10:13 states, ‘For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.’ Thus, the word believeth has more depth to its meaning than a simple belief. It implies not merely a decision of the heart and mind but in one that is acted upon.

One Cause above All Other Causes

Yes, there are all kinds of causes being advocated, and many are, without question, worthy issues for consideration, but there is one that this writer contends which supersedes all other causes in the past, present, and future. If it has not been made plain enough already, it has everything to do with Christ, Who gave His life for a cause that no one else could come near to matching. His is not a temporal cause but one with eternal implications. It will ultimately cause all other causes to cease, irrespective of how worthy each one may be. David alluded to the greatest cause when he spoke those words in 1 Samuel 17:29, as mentioned at the head of this chapter. Symbolically and spiritually, it went far beyond the day he courageously killed Goliath and Saul’s army overcame the Philistines. It was the cause of the Word of God. It was the cause of Christ, who is esteemed with preeminence in the Bible. In Psalm 119:139–140, David is recorded as saying, ‘My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words. Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.’ Why did David have such a love for God’s Word? Isaiah states it plainly enough. Isaiah 9:6–7 states, ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.’ Of course, these passages are referring to Jesus Christ; He is the Word. One of the most recognized verses is found in John 3:16, ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’

As tentative as it may seem to some, allusions to Christ are strewn throughout the entire Bible. The implications of His prominence throughout the scriptures are reinforced in the history underlying the entire premise of this book, which has resulted in a version of the Bible to trump all others. More is discussed on this matter in Chapter 16, under the subheading of ‘Depth of Translator Considerations’. It is the kind of detail that is seemingly overlooked by modern Bible translators.

A Fundamental and Foundational Issue

What seems to be the problem, one might ask? Fundamentally, and it is stressed, the Word of God⁴ has been attacked from the day Satan, disguised as a serpent, questioned what God said to Eve in the Garden of Eden, thereby casting doubt in her mind. Needless to say, Satan’s attacks have not ceased to this very day; for anyone to deny the relevance of this is to deny part of the truth of God’s Word. Elsewhere in the scriptures, God gives a prescription, available to any Christian, for contending against the wiles of Satan. Paul explains how one can be prepared for Satan’s attacks, indicating how it is he who is behind every personal woe, every problem or issue, every war, etc. that plagues societies and nations, right down to a personal level. So serious is this battle that all Christians are made aware of the nature of it in the scriptures. Ephesians 6:10–16 states, ‘Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.’ Certainly, it is easy to think as a Christian that all of one’s woes are either self-inflicted or brought into one’s life by some external source, usually another person. Put simply, this is human nature. However, the main point here in this passage is that the problems, difficulties, issues, and other challenges Christians experience in this life are essentially of a spiritual nature, caused by Satan. After all, besides not caring for anyone speaking up on behalf of Christ, he is equally delighted for each Christian to be at war within him or herself or with whomever one may think is the source of one’s woes. The truth is that there is a spiritual battle being waged that Christians do not see with their eyes and therefore do not consciously contemplate as being the real source of most of one’s problems faced from day to day. One is admonished by God’s Word to ensure that He is at the center of one’s life, walking with Him each and every day, expending time with Him in prayer, reading and studying His Word, and fasting if or when necessary. Why? Because it is all these various actions that ensure His guidance in every area of a Christian’s life to enable him or her to be an overcomer of personal inhibitions, to conquer fears, to rise above that which seeks to pull one down or that seeks to draw each and every Christian away from God and His Word, and to not forsake the assembling of oneself with fellow believers.

What makes this cause so vital is its foundation! Beginning with Moses, followed by the prophets, God gave His Word to the Hebrews, specifically those from amongst the Aaronic priesthood, all of whom were Levites. It was only from amongst the Levites that priests could be selected to, in part, do all they could to preserve God’s holy Word for future generations. Fulfillment of their statutory obligations before God would mean not only preservation of God’s Word but also the maintaining of its inspiration, purification, perfection, and preservation. After all, every cause must have a starting point from which to base itself. Without a foundation, the credibility of every claim Jesus Christ made during His short ministry on earth, including the fact that He was the fulfillment of the prophecies made in the Hebrew or Old Testament Scriptures, would inevitably be undermined.

Close to the Heart of Many Christians

The issue of the Word of God holds very close to the hearts of many Christians, and it should! After all, the Word of God is God’s means of ongoing communication to man, presented as a book like no other ever written. It records historical events; attests to actual named places, many of which no longer exist (though proven to have once existed, thanks to archaeological investigation and the evidence by which it has produced); and details the life and times of numerous individuals, races, and groups of people. Some authors identify its record as being factual, even scientific in credibility, at its most foundational level.⁵ Others are willing to accept only some portions of the scriptures while rejecting what they don’t like personally. Then there are those who think that most modern versions of the Bible are acceptable, thinking that they add to the richness in diversity of knowledge of what God has imparted to mankind. If one listens to critics, he or she will be led to believe that there is no perfect version of the Bible today, but such an argument is flawed from the outset simply because it is contrary to various promises made by God Himself regarding His Word. He makes four specific promises:

i. That it would be inspired. Second Timothy 3:16 states, ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.’

ii. That it would be purified. Psalm 12:6 states, ‘The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.’

iii. That it would be perfect. Psalm 19:7 states, ‘The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.’

iv. That it would be preserved for all generations. Psalm 12:7 states, ‘Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.’

Deciding Between Corrupt and Credible Manuscript Sources

As can be expected, some will say that it is impossible to conclusively establish clear lines of demarcation between corrupt sources of the scriptures and those sources whereby one can be certain the truth of the same has been maintained since the days of Moses. However, fundamental to Christian belief are specific and well-established tenets found in the Word of God. They are so fundamental that to ignore or undermine them is to cast doubt on the belief that there is a Heaven and a Hell. As a case in point, consider the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:22–24, ‘And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ It may shock many readers of the words herein that an increasing number of people who purport to know Christ openly deny that there is a Hell, arguing that a loving God would never send anyone to such a place. These same people ignore the truths elsewhere in the scriptures that He also delivers justice, that there are ultimate consequences to one’s actions that no human being in his or her right mind would want to ever face! Ask yourself, how could such people deny that Hell is a real place? This author is suggesting that the proliferation of modern versions of the Bible is the cause of many now holding to this belief.

Not surprisingly, due to a numerous array of source materials such as actual historical records and manuscripts of the different portions of the scriptures examined and studied by archaeologists, historians, Bible scholars, and theologians, what is in dispute is the credibility of any one source, that is, of manuscripts. These are the very documents which have enabled the translation of what people today hold in their hands as the Word of God. Broadly speaking, two primary sources of the manuscripts will be identified in the following pages, but only one of them can be correct. After all, it is from manuscript evidence that the biblical record has been reproduced for every Christian’s benefit. It is thus the actual source of those manuscripts which determines what records can be considered credible as distinct from records which remain questionable or doubtful. Reasons will be given for the credibility of the choice offered and the lack of credibility of the alternative source. What can be rather devastating is that, unbeknown to many people, it is this alternative source via which most, if not all, modern versions of the Bible are founded and which are relied upon as the Word of God or what most simply know to be the Bible, without having any personal depth of knowledge concerning the Bible to know the difference.

The Key Message of the Bible

It is indisputable that Jesus Christ came into the world for one main purpose: Luke 19:10 states, ‘For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.’ By lost, He means those who are destined for a Christless Hell. Jesus Christ is the only way by which going to such a damnable place can be avoided, such as where the rich man ended up as told in Luke 16. John 14:6 states, ‘Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ The New Testament is replete with alternative references to explain why He came; it was to give an explicit command to anyone prepared to follow Him. Mark 16:15 states, ‘And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.’ In other words, no one anywhere around the world was to be excluded from the gospel message, and there would be a spiritual enduement of power amongst those who identified with Christ as their Saviour to take that message to the lost people of this world. Acts 1:8 states, ‘But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ Wherever one looks in the Bible, one will find not just the reason for Christ’s coming into the world but also direct commands made to His followers to reach people with the gospel.

Again, is there not a cause? What was the purpose of Jesus training disciples if they were not prepared to reach others with such a vital message concerning people’s eternal destiny? Is not this an example of why it is important for Christians of today to speak up on behalf of their Saviour? Consider the admonition given by Paul. Romans 1:16 states, ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.’ Why is His Word given to Christians if they do nothing with it?

The Living Word Is Discovered in the Doing of It

Often, one has heard that God’s Word is the Living Word, but has it occurred to anyone that His Word is only alive if one does something with it? The New Testament is clear. First John 1:6 states, ‘If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.’ Thus, this is a doing book, one that is spoken of in a continuous verb tense, one that is full of commands directed at not only preachers of the Word of God but to every man, woman, and child who can personally testify of knowing Christ. One example of doing what the Bible says is to trust Him, as in Proverbs 3:5, ‘Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.’ A second example is preaching the gospel, which is also doing the Word of God, as in Ephesians 3:8, ‘Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.’ Thirdly, doing the Word of God is being obedient to its commands, as in Acts 6:7, ‘And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.’ Fourthly, being ‘ready to answer’ is part of the doing. First Peter 3:15 states, ‘But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.’ These kinds of admonitions are strewn throughout the Bible.

Corruption of the Scriptures

Biblical critics will have one believe that their talents and professional abilities are needed to prove that, in their opinion, there is no perfect version of the Bible available in any language. This is where the so-called academic discipline of textual criticism⁶ emanates, one that, interestingly, has only taken a prominent role in biblical research since the latter part of the nineteenth century. While it is accepted that there might be a useful place or role for such contributors to Bible knowledge, anyone who dares to postulate or merely imply that there is no perfect version of the Bible totally misses the point of why and how God gave mankind His Word in the first place. To suggest differently undermines God, His Word, Jesus Christ as the Saviour, and the Holy Spirit. The critic’s position also overlooks the concept of faith, which, interestingly, was the key criteria for God to choose men to be inspired of Him to deliver His Word, to see its perfection and purification, and ultimately to ensure its preservation for all generations. It was not simply confined to those who happened to live during former times when preaching was typically bold in most Bible-believing churches and when visitors would be hard-pressed to find an empty seat.

Regarding the question as to whether one has the perfect Word of God, it must be stressed that there is a clear difference in God’s perception of what is perfect, in contrast to man’s historical concept of the meaning of perfect. It is suggested by this writer that since man is not a perfect being, he is inclined to accept and believe the arguments and propositions asserted by so-called experts, such as Bible scholars who are predisposed to critiquing God’s Word. Like all human beings, they are not satisfied with any one version; they feel the need to correct the Bible time and time again or to release a new version, hence the numerous versions available on the market today. However, there are just too many unique attributes of His Word that warrant it being relegated to second place in any systematic and critical evaluation amongst all the numerous Bible versions available throughout the world these days.

Just as he questioned the Word of God before Eve in the Garden of Eden, Satan has been questioning the same ever since that time, and in so doing, he has not only brought the Word of God into question but, through his own devilish scheming, has sought to use man to corrupt it. This is not a new phenomenon: do not forget, it has been around since Satan deceived Adam and Eve. The pages to follow will attempt to illustrate the various ways by which he has managed to affect God’s Word. Any serious student of the Word of God would have to agree that there are differences between various versions of the Bible and that it was not simply the result of the preferences of those commissioned with the task of copying or duplicating God’s Word for posterity’s sake. In fact, Christians are kidding themselves if they think that the multitude of different versions of the Bible are agreeable and that it is merely a matter of personal preference as to which version a reader adopts as the Word of God. There is clear evidence of there being upwards of two hundred versions or more of the Bible in English alone available today.⁷ While all may have truth in them, the question is, how much truth? To have just a fraction of one percent of error in the Bible is, in the minds of many, a case for corruption of the entire Bible. Similarly, one may have a pure glass of water, but the moment one tiny drop of poison is added, the whole glass of water becomes corrupted. The use of arsenic is one example of such poison.

Then there are some people who would even be so daring as to suggest that each version might actually be a matter of personal interpretation, but the scriptures warn against anyone being so presumptuous! Second Peter 1:20 states, ‘Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.’ This verse is consistent with any Christian who might choose to do their own thing. In fact, there is a warning about this in the Old Testament, one that is repeated several times, particularly concerning God’s people, the Jews. The principle has just as much relevance to every Christian today. Proverbs