Dr. Shelton Smith  - President and Editor

Sword Editor Addresses “The Inspired, Preserved Text” Issue and Conflict

The question is: Is the King James Bible the inspired Word of God? It is my position that it definitely is! I have said so again and again!

It is not just a “version” of the Bible; it is the Bible in the English language!
 

In the SWORD OF THE LORD (April 18, 2008), I had an article entitled “What Is That Book You Hold in Your Hand?” In it I said, “Is the King James Bible the Word of God? Absolutely! Let’s stop the quibbling. Either you have the Word of God or you don’t. If your Bible is the Word of God, then you have something totally unique and very, very special….

“What He at first inspired, the Lord God has now preserved. Therefore, when I hold the King James Bible in my hand, I hold the inspired text.
 

“It was inspired, and now that inspired Word has been protected, preserved and provided for us!”
 

UNDERSTANDING THE MAJOR ESSENTIAL TERMS
 

Let’s be sure we have a handle on the major terms that define and describe the Bible.

1. Inspiration

The primary text on inspiration is II Timothy 3:16,17 where the Greek term is theopneustos, meaning “God breathed.” It means God Himself gave His words to us.
 

A second text that bears upon this is II Peter 1:21 where it says, “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” The word pheromenoi means those holy men, the writers of Scripture, were “lifted or carried along.” That is, they were not communicating their own ideas but God’s. They were the penmen but God Himself was the Author.

2. Inerrancy

Inerrancy means that the Bible is without error. It is accurate in each and every detail.

3. Infallible

Infallible means “incapable of error, free of deception, totally trustworthy.”

4. Impeccable

Impeccable means “having no flaws, perfect, irreproachable, incapable of sin.”

5. Verbal Inspiration

What God gave us (theopneustos) are His actual words; therefore, we rightly refer to the Bible as the Word of God.

6. Plenary Inspiration

Plenary means “full, complete in every respect, absolute, needing no other qualifications.”

7. Preservation

This means “the act of preserving, protecting and keeping safe.” It means it was kept from injury, decay or destruction.

8. Perfect

Here we mean “without fault or defect, accurate, letter-perfect and faithfully reproducing the original.”

9. Pure

This means “unmixed with any other matter, spotless, stainless, free from what vitiates, weakens or pollutes.”

10. Powerful

Indeed the Word of God has great prestige, influence and ability.
 

I understand that these ten terms are all specific words with separate meanings, but I also believe that each of them has a direct connection to inspiration and preservation.
 

For example, without inspiration there can be no inerrancy! Without inspiration there can be no infallibility, no perfection, no purity, etc. If the hand of God be absent, then inerrancy, accuracy, infallibility, etc., are all out the window and gone!
 

So if we do not have the inspired Word preserved in the King James Bible, there is no way you can talk about perfection, accuracy, inerrancy, etc. If the inspired Word has not been preserved for us, then we cannot lay claim to any of the other extraordinary attributes that we commonly ascribe to Scripture!
 

Inspiration and preservation are necessary for us to have a text that is inerrant, etc. Otherwise, we have a purely human book that can be tweaked and adjusted at will.

THE BIBLE ITSELF MUST BE OUR PRIMARY SOURCE

“The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
 

“Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”—Ps. 12:6,7.
 

Do I have in my King James Bible the “words of the Lord”? Yes, I do! Take note—those “words” are “pure words” (vs. 6), and we have (vs. 7) the promise of God that He will “preserve” those words “for ever.”
 

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”—Matt. 24:35.
 

Look carefully! Once again the “words’ of the Lord are given a never-ceasing status. It seems quite obvious that the Lord Jesus was promising us that we would have His Word somewhere on this earth forever.
 

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”—II Pet. 1:21.
 

The writers of Scripture served as the amanuenses (ones employed to do writing for another) for the Lord. They were His human vehicles for getting His Word written down. “They were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
 

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

“That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”—II Tim. 3:16,17.
 

This great and powerful statement says it all. The Scripture was given to us by the Lord God Himself. Again, the phrase “inspiration of God” (theopneustos) tells us that it was “breathed out” from God!
 

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”—Heb. 4:12.
 

No ordinary book, this great volume we call the Bible. It is life changing and impacts eternity.

INSPIRED ONCE CONTINUALLY PRESERVED, THEREFORE STILL THE INSPIRED WORD!

The Bible was inspired once (when it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Aramaic). That is how we received it from Heaven. As the centuries have come and gone, the Lord has marvelously and miraculously preserved His inspired Word for us today. Let’s be clear on this.

1. We have His inspired Word in the Hebrew Masoretic text of the Old Testament and the Greek Textus Receptus text of the New Testament.
 

2. We have His inspired Word preserved for us in English in the King James Bible.

3. We have His inspired Word preserved for us in other languages as well. Specifically there is a Textus Receptus-based Bible (over which there is virtually no debate) in Portuguese, Dutch, Hungarian, Czechoslovakian, Albanian and Italian (to name a few).
 

What God has preserved, I repeat, is His inspired Word! If He did not preserve His inspired Word, then what on earth did He preserve? If we have no inspired Bible, what are we to make of the promise of preservation? If God’s preservation has not protected His inspiration what did it do?
 

The fact is, what He has preserved are the words He once inspired; therefore, what we have in the King James Bible is the preservation of the inspired Word of God!

HEBREW, GREEK AND ENGLISH

I love the Hebrew Old Testament! I love the Greek New Testament! I love the English King James text! Yes, I love all three of them, and here’s the reason why: they (all three) are the Word of God!
 

If you do not know Hebrew and Greek and if you choose not to learn them, that’s fine. You have the English Bible, and you do not have to have Greek and Hebrew.
 

But let’s also be careful that we not diminish or dismiss them either. Remember, they too are the Word of God.
 

Very simply, if there were no Hebrew and Greek Word of God, you would have no English Word of God. Remember, that’s where we got the English text (from the Hebrew and Greek).
 

Using the Hebrew and Greek in your study or in your preaching doesn’t make you a “Bible corrector” unless you have a mind to correct the text. If one “corrects” the text, the problem is not the text, but rather it is he who misuses his tools. You can use a dictionary, a commentary or your preaching to “correct” the text if you are so inclined. It is, however, the sacred responsibility of all of us to handle the Word of God respectfully.
 

There is a vast difference between defining and explaining the text and correcting it. We take the position upfront that the text is correct and as a preacher or teacher we are obliged to declare it with full explanation. That’s why we call it Bible preaching!
 

Remember, there is no conflict between the Hebrew/Greek text and the English Bible, because they are all the perfect Word of God. Any perception of a problem is our lack of understanding and not a problem with the text.

AUTHENTIC, ACCURATE, AUTHORITATIVE NECESSITATES INSPIRED

When a man such as me or any of our brethren takes pen in hand to write a book, we can never attain perfection, because we are mere humans. We struggle to get it right. That’s why we rewrite, edit and perfect unceasingly.
 

But when God set about to speak His Word to us, He did it in a fashion that left nothing lacking. Using human writers as He did, the Lord gave them His very words to pen. That’s why we assert without hesitation that the Bible is verbally (the words themselves), plenarily (fully, entirely) inspired.
 

What He inspired them to write, He has preserved for us; and we hold that preserved inspiration dear and precious in the King James Bible.

It Is Authentic!

This Book, the great Word of God, the King James Bible, is the real deal. It is not the word of men; it is the Word of God.

It Is Accurate!

Scientifically it is accurate! Geologically it is accurate! Historically it is accurate! Geographically it is accurate! Medically it is accurate!

On whatever subject it addresses, it is one hundred percent true and accurate!

It Is Authoritative!

Because it is the Word of God, it is not mere suggestion or optional counsel. It is the Almighty’s authoritative Word. When we lessen it, we make it easy for men to disrespect it and dismiss it.
 

When we espouse its authority, then it becomes the rule of faith and practice for all we do.
 

None of this (authenticity, accuracy, authority) could be achieved apart from inspiration.
 

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”—II Pet. 1:21.

IF NOT INSPIRED, THEN WHAT IS IT?

As I hold the King James Bible in my hands, if it is not the inspired Word of God, then what on earth is it?
 

Are you telling me it is somehow the Word of God but yet not inspired? Are you saying it is the uninspired Bible? The obvious and ominous implications of repudiating its inspiration are mind-boggling to consider.
 

If I am told that the Bible I hold in my hand when I preach is not the inspired Word of God, then I suspect that the next thing I’ll hear is that it is neither inerrant nor infallible. After all, if it is not inspired, how can we vouch for its authenticity otherwise?
 

So, please, if you do not hold the inspired Word of God in your hands, do tell me exactly what it is you think you have!

AN INSPIRED KJB IS NOT DOUBLE INSPIRATION

None of the men that I know who believe in a preserved, inspired text believe in “double inspiration.” We do not believe that the KJB translators were gifted (theopneustos) with God’s inspiration!
 

What we very strongly believe is that the Lord God Almighty promised to “preserve” His inspired Word. He did use those translators to preserve the text for us so that we have an authentic, accurate and authoritative English Bible.
 

To automatically equate our insistence on a preserved inspired text as double inspiration reflects neither reality nor the truth.
 

I repeat—we do not now, nor have we ever, advocated or believed in double inspiration!

IF THERE BE NO INSPIRED TEXT IN OUR HANDS

If this Book, the English Bible, the King James Bible, has not preserved God’s inspired words for us, then we are in trouble.
 

If it is not the preservation of God’s inspiration, then we are reduced to sorting fact from fiction. Without the inspired Word in a preserved text, our authority quickly erodes, and we are left without a solid, strong message. Inspiration is not just the method of delivery, it is the trademark of God Himself.
 

Whatever is done to dilute inspiration and thereby diminish the stature of the text does major and catastrophic disservice to the cause of Christ.
 

To contemplate the possibility of an uninspired text leaves me cold and empty. Such a consideration tears at the very heart of our faith and sets the stage for the exaltation of human opinion.
 

When we examine the great text of holy writ, whether it be in the original autographs, the apographs (copies of the originals) or in the King James text we recognize that the Lord God used human instruments to produce it, but we give the major emphasis to the role of God Himself.
 

It is a mistake to so maximize the element of humanity (the human writers, etc) to the extent that we cannot see the true source of it all. The maximum attention needs to be placed upon the divine element that has produced the text from the start.

CONSISTENCY DEMANDS THE SAME TEACHING IN THE PULPIT AND IN THE CLASSROOM

Saying one thing in the pulpit (because it’s a revival or we’re trying to motivate the folks) and another thing entirely different in the college classroom is an unwise and inconsistent practice.
 

It leaves an appearance of pragmatism and a double standard. I honestly believe we should have the courage to say what we really believe in front of both groups.
 

The young men preparing for ministry ought to be able to teach and preach their college notes on such a vital subject with full faith and fervor. The white heat of preaching ought to light up the truth when it is given. Our preaching ought not to be just rhetoric or spin. It should be finely tuned.
 

There should be no double standard based on where and to whom we are talking.
 

WHERE WE STAND ON THE TEXT OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE

Nothing, and I do mean nothing, is of greater importance than where we stand on the authenticity of the text of God’s Book, the Bible!

Although it is the very words of God Himself, questions about it are unceasingly bandied about by a wide variety of folks.
 

This is the foundation, the bedrock, of our authoritative message to a lost world. Its importance cannot be overstated.

IN CONCLUSION

Finally, let me say just a few things to summarize and conclude:
 

1. The battle over the Bible is not a new one, but it does keep coming at us.
 

2. There will be no hesitation on my part to defend and to declare the Word of God.
 

3. The issues over the Bible are as big as anything else we face; therefore, we must stand up to make our position clear.   
 

In recent days these observations and convictions to which I have given voice have been challenged and vigorous efforts to refute them have been made. Oddly enough some of these objections have been raised within fundamental, independent Baptist circles.
 

4. Now let me say here and let me be clear about it. The big issue is not “who said” what but it is “what” who said! The “what” of this matter is huge because it is about the Bible. If we give ground on the text of scripture and reduce it to a humanly flawed product we open the door to an enormous flood of difficulties. In effect it opens a hole, a major hole, in the hull of the ship of faith. It is our contention that there should be an interdiction of that torpedo before it tears the side out of the ship.
 

So we will contend (Jude v. 3) for “the holy Scriptures” (II Tim. 3:15) because it is the one valid source of information for us about “the faith once delivered” (Jude v. 3)

Dr. Shelton Smith