In light of my last post, I thought I’d share the following. I came across something like this on the Internet the other day…
The KJV is not a publisher’s Bible but our Bible. Millions of people have adopted the KJV, have come to love it, and have deep feelings for it. We’ve spent hundreds or thousands of hours reading it, pondering it, memorizing it. For many, the KJV is the Bible, the only Bible they have ever known. For others it is the Bible that led them to salvation or that led them to a theological awakening. This is especially true of people who have maintained a high view of Biblical authority in a time when it is under assault. In many ways and for many of us the KJV is inseparable from our convictions. We don’t just use the KJV, we are deeply connected to it, deeply invested in it. An outcry has been aroused by our love for the KJV and our desire to see it continue as our most trusted companion. It’s our Bible, too!
UPDATE: 2 hours after initial post…
The above is a slight tweak of Challies’ comments about the ESV here… For the most part, I’ve simply exchanged “ESV” with “KJV”.
I initially made this post without this clarifying section and posted it to several Reformed groups on Facebook. As one can imagine, there was a barrage of negative comments and some that were even bizarre in regards to how irrational they were.
For many in Reformedom, it is simply NOT okay to say anything good about the KJV but it is perfectly fine to say the exact same things about the ESV. When called on it they will deny that this is the case but anyone who advocates the KJV today knows this is an ever present reality. Why is that?
It is problematic and exceedingly ungracious that any positive statement regarded the KJV causes immediate strife and accusations or insinuations of King James Onlyism especially towards confessional, Reformed brethren who have publicly abominated KJVOism on a number of occasions. I can’t help but think there is more to it at this point than an overreaction to King James Onlyism.
The reality is there is among some a deep, inexplicable enmity against the Bible of the English Reformation and it would arguably exist if there were no such thing as KJVOism.
There is something very strange about all of this. There must be a spiritual dimension to it.
So true brother. I am a critical text guy who has slowly came back around to the need for a stable text. Most of the time if people were to admit it when they quote a bible verse, they quote the KJV and it started to dawn on me we have pastors preaching from one translation and the church filled with people using God only knows what translation. It is utter confusion. Well Pastor you have helped in your James White youtube videos to encourage me to order a nice leather KJV that Im excited about. I dont have to worry about it changing every new manuscript or Nestle’s UBS text “opinions”.
much love brother