Psalms 119:89 “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.”
We trust, by faith, God came to earth to die, raise from the dead, and is able to take us to Heaven; therefore, there is no reason to trust by faith God inspired and preserved the Bible for us today.
There are currently over 100 translated versions of the Bible to be found in English. Christians can be often confused by the choice set in front of them leaving everyone asking the question: which is to be accepted? The determination of what Bible to use is often made as a teenager. Let’s look at the Bible at 3 translation that can only be accepted by faith:
1. The Translation of Jesus
Jesus Christ started His existence as God! John 1 tells us that the Word was “with God” and the Word “was God.” This Word is revealed to be Jesus of Nazareth. By faith we believe this, and by faith we believe Jesus was perfectly translated and preserved in his person as he went from Heaven to Earth. John 1:14 says “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” The difference in form is unarguable. In Heaven, according to Philippians 2:6-8, Jesus thought it not robbery to be “equal with God,” but on earth he put on, according to Romans 8:3, the form of “sinful flesh.” What a change was made!
The fact that God would come in the likeness of man, who made man in His likeness, is an amazing thing It must be accepted by faith. Christ did this because he loved us, to provide us a gift of eternal life, and to become the mediator between God and man. Do you believe Jesus did all of these things? Do you believe He was God, do you believe He became a man, and do you believe He rose from the dead after dying for man’s sin on the cross? I do!
2. The Translation of Christians
Now if you believe all that about Jesus Christ, I have a follow-up question for you. Do you believe God is able to translate you to Heaven? In the story of Enoch Hebrews tells us: Hebrews 11:5 “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”
These words found as “translated” mean to transport, to exchange, or to transpose. Enoch was miraculously translated to Heaven by God without seeing death. We see God do the same to Elijah in 2 Kings 2. We can accept by faith God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory (1 Timothy 3:16), but can we accept by faith He is able to receive us also?
God is not only able to forgive us our sins, Ephesians 1:7 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace,” but God is also able to translate this sinful flesh into a glorified body some day. This is what Paul takes time to explain to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
We have to be able to accept not just what Christ did but what he offers in Romans 6:23 “the gift of God” of “eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
3. The Translation of the Bible
The above two facts would be pointless to give if we did not have a translation of God’s Word to tell it to us. There is no other book that tells the truth of Jesus, the Gospel, or salvation to the world. Only the Bible. This is why it is important as a teenager to accept by faith the translation of the Bible we hold in our hands: The King James Bible. Psalm 119:89 “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” Psalm 12:6-7 “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.”
We accept the first two translations without any variety. Only God could do what Jesus Christ did. Only God could do what Paul speaks about in 1 Corinthians 15. So then why would there be so many translations of the Bible. That is because all others but the King James Bible are not fully, accurately, and honestly translated; however in the end, we must accept all three of these by our own faith. What decision will you make by faith?
Calvary Baptist Church | Flora, IL
