Bibliology Preservation

The principal of preservation is critical to the confidence of every thinking believer. Preservation is a companion truth to canonicity. If canonicity is a description of how we came to have our completed text, preservation is a statement about the integrity of our completed text.

The Improbability of Survival

A Statement of Preservation The Bible has been kept intact, free from the central error since it was originally written by inspired penmen. - Leander S. Keyser, A System of Christian Evidence

The Biblical Statement of Preservation The Bible claims for itself a divine intervention in protecting the integrity of the text. (Psa. 26:6, 7; 119:89, 152, 160; Matt. 5:17, 18 ; Heb. 2:2; 1 Pet. 1:23 – 25; 2 Pet. 1:19)

The Reality of Preservation Contrary to the text of every other ancient composition, we possess literally thousands of copies and fragments both Old Testament and New Testament. A comparison of these manuscripts emphasizes the fact that we have the very Word of God today!

The Translation Issue As with all truth we ought to approach the subject of translations with great humility and reserve.

Codex Sinaiticus

Codex Vaticanus

Codex Alexandrinus

The only English translation that reflects the evidence of both the Majority and Received Texts is the King James Version. It is for this reason that we continue to use this translation though we are actually using a revision from 1769.

The translators of the KJV were very careful and very literal so that we may have confidence that in so far as words can be moved from one language to another we have the very Word of God.

Conclusion The real issue facing every believer today is whether he possesses a trustworthy translation of the Word of God. It is true that word meanings have changed from the time that the KJV was first produced. Sentence structure is not nearly so complex today as were many of the verses particularly of the Apostle Paul. Careful and honest study can easily resolve those difficulties.

The real problem lies in the condition of the human heart and mind The real problem lies in the condition of the human heart and mind. No one will ever be able to produce any translation in any language that will be easily received and understood by the carnal mind. (1 Cor. 2:14 – 16) Only those people who know Christ as Savior and who surrender to the blessed influence and enablement of the Holy Spirit will be able to understand and apply correctly the Word of God to their own personal lives and to the instruction of others. (1 John 2:20 – 27)