Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: September 23, 2007
THE NIV IS SPIRITUAL POISON
Gary L. Grizzell
When Clem Thurman stated in his Gospel Minutes that the NIV is a reliable
translation, he implied that the false doctrine of the NIV is reliable. {August 15,
1997 issue}. Dear reader, would you say that the NIV's translation of Romans 10:
10 (which teaches the doctrine of salvation by "Faith Only") is reliable? I hope
that you would agree that the NIV's "translation" of Romans 10:10 is not
reliable!
Would you say that when an NIV "preacher" reads Romans 10:10 to his
audience and then tells them to simply believe that Jesus is the Son of God and
they "are" saved, that he will be preaching the truth? Of course not!
Suppose that same "preacher" simply read aloud Romans 10:10 from the NIV and
then said nothing to his audience—simply refrained from telling them that the
NIV had mistranslated (perverted) the text? Would you not agree that such a
"preacher" is a teacher of error?
Friend, if an individual follows Romans 10:10 as translated by the NIV, he will
not obtain salvation and will one day lose his soul in hell! Why is this the case?
This is true because the NIV here teaches the false, Calvinistic doctrine of
"Faith Only."
The man who advocates that Romans 10:10 in the NIV is reliable, reveals he is
unreliable himself as a teacher of God's Word. Someone may object and say,
"Oh, but every man should be allowed to express his opinion concerning the
translation issue." The real issue is that no man has the right to advocate false
doctrine by either explicitly or by implication. To state that the New
International Version is a reliable translation is to imply that what is taught in
the NIV—in the above instance, "Faith Only"—is reliable. If not, why not? So,
when Clem Thurman stated in his Gospel Minutes that the NIV is a reliable
translation, he implied that the false doctrine of the NIV is reliable. If not, why
not? Yet, many brethren today cannot be warned about such error in Gospel
Minutes, but insist on bringing bundles into the church on a weekly basis for the
members to take home. As Ira Rice once said, "You just can't warn some
brethren."
There's Much More Error In The NIV
The NIV not only teaches the doctrine of faith only but also a number of other
doctrines which violate plain scriptural teaching.
It teaches the false doctrines of premillennialism, being "included in Christ" just
by hearing the gospel, miraculous gifts for today, and Sabbath observance as a
scriptural practice for today.
It even perverts the inspired text of Psalm 51:5 to teach John Calvin's
inheritance of sin by babies. Read Psalm 51:5 in the NIV and weep! It has David
saying, "I have been a sinner from birth, sinful from the time my mother
conceived me." Guess Jesus did not know what he was talking about when he
said that the kingdom of heaven is of such characters as little children. Did
Jesus mean, Let the little sinners come unto me? (Mt.18:1-4). According to the
NIV he must have.
Those who so pervert God's Word will answer to God at the judgment (Gal.1:7-9;
6:7-8). The NIV is nothing more than a commentary and a poor one at that! A
commentary does not deserve to be called, "Holy Bible." Let us contend for the
faith once delivered, not a corruption of the faith from a corrupt translation
(Jude 3).
Brother Thurman was requested by letter to retract his damaging statement, but
in his response he refused to do so. Though he responded with a letter he did
not make a retraction. My Bible—as well as yours—says, "Now I beseech you,
brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine
which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord
Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive
the hearts of the simple" (Rom.16:17-18).
The Bible says to mark false teachers, not bring them into the flock! Those who
defend the NIV as "reliable" are defending the spiritual poison of false doctrine.
— via “Gospel Preceptor,” www.gospelpreceptor.com
TRUTH MAKES CHRISTIANS
Foy E. Wallace, Jr.
A perverted gospel cannot save. Jesus declared that it is the knowledge of truth,
not the belief of error, that makes men free. (John 8:32). Though a perverted
gospel may have in it all the elements of the true gospel, its power to save is
lost in perversion. Bread is God's power to quell the hunger, but the admixture
of a poisonous element — a spoonful of arsenic, for instance, in a loaf of bread
— would destroy its power. Water is God's power to quench the thirst, but the
admixture of salt will destroy the quenching power of water.
The gospel is God's power to save the soul, but its admixture with error — the
doctrines and commandments of men, when heard and believed — destroys its
saving power. Hence, Paul's alarm concerning the perverters at Galatia: "I
marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the
grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be
some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." (Gal. 1:6-7).
Error preached, error heard, and error believed cannot result in the truth obeyed.
No man can accidentally obey God. The truth preached, the truth believed, and
the truth obeyed makes a Christian. Nothing else does. How careful then men
should be in their handling of it!
— via “Gospel Preceptor,” www.gospelpreceptor.com