IT MIGHT be the greatest story ever told, but Bible literacy is slipping and not just among atheists. Devout churchgoers, especially Catholics, are losing touch with the scriptures of their faith, research shows.
Of those Australians who go to church, 21 per cent read their Bible daily, 14 per cent open it a few times a week and 6 per cent once a week.
But 24 per cent said they read their Bibles only occasionally, 18 per cent hardly ever and 17 per cent said they never read the Bible on their own as a private devotional activity, according to the research, which is based on the 2006 National Church Life Survey of 500,000 people who attended church from 22 denominations....
There's also been a huge emphasis on systematic theology that has come at the expense of biblical theology.
Many have notions of catechism, creed, confession, four spiritual laws, Romans Road, five points, the solas of the Reformation, etc. Fewer can describe the flow of redemptive history from Adam to Seth to Enoch to Noah to Abraham to Moses to Joshua and Judges and on to Samuel, Saul, David, and Solomon and beyond. Then, there's the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel under Rehoboam and Jeroboam and subsequent kings and the two captivities (Assyrian and Babylonian) and their prophets and aftermath that precede the silent period between the OT and NT.
A chronology of the life of Jesus as found in the gospels is largely unknown. IMHO, few could outline the Book of Acts from memory and few could outline the missionary journeys of Paul. Few could describe Philemon or Jude or differentiate among the various James's and Marys of the NT.
Jim Lincoln wrote: One thing, I know you don't need it, and I know you're happy with what you have, but people who want to pick a bible for others to read (actually read and understand), and they may even pick a KJV (if they're a big fan of the Bard) or NKJV, this still remains a rational article on the subject, a multi-part and interesting one, Comparing Bible Translations, for the aid in perspicacity.
Jim,
I will definitely send a note to Pastor Gil.
I appreciate your stand for your version of the Bible and I will not disparage it. I will remain a defender of the KJV as this is the Bible that spoke to my heart after I got saved. But don't get me wrong, I will neither disrespect the other versions nor the people who use them. I believe the real issue is the manuscripts behind all versions. I am not so self-righteous that I can't research the issue more thoroughly.
I base most of my studies on the 17 Bibles that are in my small library and other various works on manuscript evidence. I also use E-sword Bible software for computer studies. I use sources that you, DCJ49, MurrayA and my KJV brethren submit on these posts. So I hope that I have a good start.
Thank you Jim. You stick with your version and I will stick with mine. Seems we will both take NY Mike's advice. Thank you again Mike. Ok, sun went down a long time ago over here...it is past my bedtime.
Faithful Remnant, You mean,"Two Wrongs make a right?" The much maligned NKJV is much more understandable, than the KJV, and what's more the errors in the NT, are the same as those in the KJV, but are at least understandable, so one will be making the errors that were intended, instead of perhaps errors because the text is not understood, because of the outdated text of the KJV! Faithful Remnant, I have no problem with you sticking with the KJV, but again I would recommend reading about the Webster's Revision of the KJV (1833), on why the mechanics should be brought up-to-date, and yes, by the way, the verse was referenced in the KJV Preface.
Yes, English instruction in Nebraska has advanced to the point, even past the reasons of Webster's complaints--now there are more. Again, I would suggest you look at, Comparing Bible Translations, which I don't think is hostile to the KJV, except you consider recommending anything else as hostile?
Jim Lincoln wrote: I Corinthians 14 9 So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air. 10There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no kind is without signification. 11If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me.
I assume Jim you are pointing this verse at the KJV. How can you even closely equate the KJV with uninterpreted tongues? Some words in modern versions are more confusing than the KJV. Surely English in Nebraska has not diverged so far as to render the KJV to have no mutual intelligibilty(in that case I would then agree about the Corinthians passage). A lot of this depends on many factors...dialects, geography, etc. The KJV works fine for me. Think I will stick with that.
hidemi, send him a note, he would no doubt appreciate the encouragement.
One thing, I know you don't need it, and I know you're happy with what you have, but people who want to pick a bible for others to read (actually read and understand), and they may even pick a KJV (if they're a big fan of the Bard) or NKJV, this still remains a rational article on the subject, a multi-part and interesting one, Comparing Bible Translations, for the aid in perspicacity.
I Corinthians 14 9 So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air. 10There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no kind is without signification. 11If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me.
Neil! I didn't know my pastor said some nasty things about Charles Finny! excellent! I'll have to read that material again. I was just pointing out the fallacy of Revival you're either a growing Christian or you're not a Christian, anyway a sermon directed towards that, Theology of Experience vs. Scripture, you can go there and look over the summary of it, if nothing else--short and to the point.
preacherjond. wrote: "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived" "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; " "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;" "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables"
Jim, though I agree that Charles Finney's methods are unbiblical, that URL is marred by the hobby-horse of Dispensationalism. You seem to waste no opportunity to sell us that line, but it is off-topic in this case.
Neil, as you notice, I usually agree with often and strongly, but revival? A Closer Look at Revival and Revival Meetings, I guess we'll find out whose right on Eschatology. . Most modern translations like the NASB were done for the following reason:
Translators of the KJV wrote: Translation necessary
But how shall men meditate in that which they cannot understand? How shall they understand that which is kept close in an unknown tongue? As it is written, "Except I know the power of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian to me" [1 Cor. 14 :11 ]....
Indeed, without translation into the vulgar tongue, the unlearned are but like children at Jacob's well (which was deep) [John 4:11] without a bucket or something to draw with; or as that person mentioned by Isaiah, to whom when a sealed book was delivered, with this motion, "Read this, I pray thee," he was fain to make this answer: "I cannot, for it is sealed" [Isa. 29:11].
Always good reason for a new translation or upgraded version.
"And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables"(like Calvinism)"
No, more like the unbiblical fable of Free Will, & the disgusting, manipulative "evangelism" that necessarily follows from it.
Free Will (semi-Pelagianism) rules the roost today, from Baptists to Papists; those that preach consistent Predestination are vanishingly few. If the silly conspiracy theory that Calvinism is "on the march" is true, I'd love to see the evidence, for that army seems to have passed me by!
Neil wrote: I just question whether such apostasy as we see is what is specifically referred to in Biblical prophecy.
what God says church is supposed to do - teach.
"But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived"
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; "
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;"
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables"(like Calvinism)
The church's job is to go and preach the gospel. The Holy Spirit teaches by the Word of God.
curious, I never said "nothing is going on;" that's a strawman. I just question whether such apostasy as we see is what is specifically referred to in Biblical prophecy. For all we know, a revival is in store, possibly originating in a place no one would expect.
What you call "playing church" is what I call ignoring what God says church is supposed to do - teach. It seems to have little to do with how much "head knowledge" folks have, at least in my experience.
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Brian Edwards | 7/17/2008
Dr. Alan Cairns | 3/16/2009
so one will be making the errors that were intended, instead of perhaps errors because the text is not understood, because of the outdated text of the KJV! 
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