Patriotic Nation: The Bible's Impact 3

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

The Bible's Impact 3

This is the concluding remarks in Mark Noll's artilce in the Opinion Journal from the Wall Street Journal editorial page.

"THE AMERICAN BIBLICAL TRADITION The King James Version used to be our common text."
"Yet if the KJV was sometimes abused, nearly universal use also meant that its spiritual themes of reproof and liberation, its stories of human sin and divine grace, also exerted a great influence for good. In the 1890's Elizabeth Cady Stanton and other aggreived feminists published "The Woman's Bible" in an effort to counter interpretations of Scripture that had done women harm. When they asked others to comment, Frances Willard of the Women's Christian Temperance Union made a telling response: 'No such woman, as Mrs Elizabeth Cady Stanton, with her heart aflame against all forms of injustice and of cruelty... has ever been produced in a country where the Bible was not incorporated into the thoughts and affections of the people and had not been so during Many generations.'
It was the KJV that Willard meant as the Bible 'incorporated' in American consciousness 'during many generations.' Today the legacy of the KJV remains fixed in the common speech, even if awareness of the languages's debt to this translation is fading (another KJV word). Whether any modern translation of the Scriptures, or any other moral guide, can anchor the culture as the KJV once did, is a question worth serious consideration in the run-up of 2011 and the 400th anniversary of this unsurpassed cultural force."
Mr. Noll, professor of history at the University of Notre Dame, recently lectured on "The King James Version in American History" at the Library of Congress."

The value of the KJV has not been exaggerated in this article by Mr. Noll. The Word of God is important in every age. Versions of Scripture which leave out verses important for teaching the place of faith and baptism will be weak in promoting morality, and holiness before holy God. Though I am not a KJV only man, the KJV is the only version I place the utmost confidence. I will use other versions as commentaries, but the KJV is the one which I have the most peace using in study and preaching.

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Revival for Our Nation

The Bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). The glory of God was the reason for our creation. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden it passed on to their children, and that is you and me. We also read in the pages of the Bible [God’s Word] that, “There is none righteous, no, not one”. (Romans 3:10). Righteousness is simply being right with God. Because we are sinners, yet God - who is holy loved us - sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins. The Just One [Jesus Christ] for the unjust [You and I]. “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). Here is the gospel of Jesus Christ; “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures; and that He was seen of Cephas [Peter], then of the twelve: After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep [are with Christ]. After that, He was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10). “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). BE SAVED TODAY.