The Grapevine
Setting the Record Straight - Part 1
by Jack Northart

There is a popular tide of opinion by the mainstream media as well as by most neo-maxie, zoom-dweebie, Hollywood types that Christians are a bunch of kooks. They formulate this opinion because they hear most Christians talk in circles about such things as the Garden of Eden, the so-called 7 days of creation, and other somewhat contradictory issues.  Most Christians dismiss this opinion as a mere sign of agnosticism and go their merry way.  But the truth of the matter is that  Christians do appear foolish when then simply ignore what the Bible teaches and assume too much about what they really don't know.

Let me give you an example.  You will hear so many Christians talk about the beginning of creation being about 5500 years ago. They formulate this opinion because of the records and chronicles of Adam beginning about that long ago.  What we will see in this series, is that the Bible is very clear on when the beginning of man began and when the earth was formed, made and created. And it will NOT contradict what the scientific facts are. 

In the beginning of this series, we are going to start with some basic understanding about the things that every true Christian should be an expert in.  We will start with the topic of the God-breathed Word.

In our study and research of God's Word, we must always remember that the Word of God is perfect as it was originally given to holy men of God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

2Peter 1:21
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake, as they were  moved by the Holy Ghost.

As the translations have made their way down through the centuries, and languages of the world have changed, there is a need to get back to that original scripture as God spoke it into being so long ago, to get to that perfect Word of God.  Since it is perfect, then there cannot be any contradictions in it. It has to fit.  And it is all God's Word, or none of it is God's Word.  And let's be honest about it, most people just don't believe that it is God's Word, (including some Christians).  They believe that it is a good book.  They believe that it is an aid to devotion.  They believe that it is the means of establishing the Judeo-Christian belief system, but they don't believe that it is any more God's Word than any other book written by men. If that were true, then why bother calling it God's Word?

The truth is that it IS God's Word.  It means what it says and it says what it means.  And God has a purpose for everything that is written in it, and to whom He has written it to. 

2Timothy 3:16,17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, (theopneustos - "God breathed") and is profitable for  doctrine, for reproof, for correction,   for instruction in righteousness.  That the man of God may be  perfect, throughly perfected unto all  good works.

Galatians 1: 11,12
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel preached of me is not after man.  For I neither received it  of man, neither was I taught it, by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

We look at these two verses as well as the one mentioned earlier in 2Peter 1:21, and it is clear that this is not an ordinary book.  The writers of the Bible all took dictation from the same author.  And that author was God Almighty. They wrote it in their vocabulary, but they wrote what God wanted to say.  And that is how we got the Bible. Plain and simple.  Now, as I said earlier, there have been a lot of changes through the centuries in both language and translations.  What some dismiss as a true contradiction is either an error in translation or an error in understanding what is written.  There will be no contradictions. If we see what appears to be a contradiction, we have ask ourselves, "do we really understand what is written?" If we do, then it could be a bad translation.  But the point is, that it has to fit with the rest of the Bible and cannot be contradictory.

The King James, or Authorized Version of the Bible was translated in 1611.  It was translated from the Stephens Greek Text, which was, in itself, a translation.  The original language of the Bible was what is called Estrangelo Aramaic. Chapters were first added in 1250 A.D. Verses first appeared in the Geneva Bible in 1560 A.D.  When it was originally written, it had no punctuation, no chapters, no verses, no center margins.  All of these things have been added by man, and subject to man's own interpretation of what he thinks is correct.  So how do we get back to the original God-breathed Word?  We must compare scripture with scripture all the time remembering that all of the Word of God has to fit, and it will fit.  It cannot contradict itself.  As we study to shew ourselves approved unto God, we can begin to rightly divide the Word of Truth.
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