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FAQ Frequently Asked Questions These pages were last edited 06/12/98 |
Frequently Asked Questions If your question is not answered here you may wish to submit a question to the Webmaster. We will do our best to answer all the queries we get however since these pages are maintained on a part time basis please be patient if your question is not answered immediately. Keep watching for updates to this page. Q Does your leadership have any formal training? A Yes our Pastor Michael Trinham who is responsible for the doctrinal regulation and leadership of our group. In addition to his earned degrees Michael has pastoral experience serving in a number of Alliance and independent Churches in Australia over a thirty year period. A resume is available on our Meet the Minister Page. It is not our wish to boast credentials, only to indicate that there is a background of study. Many things had to be un-learned as we sought to comply with the Word of God rather than with Church tradition and its pragmatism. We recommend study. We do not recommend that the student become a follower of any particular teacher or denomination, rather become a follower of Jesus and a devotee to his Word as it is found in English in the Kings James Bible. Q Do you believe that the King James Version is an inspired and inerrant translation? A We believe that the King James Version is the best English translation available today
and that it is translated from the best manuscripts, that it is in fact the preserved Word
of God. We believe when Jesus said in Matthew 5:18, For verily I say unto
you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,
till all be fulfilled that this constitutes a promise to preserve His words in tact.
We believe that His words are literally preserved in tact in the textus receptus
and accurately translated in the King James Version we have today. This however does not
exclude the possibility that there are some insertions to clarify or enhance the meaning
of the original (note the promise of Mat.5:18 is that His essential meaning - jot and
tittle- would not pass from the law not that it could not be translated to another
language, or have its meaning accurately conveyed to later generations by clarifying words
or statements). The key to understanding this is that Jesus said His word would not
pass or pass away, see Lu 21:33; Mr 13:31,Mt 24:35. Surely you don't expect me to believe that the modern versions of the Bible are not real Bibles? Isn't it possible to get saved from a Bible like the New King James or the New International Bible? A Yes, it is possible to "get saved" by reading other versions. I was once able to lead a lady to saving faith in Jesus using the Jehovah's Witness Bible, The New World Translation. I did not do that to show her how clever I could be, because I do not rate too highly in the "clever department". She was a Jehovah's Witness to that time and had come to witness to us. But this proves it can be done. However you could also get saved from reading a daily news paper if it included the right verses from the Bible in its pages on that particular day. You would not conclude that it would be a good thing after that to make that daily news sheet your Bible and expect to get any equipping from it for the Christian life, would you? The questions you should ask yourself are these: Did Jesus promised to preserve His words until heaven and earth pass away? How then can the modern versions be the preserved Word of God, coming much later than the King James Version, having about one third less content and many hundreds of alterations? If the words of Jesus "shall not pass" give us assurance of continuity then it is logically impossible for later versions which differ in doctrinal issues to be in line with that continuity. The question is then, does the King James Bible meet the criterion of continuity assured by Jesus. We believe from our research that it does and some of the evidence will eventually find its way onto these pages in future times. Q I am not a student of the original languages, I have never been to Bible College and I am not to quick at picking up on meanings and that. How can I be sure that I can understand the King James Bible properly. Didn't I read somewhere that most lexicons and Bible Dictionaries are based on the texts which the new bibles come from? A Good question! The best of teachers feel the need for some clarification of a verse or passage sooner or later. Many of our bookstores here in Australia do not carry the aids to Bible clarification which are available in other countries. However this turns out to be an advantage if you are really serious about getting to understand and know the truth. Here are some practical steps to take: 1. Read more than a couple of verses at a sitting - the more ground you cover the more likely you are to bump into an explanation of the very thing that puzzles you because the Bible is its own dictionary and lexicon - example Matthew 10:10 Nor scrip for [your] journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. What I ask is a "scrip?" If I am in the habit of reading volumes of Scripture I will note the word down and look for other occurrences of it. Eventually I will come to 1Samuel 17:40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling [was] in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. - question answered
2. Get a good, comprehensive English Dictionary. Because the King James Version was translated by the best and largest team of highly qualified translators ever assembled, they used the best choice of English words available at the time. There are a few instances of archaic English words in the Bible, all of which are described in that good comprehensive English Dictionary you are going to get yourself. When you get an explanation of the word you are going to get an unbiased explanation because the publishers of the dictionary do not know that your doctrine will depend on the explanation that you get and thus will not try to influence your understanding in the direction of their doctrinal presuppositions. 3. Always pray for enlightenment and understanding before you read the Bible. ----2
Peter 1:19 � We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take
heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star
arise in your hearts: The same Holy Spirit who inspired the original writers can lead you to understanding,
but remember that this does not include guesswork or imagination. Any interpretation of
Scripture will stand or fall under the scrutiny of all other Scripture - that is to say
God never contradicts Himself anywhere in His Word.
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