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Comments By Pastor D. A. Waite, Th.D., Ph.D.December 25, 2005 The Importance of Right Translation The word "translate" comes from two Latin words, TRANS ("across") and LATUS (the past participle of FERO, meaning "to carry"). So TRANSLATUS means "to carry across" from one language to another. The Words of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek are to be "carried across" from those languages into all the languages of the world. This has been done accurately in our King James Bible. They did not convert merely the "meaning," but the Words from one language to English. Every Word has its "meaning," but the translation is not a translation of meaning, but a translation of Words. Those Words are what give the verses their "meaning." There is an important distinction between "Word translation" and "meaning translation" and the modern versions err in this area. [From BJU"S ERRORS on Bible Preservation, p. 80 by Pastor D. A. Waite] December 18, 2005 The Son of God "The Lord Jesus Christ is not only a perfect
Human Being. He is also perfect deity, God the Son and the Son of God.
The liberals and the modernists talk about Jesus as being only a human
being. The members of the Christian Science church talk about Jesus as
only a human being. Even Muslims talk about Jesus, the human being. They
believe there was a Jesus, but He is not ‘Lord Jesus' to them. When Paul
speaks of ‘Lord Jesus,' he is referring to His absolute Deity coupled
with His perfect Humanity. He was the Incarnated God. He was for all
eternity past, God the Son and the Son of God. In His incarnation, He
became perfect Man, the Son of Man. [Ephesians--Preaching Verse by
Verse, p. 400, by Pastor D. A. Waite] The Dispensational Truths The proper way of understanding the Bible is to view it in a "DISPENSATIONAL" manner rather than as "COVENANT THEOLOGY" views it. 1. DISPENSATIONAL TRUTH. We can "rightly divide the Word of Truth" (2 Timothy 2:15) when we see the various administrations or dispensations that God has used to deal with mankind. There are seven in number: (1) Innocence; (2) Conscience; (3) Human Government; (4) Promise; (5) Law; (6) Grace; and (7) Millennium. During each dispensation, man was given or will be given specific responsibilities which he has failed or will fail to keep. Though there are a few principles that are trans-dispensational (carried over throughout each dispensation), in general the principles are not to be confused or run together. 2. COVENANT THEOLOGY ERROR. This system confuses the dispensations and makes up three "covenants" not specifically found in the Bible. The principle error is mixing the nation of Israel with the Church. They teach that there is no future for national Israel but that all the promises made to Israel in the Old Testament have been or will be filled by the Church. In other words, the Church has become Israel. [Pastor D. A. Waite] May 1, 2005 The Importance of Bible Preservation The Bible has promised its own PRESERVATION. What does this involve, and how are some Fundamentalists either denying it or re-defining it? 1. What Does "BIBLE PRESERVATION" Involve?" It involves the very WORDS of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that God caused to be written originally in the Old and New Testaments. According to Matthew 5:18, BIBLE PRESERVATION includes even the letters ("jot") and parts of the letters ("tittle") of those original language WORDS given by God Himself. Psalm 12:6-7 shows that God Himself has promised to "KEEP" and "PRESERVE" these WORDS for ever. 2. Some Leading Fundamentalists Either Deny or Re-Define BIBLE PRESERVATION. The four leading Fundamentalist schools that do this are: (1) Bob Jones University; (2) Detroit Baptist Seminary; (3) Central Baptist Seminary; and (4) Calvary Baptist Seminary. Some of the speeches or writings from those connected with these schools deny any promise of BIBLE PRESERVATION. Others re-define BIBLE PRESERVATION and say that they believe in it. However, they believe only in the PRESERVATION of the "Word of God" but not the "Words of God." By "Word" they only believe in the PRESERVATION of the "message, thoughts, ideas, concepts, or truths" of the Bible, but NOT the very WORDS of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. In effect, this is a clever and deceptive denial of true BIBLE PRESERVATION. [Pastor D. A. Waite] April 24, 2005 The Importance of Bible Inspiration We often use the terms "inspiration" and "inspired" in ways that are not Biblical. Let’s think this through. 1. What IS "Inspired" or "God-Breathed." The only time the word "inspiration" occurs in the New Testament is in 2 Timothy 3:16: "All Scripture is GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD . . ." This verse tells us clearly that the only thing that was GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD was "All Scripture." The Greek word for "Scripture" is GRAPHE. This means the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek Words of the Old and New Testaments which were written down. "Given by inspiration of God" is a translation of one Greek word, THEOPNEUSTOS. This means "God-breathed." God breathed out those Words in Hebrew, a little Aramaic, and Greek. 2. What is NOT "Inspired" or "God-Breathed." a. Translations are NOT "Inspired." God did not "breathe them out," but MAN made them. This includes translations into every language of the world. b. The Writers were NOT "Inspired." God did not "breathe out men." 2 Peter 1:21 says that "holy men of God spake as they were MOVED by the Holy Ghost . . ." They were "moved" or "led" or "carried along" by the Holy Spirit, but were not "God-Breathed" or "inspired." We must be careful about this. [Pastor D. A. Waite]April 3, 2005 Three Errors of Roman Catholicism This past week we have been confronted in the news by the sickness of the Roman Catholic Pope. Some of the errors have been: (1) They believe that the Pope is the “Vicar (or earthly representative) of Jesus Christ” which makes him almost a Deity. (2) The church leaders said that the Pope is about to “offer himself to the Father” like Christ did. (3) The leaders repeated that people must come to the Lord Jesus Christ through Mary, a human being who was born in sin like the rest of us. These false teachings are "devilish" (James 3:15) and unbiblical. (Pastor Waite)March 27, 2005 What Is The Meaning of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ? 1. The Meaning to the Unbelieving Liberals. Throughout the history of the Christian church, there have been what are called “unbelieving liberals.” Sometimes they are called “modernists,” “apostates,” or “heretics.” Whatever they are called, many of them have infiltrated themselves into the pulpits of Protestant (and probably even Roman Catholic) churches. These individuals do not believe the Lord Jesus Christ was raised BODILY from the grave. They believe only His spirit arose rather than His body. Yet these same people in their sermons speak of Christ’s “resurrection” without defining it. They may even say “Christ arose” or talk of “The Risen Christ,” but they do NOT believe that His Body rose. This is very deceptive, but it keeps many believers sitting under apostate ministers and giving their offerings to support them. 2. The Meaning in the Bible. The Bible is very clear about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was His BODY that arose, not just His Spirit. The angel at His tomb declared “He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see THE PLACE WHERE THE LORD LAY” (Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6). This was the “PLACE” where His BODY lay. That BODY was not there, but ROSE from the dead. To the two on the road to Emmaus, after He ROSE from the dead, Lord Jesus Christ said: “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not FLESH AND BONES as ye see Me have”(Luke 24:38). Regardless of what the liberal unbelievers might declare about it, the RESURRECTION of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was BODILY. [Pastor D. A. Waite] March 22, 2005 What is "LORDSHIP SALVATION" and Why Is It Against Biblical Teaching? 1. The Definition of "LORDSHIP SALVATION." An important part of the definition of this doctrine is the order of the two words involved--"Lordship" and "Salvation." The order of the words implies that the Lord Jesus Christ can become "LORD" of the lives of the unconverted before they possess "SALVATION." This means that Christ must be "LORD" of their thoughts, words, and deeds or they cannot be saved. This is a salvation by works rather than by God's grace through genuine faith in the Saviour. This is the false position of John MacArthur and others who follow him. 2. Why This is Against Biblical Teaching. It is completely impossible for lost, unregenerated people to make the Lord Jesus Christ the "LORD" of their thoughts, words, and deeds. Jeremiah 17:9 says "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Ecclesiastes 7:20 says "There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not." Romans 3:23 says "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." On the other hand, it is imperative that the order of the words be turned around to "SALVATION LORDSHIP." That is, once we have been SAVED, we should make the Lord Jesus Christ the LORD of our lives as Paul asked after the Lord saved him, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6) This should be the attitude of every born-again child of God. [Pastor D. A. Waite] March 13, 2005 Would-Be Pastors Attempt To Change Churches from the King James Bible. The other day I received a letter concerning a man who wanted to be the Pastor of a newly organized church. His approach to the Bible Version issue is that which is taught at such Fundamentalist schools as Bob Jones University, Detroit Baptist Seminary, Central Baptist Seminary, Calvary Baptist Seminary and others. It is a classic approach of exactly how pastors try to destroy a church’s faith in the King James Bible (KJB). Here is their approach: (1) They say they use and preach from the KJB. (2) They say they are not sure of which version is right. (3) They say they dislike the Textus Receptus Greek. (4) They say people should only have a “preference” for a version, but not a “conviction.” (5) They say that every Christian should not be involved in this battle, but only the educators in schools. (6) They say that this Bible issue should not divide or separate people. (7) They say that the church shouldn’t have a “rigid” KJB stand. (8) They say that the pastor should have freedom to study from and even quote from any version. (9) They say that they hope the people will eventually see the Bible version issue his way and use any version they wish. [Pastor D. A. Waite] March 5, 2005 The NIV Does NOT Outsell the King James Bible. The NIV claims its NIV has more "sales" each year than the KJB. This lie is based on two false premises: (1) In the first place, they count as an NIV "sale" each kind of NT
they carry as well as their whole Bibles. This is compared to the entire
King James Bible with both the OT and NT. It has been said that they also
count the NIV's they give away free to seminary students and others. February 23, 2005 A Preacher's Qualifications When asked about his "doctrinal statement" recently, a preacher looking for a church merely stated that he believed in the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed. Would that alone make him qualified to be your Pastor? No. There are many vital questions that must be answered by a prospective Pastor because of the doctrinal confusion in today's churches. Some of these needful questions would be the following: (1) Is he a separatist both in his personal and ecclesiastical life? (2) Does he believe in a pre-tribulation rapture of the saved? (3) Does he believe in the 1,000 year millennial reign of Christ preceded by His coming in glory? (4) Does he stand for traditional music and oppose Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)? (5) Does he oppose New Evangelicalism compromise such as that of Evangelist Billy Graham? (6) Does he oppose the Charismatic movement and speaking on tongues? (7) Is he a Bible teacher that preaches verse by verse? (8) Does he use and defend the King James Bible and the Hebrew and Greek Words underlying it? (9) Does he oppose hyper-Calvinism? (10) What schools will he recommend to the church? (11) Does he believe in the preservation of the original Hebrew & Greek Words? (12) Does he teach Dispensationalism? [By Pastor D. A. Waite] February 5, 2005 REPENTANCE A. The Frequency of 'Repentance' and 'Repent.' The noun 'repentance' is found in 25 verses in the New Testament of the King James Bible. In 24 of those instances METANOIA is the Greek term underlying it. The verb 'repent' is found in 22 verses in the New Testament of the King James Bible. In 20 of those instances METANOEO (which is the verb form of METANOIA) is used. B. The Meaning of 'Repentance' and 'Repent.' The Greek words for 'repentance' (METANOIA) and 'repent' (METANOEO) come from two Greek words, META (a 'change') and NOIA from NOUS (the 'mind'). The literal meaning of 'repentance' or 'repent' therefore is 'a change of the mind.' C. 'Repentance' and 'Repent' Applied to Salvation. Accompanying genuine saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is 'repentance' or a change of mind regarding sin and the Saviour. The sinner changes his mind about his own sin which will condemn him to an eternal hell. His sin which was once loved is now hated. The sinner changes his mind about the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour. He is now seen as the One Who died for that sin and as the only Deliverer from sin's penalty of hell. Because of this change of mind the sinner turns to the Lord Jesus Christ in genuine saving faith and is born-again for all eternity. Without such change of mind regarding sin and the Saviour, the sinner does not see any reason or need to exercise genuine saving faith in that Saviour." January 30, 2005 Bob Jones University, Neo-Fundamentalism, and Biblical Preservation. This is a 10-page article by Dr. Jeffrey Khoo, the Dean of the Far Eastern Bible College and Seminary in Singapore. You can see the entire article by going to our Bible For Today Internet site at www.biblefortoday.org and go down to the "LATEST POSTED PAGES." You can read this very well written indictment of BJU in the area of their denial of the Words of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek being preserved. BJU and their followers believe only that the "Word" of God has been preserved, but not the "Words" of God. They re-define "Word" to mean only the "ideas, thoughts, message, concepts, or truth" but NOT the very "Words" of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that are found in the Old and New Testaments. BJU has written two books in an attempt to justify their false teachings on genuine Bible Preservation. A shocking article. January 22, 2005 How Is "Inspiration" Used in the New Testament? There
is much confusion about the use of "inspiration" today. 2 Timothy 3:16
uses the words "given by inspiration of God." This is a translation of
one Greek word, THEOPNEUSTOS which means "breathed out by God" or
"God-breathed." It is the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek Words that God
"breathed out" or "inspired," and not any translation of those Words. The
writers were not "inspired" or "God-breathed," but only the Words they
wrote down." |