Open Letter to those who
disagree and criticize John MacArthur for Publishing a MacArthur Study Bible using the New International Version translation (NIV)
This is my first ever open letter to anyone. Well, maybe it isn't a letter, it's more like a note.
Well, maybe it isn't it a note, it's more like a paragraph.
That's it, my first ever open paragraph!
For
the record I do not like the NIV anymore than you do. However, who are you to
criticize, condemn, or charge MacArthur with improper motives? So, I say to
you:
When
you pastor a single church for over 40 years, serve as an exemplary president
of a bible college and seminary, teach the word of God expositionally for over
40 years, raise 4 children who love and serve the Lord, and maintain a pure and
devoted marriage, without a hint of scandal, then you can do the following two things:
1) Criticize
him
2) Publish your own Study Bible using the
translation of your choice
Sincerely Yours,
Gregg Metcalf
Kelso, WA
Right on! Could be applied to many scenarios.
ReplyDeleteFirst time commenting here since I just discovered your online ministry forHis glory, honor, and praise. Loved this 'open paragraph'! Well stated.
ReplyDeleteIn Christ,
Jeff
This is the first open letter ever that I actually like. Keep up the good work! :-)
ReplyDeleteI can go with that. I like the NIV and I think it serves a purpose. Your reasoning here is good.
ReplyDeleteLee
An A to Z Co-Host
Tossing It Out
Twitter: @AprilA2Z
#atozchallenge
Agreed. I am no fan of the NIV. I don't really care for the ESV or the KJV either. But pastors and lay believers have many different reasons for using the Bibles they do, and no translation is perfect. It's silly to question someone's Christian faith over his/her choice of a Bible.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Petra.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Gregg. Btw, I've been to MacArthur's church in California. It's huge! He also has a tape lending library on site where anyone can check out his previous sermons. His heart is for others to know and grow to love the Lord, and our goal should always be that first and foremost as well. :)
ReplyDeleteFriends, I must comment on my previous work and recordings/writings from in the past that were done in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteTo be blunt, I am ashamed of that period in my life and I feel guilty for any of His little ones that I may have inadvertently led astray by my own mere speculations and subjective analysis about the world around us and my concept of how it all "connected" to "God's Word" and "God's plan for all of humanity" too.
For what it's worth, so much has changed in my life in the last year alone. The popular Look Up Fellowship blog and Right Now Radio podcast that was affiliated with it are both gone from the Christian Blogosphere/Internet completely. I think that's a good thing and am grateful for that. Unfortunately, I keep finding things I recorded/wrote popping up from time-to-time like this video, and have been working to either have them removed or comment like this to try to correct the mistakes that I've made.
Of course, I've repented of these sins from this dark and misguided chapter in my life, and I know His grace is sufficient to forgive me for that, but something tells me I will be forever haunted by the thought that garbage like the kinds of things I used to write up and attach "spiritual significance" to will never truly go away since I did it for so long for such a global/wide audience.
Bottom line? I was wrong about so much and it doesn't matter how "good" and "noble" my intentions were. That does not give me a free pass or excuse me from calling something "Biblical truth" when it clearly isn't/wasn't. I hope you will accept my apology and forgive me. Don't worry, I'm still a Christian, but my focus is squarely upon Christ and the cross. If anyone's interested, then this is what the Lord has done in my life and what I've been up to since: www.lutheranlayman.com
Grace And Peace,
Jeffrey K. Radt