The Unknown Bible - Pastor Bevans Welder

In your life, there are established authorities that must be obeyed or else you will suffer adverse consequences. Of course, if you obey the authorities, you get to enjoy the privileges and benefits of following the authorities, as well.

For instance, a stop sign is an established authority to regulate the flow of traffic through an intersection. If you obey the authority and stop at the sign, you enjoy the benefit of safe travel through the intersection and the privilege of continuing to drive. However, if you disobey the authority and fail to stop, you risk an accident or a traffic ticket.

So, it is important that you have an authority in your life that you will follow. And therein lays one of life’s greatest dilemmas, "Where can I find the absolute authority for everything in my life?" The answer is simply, "In the King James Bible."

When Adam and Eve were in the garden, God’s words were their authority to protect them from death (Gen. 2:17). They had no other authority to follow. They needed no other authority. They had life, each other, all of their personal needs met and continual fellowship with God.

Then the devil entered the scene and presented Eve with an alternate authority. All he had to do was get Eve to question what God had said (Gen. 3:1). Once she was willing to consider any option other than the plain, understandable, authoritative words of God, she was easy prey for the devil.

The devil simply convinced Eve to overthrow the authority of God’s words by selling her on the positive qualities of the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:5-6). Then, she ate the fruit and convinced Adam to overthrow God’s authority. He chose to follow her rather than God. Thus, she and Adam died and all of their descendants have either died or will die. They no longer enjoyed all of the privileges of being under God’s authority.

And so it is today. God’s established authority for three centuries was the King James Bible. English speaking people had no other Biblical authority. They needed no other authority. Christians had eternal life, all of their personal needs met and continual fellowship with God.

Then the devil entered the scene and presented Christians with alternate authorities, the Revised Version in England, and the American Standard Version in the United States. All he had to do was get Christians to question what God had said. Once they were willing to consider an option other than the plain (Prov. 8:8-9), understandable (Job 32:8, 28:28; Lk. 24:45), authoritative (Jn. 12:48) words of God, they were easy prey.

The devil simply convinced scholars to overthrow the authority of God’s words by selling them on the positive qualities of other translations (1 Ki. 13:18; 22:8,22). Then they convinced pastors to overthrow God’s authority. And pastors have convinced their congregations to overthrow God’s authority.

Now, churches have multiple translations, none of which agree with the others. So, men are left to decide for themselves, which words they will follow, God’s or the devil’s. Just like Eve was left to decide whether she would follow God’s words or the devil’s. Of course, she decided to follow the devil’s words because she thought he was right. Even so today, it is as it was in the days of the judges, "every man did that which was right in his own eyes," (Jud 17:6).

The absolute authority for your life is the King James Bible whether you accept it as your authority or not. You suffer the consequences of failing to follow its authority wherever you are out of line with it. You enjoy the privileges and benefits of its authority wherever you are in line with it. Of course, if you don’t have, read and believe the King James Bible, how are you going to know whether you are under its authority or not? Now that’s a good question.

Hope this helps,

Pastor Welder