NIV: New International...or Non-Inspired? Part 2

NIV: New International...or Non-Inspired? Part 2
Brad Reiches
Mar 1 2006 02:55AM


 

BEFORE WE BEGIN TODAY:  AN OFFER.

*In today's edition of GT Wired (see below), I reference the most important and influential messages (6) on prayer that the Lord has ever given me.  This series, entitled, "How To Get An Answer," is designed to radically increase your effectiveness in prayer, and thereby, impact your ETERNITY (over four hours of teaching), and I would like to make it available to you for FREE. 

So here is my offer:  If you would like to add this series to your discipleship library, simply send me an e-mail, brad@godthoughts.org, saying "Yes To Prayer."  Be sure and include your snail-mail address and I will send it to you for FREE (a $69.00 retail value), without any obligation.    If however, after listening to it, you agree that your prayer life has been SIGNIFICANTLY changed, and your ability to impact the kingdom of God through prayer has been radically altered, then I would ask you to send me your most generous and sacrificial gift, reflective of the value that you have received from the series.

---

---

Wednesday, March 1, 2006
GodThoughts Wired! 

NIV: 

New International...or Non-Inspired?"

PART 2

"Who is monitoring the books that are showing up

in the bookstores called, "Bibles."   Who are the "watchmen"

of the 21st century to assure us that the "book" we study

on Sunday mornings in church is an accurate representation

of the inspired words, originally given?
-Pastor Brad

I want to begin today by applauding the many of you who are "being as the Bereans" (see Acts 17:11).  Receiving GodThoughts Wired! with eagerness, but then searching the scriptures to see if such things are true.  BRAVO!  Our sole purpose is to promote the kingdom of God by equipping the saints with an ever-increasing knowledge and practice of the written word of God (Thereby, Getting to Know Jesus Christ and Representing Him in Everything We Do).

Awhilea back, God gave me a sermon series on prayer.  Over four hours of teaching on how to maximize our effectiveness in prayer (see offer at the top of today's edition).  The foundational verse of the entire series is James 5:16b:

"The effective prayer of a righteous man

can accomplish much."

My introductory premise for the series is prompted by what this verse, James 5:16b, does not say.  For example, it doesn't say, "The prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."  Nor does it say, "The effective prayer of a man can accomplish much." 

My point is two-fold:  1.  Every word is important (see Matthew 5:19).  2.  Prayers can vary in effectiveness regardless of righteousness (Some prayers are powerful and some are impotent.  Some prayers are always answered and some are never answered -reference Isaiah 1:15; 59:1-2; Micah 3:4; Psalm 66:18; Jeremiah 11:11).

Incredibly, and I believe, TRAGICALLY, if my only "Bible" were a New International Version, I would have never discovered these keys to "prayer effectiveness," nor would I have ever come to understand the profound implications of what James 5:16b DOES SAY, as supported contextually by more than fifty other biblical references.  Why?  Why would the NIV have kept me from such knowledge?  Well, let's take a look:

JAMES 5:16B:

The original Greek:  "polu (much) ischuei (accomplishes) deesis (petition) dikaiou (of a righteous) energoumene (being made effective)."  Again, the original is the perfect and inerrant, inspired (God-breathed) word of God.

The King James Version (an "old English," word for word translation):  "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."  An absolutely accurate translation; completely true to the original.

The New American Standard Version (a modern English, word for word translation):  "The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."  Another absolutely accurate translation; completely true to the original.

And then there's the New International Version ("a completely new translation...they have striven for more than a word-for-word translation" -NIV editors), the most popular version in America.  A book used by thousands of pastors, read and preached from in thousands of pulpits across the United States says: 

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

According to the NIV (please study closely to see how the ENTIRE MEANING IS CHANGED by the chosen translation and, thereby, MASSIVE IN ITS IMPLICATION), my entire premise, based on what James 5:16b doesn't say, is invalid. 

Why?  Because according to the NIV, what I thought it didn't say, it actually does say.  As we look closely, we see that the original Greek and the KJV and NASB all understand the "inspired word of God to say," the "effective" prayer of a righteous man is that which is fruitful.  But according to the NIV, it is simply, "the prayer" of a righteous man that bears fruit.

The folly of the NIV is proven by the contextual evidence of all of the other biblical references to prayer.  Biblically, the HUGE POINT is this:  Just because you are a righteous man (or woman), DOESN'T MAKE YOU EFFECTIVE IN PRAYER!

"The power of prayer is found in God's will.

God's will is found in God's word.  The more

we know God's word, the more effective we will be in prayer."

Dr. Brad Reiches, Unseen Power:  Building the House of Prayer, 2nd ed.

The NIV version of James 5:16b is WRONG!  It is incorrect (WHOAH!). Biblically, it is NOT the prayer of a righteous individual that necessarily accomplishes much.  The "inspired word of God" teaches us (I've devoted  four hours of teaching on this subject in the aforementioned series, see above) that, it is the prayer of a righteous person, skilled and knowledgeable in the will of God, that accomplishes much (for example, see 1 John 5:14-15).

Brothers and sisters, the NIV states, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."  However, I would suggest that a righteous man, no matter how righteous, could ask God to grow wings from between his shoulder blades, and unless it was God's will, that prayer would remain impotent and ineffective.  The prayer of a righteous man is NOT NECESSARILY "powerful and effective."

NIV:  New International Version...or Non-Inspired Version?**

*While I am grateful, even excited at the zeal with which some of you are tracking with me throughout this series, please be reminded that these messages are coming to you in "parts."  You may want to (I know it's hard:)) avoid drawing conclusions or making assumptions until the end of the series.  For example, some of the verses that I have/will be referencing are given explanation by some of the NIV editors (some of you noted this well with Matthew 6:13b), while others, such as today's edition, give NO EXPLANATION as to why they have chosen to render the translation as they have.  In reference to today's verse, James 5:16b, I went to my local Christian book store and looked at ten different NIV publications - none of which gave any explanation as to why their "new translation" differs so radically from every other version (I checked seven others - Swann, Wilson, Beck, Darby, Concordant, Confraternity, TCNT).

**Brothers and sisters, oh how I want to encourage you to pass this series along to your pastor if he/she uses the NIV version.  I'd be happy to send them some complementary resources to encourage them in their own studies.  My purpose is not to discourage, but to instruct.

---