CUT and PASTE

For the word of God is quick, and powerful,
and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to thee dividing asunder of
soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

I was fascinated by a historical fact found in our Sunday school literature regarding Thomas Jefferson. I had read of this particular thing, but never saw the end result of what Jefferson actually published. It was in later life that Jefferson completed a publication entitled The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth. It came to be known as the Jefferson Bible. I have read about such a Bible. The problem with that Bible is that Jefferson did a lot of cutting and pasting. He took the Gospels from the Bible to patch together portions of selected Scripture he saw as important. He literally took a Bible and cut portions of Scripture from it and pasted it in whatever order he chose, often omitting the miracles of Jesus and even portions that spoke of Jesus' deity.

We might read that information with mouths open that someone would have the nerve to do something like that no matter how popular they are. However, it goes on all the time. Take a good look at all the Bible translations or transliterations and just read some of them carefully. It will almost seem like someone took scissors and rewritten verses on every page that no longer make the same sense as before. In some editions, pronouns are changed...no more

“he/she”...or God is no longer “He.” Folks are seeking what is politically correct even to the point of wanting a different Bible.

Just because a book says “Bible” on the spine of it doesn't mean it's automatically the right thing for one to invest in. Whatever translation we choose, we tend to really latch onto it and will defend it to the bitter end, even if its accuracy can be very much called into question. There are computer Bible programs where one can read chapters in most of today's Bible translations. That can be done prior to purchasing a new Bible.

There are some things one should never accept, though, in selecting of a new Bible, especially if contemplating a new translation. Watch for:

a translations approach to Creation

sin not being watered down or the names of sin being changed to please society

miracles being included without adding to or from them

Jesus' life and His credentials as God's Son, Savior, Redeemer, victor over death, etc

proper approach to the Holy Spirit and His work in a born again person

what the Bible says about itself

encouragement to appropriate worship and praise.

There's much more to look for, but having the right translation of Scripture is very important for us for so many reasons.

Like I said, we might be critical of Thomas Jefferson and the way he chose to handle Scripture. However, I wonder how much cutting and pasting we do with the Bibles we own. We don't need a pair of scissors and a glue stick to censor Scripture passages. We can do it in our minds. Yesterday, I was reading my usual five Psalms that is a usual process for me. Two of the chapters happened to be very long....30 or more verses. My first inclination was that I was tired and would just let them go until next month when I would come to the same chapters again. But, this cutting and pasting thing was in my mind. At times, if we read any part of Scripture with regularity, some passages may seen overly familiar to the point we feel almost bored at the thought of plowing through them again. Worse yet, is when Scripture convicts you and me...the “Thou shalt not's” or calls to obedience that don't seem to agree with us at the moment. The natural tendency might be to simply disregard those passages.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness.
II Timothy 3:16

Sometimes I think we take God's Word for granted. People in Hitler's Germany probably took Bibles and Torah's for granted, but they had to watch them burned in city squares. The same is going on in Eastern countries where Christians are being persecuted and killed. Their Bibles have been burned before them, churches destroyed prior to much martyrdom.

My challenge to us, if appropriate in any reader's case, is to wipe the dust off of our Bibles and dig back into it's truths that hold power for our lives. It's ours for the reading at anyplace and anytime. May we keep our focus on the precious blessing God has given us in His Word. It's His desire to communicate with us and this is His main way of doing that....without any mental cutting and pasting.

Study to show thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
II Timothy 2:15

Thank You Father for Your desire to speak with me through Your Word. Thank You, Jesus, for being the living Word and my gratitude to You, Holy Spirit for the way You teach me the Word. Without Your teaching, I wouldn't know how to interpret or apply it to my life. In Jesus' precious name....Amen