In March of 2011 a new, updated edition of the New International Version Bible will hit the shelves. But if you read your scriptures online or via some phone application, you already have access to it (maybe without even knowing what you are reading is different than what you were reading a few short months ago). I became aware of this when my husband enrolled in classes at a Christian college after he told me that some of his professors made specific requests for their students to use the 1984 NIV verses the 2010 NIV. With the controversial release of the TNIV in 2005, I became curious about the changes made to the 1984 text. This curiosity coupled with other personal reservations about the company that publishes the NIV sent me into research mode. I began comparing new and old versions of the NIV, searched for info on reputable online Bible reading sites, and read the Notes from the Committee on Bible Translation on this topic in its entirety. The following quote from this document is what got me going. “…hearing God’s Word the way it was written is only one part of the NIV’s overall mission. If readers are to understand it in the way it was meant, translators need to express the unchanging truths of the Bible in forms of language that modern English speakers find natural and easy to comprehend.”
Updating the New International Version of the Bible: Notes from the Committee on Bible Translation (Complete text can be found at: http://www.biblegateway.com/niv/Translators-Notes.pdf)
This implies that the translators’ assumptions of “the way it was meant” are true. Not to mention their assumption that the language “modern English speakers find natural and easy to comprehend” is even sufficient to communicate the awesome truths of the Word of God. It seems to me that the language we speak today is NOT sufficient. And to water down the Word of God based on pandering to current cultural trends borders on heresy.
What I’m NOT saying…
Let me be clear. I am NOT saying that the translators of the 2010 version of the NIV are heretics. I am NOT saying that they do not love, worship, and revere God.
What I am saying…
I believe they have chosen to rely too heavily on our humanistic culture as they interpret the very words of God. Humanism is one of the most subtle, yet dangerous schools of thinking that a Christian can participate in. Humanism in Christianity places mankind as the center of the Bible. It assumes that the PEOPLE are the main characters in the story, when in reality GOD is the main character is HIS story. They are HIS words. What we read is what he wants to tell us about HIMSELF, not about US. The Bible is meant to communicate the character and awesomeness of God, not the successes and failings of mankind. It’s not about me. It is about God and His words are TRUTH. So, why would we change them based on what is “acceptable” by human culture?
Now I fully believe the Word of God should be both accurate and understandable. If you cannot understand what is written, then you can not apply His Truth to your life. Knowing, understanding, believing, and acting on the Word of God brings glory to him. Not to mention that His words are sufficient for every question, need, encouragement, instruction, or leading that mankind will ever need. Who are we to bend that sufficiency to cater to a humanistic culture? Integrating a humanistic worldview into the very place where we find everything we need to have a biblical world view is just disturbing. Here is an example. Zondervan Publishing (the company that publishes and distributes the NIV translation) recently released a Family Reading Bible. GREAT NEWS! Families are always in need of resources to help them instill faith at home - right? But what you might not notice right away is how the editors of the Family Reading Bible have included humanistic thoughts and teaching into the margin notes. The following quote is found in relation to the passages in Genesis regarding the flood.
“We do not know how many years passed after
the creation of the world to the time of Noah. It
may have been thousands of years; it may have
been millions. All we know is that there were
many people in the world and sin was everywhere.”
Did you notice that? If not, than you may be a victim of a Christian’s humanistic world view. If you didn’t catch it, read it again. The editors of the Family Reading Bible specifically undermine the sufficiency of scripture on the same pages they print the very Word of God! They have believed the lie. They are marketing the lie to families across the nation. They are instilling humanism into the young disciples in your home that we call children. How can we let this happen?
Consider the following passage from Deuteronomy 7 (emphasis mine):
1 When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— 2 and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally.a]">[a] Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. 3 Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, 4 for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. 5 This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah polesb]">[b] and burn their idols in the fire. 6 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. (2010 NIV)
The Family Reading Bible is only one example where we have intermarried humanism with the very Word of God. This treaty we have made between humanism and Christianity has turned our children away from following God. They have begun to serve other gods, such as themselves. They are confused by the hypocrisy. They do not know TRUTH. We have led them astray by pandering to our modern culture. We have lowered expectations on them and ourselves to know and understand and believe in the sufficiency of scripture. And we perpetuate it by continuing to read, share, promote, and support the use of materials that are published by a company that so blatantly attacks the Creator God. Let’s not forget God’s specific promise to those who turn the children away, “the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.” Let us repent. Let us beg for forgiveness. Let us divorce humanistic thinking and embrace the responsibility to lead our children to the TRUTH. What does the Bible say (even in the NIV)?
God has used man to communicate His truths since the beginning of time. This has not failed us. I have complete faith in the sovereignty of God and the sufficiency of scripture to lead us through the person of the Holy Spirit to know and understand the TRUTH - no matter which translation is read. But as for me; I will choose not to continue supporting a publisher that perpetuates the lie of humanism. I encourage you to find out more about ALL the available Bible translations. Don’t settle for what is most readily available. Seek the knowledge and understanding you need to make a wise choice. The following is one of many places online where you can find a Bible Translation Guide. Do the research, seek the Truth. Give glory to God.
http://www.mardel.com/bible-translation-guide.aspx
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