| Our Bible |
One of the most often asked questions of our church is, “What Bible do you use?” We answer unapologetically, "the King
James Version." More and more individual Christians and unfortunately Bible-believing churches are forsaking the King
James Version in favor of the more modern translations. In fact, there exists a huge controversy among Bible-believing,
independent, Baptist fundamentalists as to whether or not the King James Version of the Bible is the Bible to be used in
worship and personal study. A desire exists to forsake the King James Version (KJV) for the more “modern” translations
such as the New American Standard Bible (NASB), the New International Version (NIV), or even the New King James
Version (NKJV). The argument is put forward that the more modern translations are easier to read because the
translations update the language and leave out all those "thee’s" and "thou’s." Another argument tries to say that the new
translations are more accurate than the KJV. Wilton Baptist Church whole-heartedly disagrees with these and any
arguments that claim that these translations are more accurate than the KJV. It is the position of Wilton Baptist Church to
reject these arguments and these translations, and to confidently say that we use the King James Version of the Bible
exclusively in all services, ministries, or activities associated with our ministry.
But, why do we use the King James Version? Is it because Independent Baptist churches have always used the KJV, and we
can’t break tradition? Is it because we have adopted whole-heartedly, or even without knowing, the unbiblical teachings
of Peter Ruckman and believe the KJV is advanced revelation? Or is it because the KJV is the most accurate translation in
English, because it is from the preserved Hebrew and Greek texts? It is the latter reason why Wilton Baptist Church uses
the KJV. It is a conviction.
DEFINITIONS
Before we can accurately state what we believe about the Bible we must first establish some definitions of the terminology
that we intend to use. These definitions will aid the reader in a clearer understanding of the position that will be
explained.
Inspiration - is that process by which “God breathed” or wrote the books of the Bible by holy men of God, as they were
moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free
from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired. (2 Timothy 3:16, II Peter 1:19-21)
Plenary Inspiration - is the view that the entire Bible is inspired.
Verbal Inspiration - is the view that "God-breathed" extends to the choice of the words of Scripture. It asserts that the God-
breathed truth was grasped by God-appointed men who were guided by the Holy Spirit in their selection of words.
Preservation - is the view that God will, and has, preserved His Word in pure form, including the most minute details (the
jots and tittles, the words), and that this would include the whole Scriptures, Old and New Testaments. The Biblical
doctrine of preservation is verbal, plenary preservation, which is the only reasonable view in light of the Biblical doctrine
of the verbal, plenary, inspiration of the Writings.
Inerrancy - is the view that the Bible is without error, that the Bible is correct in every statement it makes. The Bible
reports and identifies errors accurately, of course, but it does not perpetrate them.
Infallibility - is the view that the Bible is effective in everything it does. When the Bible is used, it always works. It never
fails us. The Bible is incapable of error.
OUR POSITION
Wilton Baptist Church believes the Bible is comprised of sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments and was given by
inspiration of God. Wilton Baptist Church believes, therefore, that it is inerrant and infallible. Wilton Baptist Church
furthermore believes in both the verbal and plenary inspiration. In addition, Wilton Baptist Church believes that God has
preserved His Word as He promised,and that He has preserved it in the traditional texts or in the set of manuscripts
known as the Received Text (Textus Receptus) and Masoretic Text. Wilton Baptist Church also believes that the King
James Version of the Bible is an accurate, faithful, and reliable translation of these manuscripts and that the English
reader, therefore, can study it with utmost confidence and rely upon it. Wilton Baptist Church can confidently say the
King James Version is the inspired Word of God, not because God “breathed” again in 1611, but because the King James
Bible was translated from the preserved texts.
AN EXPLANATION OF OUR POSITION
While Wilton Baptist Church holds to the position that the original manuscripts were given by inspiration of God and are,
therefore, perfect and inerrant both verbally and plenarily, we do not believe that inspiration as a process extends to any
translation including the King James Version. Therefore, neither perfection nor inerrancy can be extended to the King
James Version in the same sense that the original manuscripts were perfect and inerrant. To believe otherwise would lead
to several conclusions which are unacceptable. Some of these unacceptable conclusions will now be explained.
First, to believe that the King James Version of the Bible is perfect and inerrant in the same sense that the original
manuscripts were perfect and inerrant would result in our believing that the italicized words constitute additional
revelation to that which was given at the time of the original writings. Revelation ceased with the completion of the New
Testament. This is based on the position that the phrase “when that which is perfect is come” in I Corinthians 13 refers to
the completion of the New Testament. At that time “that which is in part shall be done away” refers to several things
mentioned including prophecy. Prophecy (or the giving forth of divine revelation) ceased when the New Testament was
completed. Wilton Baptist Church believes that the King James Version of the Bible is an accurate, reliable, and
trustworthy translation of the best manuscripts. Although the italicized words were well done and properly included in
the translation in order to help the English reader understand what he is reading and to aid in the smoothness of the
translation, the italicized words are not inerrant. The translators used italics in order to make it abundantly clear that
these words were not part of the original, and that they had not added them to the original, because they knew well the
Biblical statements warning against adding to the words of God. (Proverbs 30:6, Revelation 22:18)
Secondly, if a passage in the Greek or Hebrew text happens to be capable of more than one translation, all of which are
equally accurate, viewing the King James Version as perfect and inerrant (in the same sense that the original manuscripts
were perfect and inerrant) would lead one to conclude that the King James Version shows which of these possibilities God
intended. This sort of thinking would in turn lead one to conclude that the King James Version of the Bible serves as a
clarifier or corrector of the original manuscripts and is, therefore, actually superior to, and thus more authoritative than,
the original Greek or Hebrew manuscripts. Wilton Baptist Church does not believe that the King James Version of the
Bible is superior to, and thus more authoritative than, the original manuscripts. We also do not believe that the King
James Version of the Bible can be used as a corrector or clarifier of the original Greek or Hebrew manuscripts.
Thirdly, Wilton Baptist Church believes that the sixty-six books comprising the Old and New Testaments are the Word of
God and that the apocryphal books have no place whatsoever in the sacred canon. Note that the apocryphal books were
included in the first edition of the King James Version but were later (and properly) removed. Thus, to believe that the
King James Version is perfect and inerrant in the same sense that the original manuscripts were perfect and inerrant
would bring us into conflict with our view of the apocryphal books and with their original inclusion in the King James
Version of the Bible.
Fourthly, the King James Version has undergone several revisions. While recognizing that these were minor revisions
consisting mainly of spelling and typographical corrections, this would have been totally unnecessary if the King James
Version were perfect and inerrant in the same sense that the original manuscripts were perfect and inerrant. There was no
necessity of revising the original writings. God the Holy Spirit so superintended their writing that the finished product
was exactly what He wished to say the very first time He said it. Furthermore, the fact that there have been a number of
revisions of the King James Version (however minor they may have been) implies that, if the King James Version of the
Bible were perfect and inerrant in the same sense as the original manuscripts, we would then have to decide which
particular version of the King James Version was perfect and inerrant (IE, whether it was the original King James Version
manuscripts, the first revision, the second revision, or one of the others.)
Wilton Baptist Church does not believe that there are “mistakes” in the King James Version, and does not perform any
correcting of the King James Version. Wilton Baptist Church does not believe that the translation of the King James is
wrong or that the King James Version should have been translated differently. The only English version of the Bible we
use is the King James Version. Wilton Baptist Church believes that the King James Version is an accurate translation of
the Bible. At the same time, however, we do not believe that there is necessarily only one correct way in which a verse
may have been translated. Therefore, we study Greek in order that we might better understand the Word of God and
accurately teach and preach it. The Greek text is frequently used to clarify the meaning of the original in the thinking of
the English reader. Therefore, it would not be uncommon for our preacher to say something such as, “Baptism is to be
understood in the sense of immersion.”, or “Conversation is to be used in the sense of behavior or manner of life.”
A POSITION ON THE KJV THAT WE REJECT
Wilton Baptist Church rejects the arguments of those who, in their pursuit to defend the King James Version against the
onslaught of modern translations, textual criticism, and the liberal church movement, have accepted questionable
theology concerning the Scriptures and particularly the King James Version of the Bible. This questionable theology
centers around what one believes the King James Version actually is. Some may feel the King James Version is given
certain qualities, that it is inspired, inerrant, or preserved, and that these qualities will automatically settle the Bible
version debate. However, when leaders of local churches accept a belief system that has no Scriptural authority, they end
up with a theology that is corrupt, inaccurate, or completely out of line with what the Scripture teaches. The result is that
these leaders then pass their flawed theology on to their members through their preaching and teaching ministries. Any
theory which assigns divine origin to the King James Version, or which in any way includes the idea of inspiration or even
preservation in its view of the production of the King James Version, is borrowing ideas from Ruckmanism.
What is Ruckmanism? A working definition of Ruckmanism is the belief that the King James Version is absolutely
inerrant, containing advanced revelation over the Greek and Hebrew from which it came, with the demand for one exact,
inerrant version to preach and teach. Ruckman teaches that the KJV English translation is superior to any Greek text
(including the Textus Receptus), that it corrects the errors in any Greek text, and that it is “advanced revelation.”
CONCLUSION
Wilton Baptist Church is a church that uses the King James Version of the Bible by conviction. We cannot see any reason
to use another translation in worship or personal study.
James Version." More and more individual Christians and unfortunately Bible-believing churches are forsaking the King
James Version in favor of the more modern translations. In fact, there exists a huge controversy among Bible-believing,
independent, Baptist fundamentalists as to whether or not the King James Version of the Bible is the Bible to be used in
worship and personal study. A desire exists to forsake the King James Version (KJV) for the more “modern” translations
such as the New American Standard Bible (NASB), the New International Version (NIV), or even the New King James
Version (NKJV). The argument is put forward that the more modern translations are easier to read because the
translations update the language and leave out all those "thee’s" and "thou’s." Another argument tries to say that the new
translations are more accurate than the KJV. Wilton Baptist Church whole-heartedly disagrees with these and any
arguments that claim that these translations are more accurate than the KJV. It is the position of Wilton Baptist Church to
reject these arguments and these translations, and to confidently say that we use the King James Version of the Bible
exclusively in all services, ministries, or activities associated with our ministry.
But, why do we use the King James Version? Is it because Independent Baptist churches have always used the KJV, and we
can’t break tradition? Is it because we have adopted whole-heartedly, or even without knowing, the unbiblical teachings
of Peter Ruckman and believe the KJV is advanced revelation? Or is it because the KJV is the most accurate translation in
English, because it is from the preserved Hebrew and Greek texts? It is the latter reason why Wilton Baptist Church uses
the KJV. It is a conviction.
DEFINITIONS
Before we can accurately state what we believe about the Bible we must first establish some definitions of the terminology
that we intend to use. These definitions will aid the reader in a clearer understanding of the position that will be
explained.
Inspiration - is that process by which “God breathed” or wrote the books of the Bible by holy men of God, as they were
moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free
from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired. (2 Timothy 3:16, II Peter 1:19-21)
Plenary Inspiration - is the view that the entire Bible is inspired.
Verbal Inspiration - is the view that "God-breathed" extends to the choice of the words of Scripture. It asserts that the God-
breathed truth was grasped by God-appointed men who were guided by the Holy Spirit in their selection of words.
Preservation - is the view that God will, and has, preserved His Word in pure form, including the most minute details (the
jots and tittles, the words), and that this would include the whole Scriptures, Old and New Testaments. The Biblical
doctrine of preservation is verbal, plenary preservation, which is the only reasonable view in light of the Biblical doctrine
of the verbal, plenary, inspiration of the Writings.
Inerrancy - is the view that the Bible is without error, that the Bible is correct in every statement it makes. The Bible
reports and identifies errors accurately, of course, but it does not perpetrate them.
Infallibility - is the view that the Bible is effective in everything it does. When the Bible is used, it always works. It never
fails us. The Bible is incapable of error.
OUR POSITION
Wilton Baptist Church believes the Bible is comprised of sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments and was given by
inspiration of God. Wilton Baptist Church believes, therefore, that it is inerrant and infallible. Wilton Baptist Church
furthermore believes in both the verbal and plenary inspiration. In addition, Wilton Baptist Church believes that God has
preserved His Word as He promised,and that He has preserved it in the traditional texts or in the set of manuscripts
known as the Received Text (Textus Receptus) and Masoretic Text. Wilton Baptist Church also believes that the King
James Version of the Bible is an accurate, faithful, and reliable translation of these manuscripts and that the English
reader, therefore, can study it with utmost confidence and rely upon it. Wilton Baptist Church can confidently say the
King James Version is the inspired Word of God, not because God “breathed” again in 1611, but because the King James
Bible was translated from the preserved texts.
AN EXPLANATION OF OUR POSITION
While Wilton Baptist Church holds to the position that the original manuscripts were given by inspiration of God and are,
therefore, perfect and inerrant both verbally and plenarily, we do not believe that inspiration as a process extends to any
translation including the King James Version. Therefore, neither perfection nor inerrancy can be extended to the King
James Version in the same sense that the original manuscripts were perfect and inerrant. To believe otherwise would lead
to several conclusions which are unacceptable. Some of these unacceptable conclusions will now be explained.
First, to believe that the King James Version of the Bible is perfect and inerrant in the same sense that the original
manuscripts were perfect and inerrant would result in our believing that the italicized words constitute additional
revelation to that which was given at the time of the original writings. Revelation ceased with the completion of the New
Testament. This is based on the position that the phrase “when that which is perfect is come” in I Corinthians 13 refers to
the completion of the New Testament. At that time “that which is in part shall be done away” refers to several things
mentioned including prophecy. Prophecy (or the giving forth of divine revelation) ceased when the New Testament was
completed. Wilton Baptist Church believes that the King James Version of the Bible is an accurate, reliable, and
trustworthy translation of the best manuscripts. Although the italicized words were well done and properly included in
the translation in order to help the English reader understand what he is reading and to aid in the smoothness of the
translation, the italicized words are not inerrant. The translators used italics in order to make it abundantly clear that
these words were not part of the original, and that they had not added them to the original, because they knew well the
Biblical statements warning against adding to the words of God. (Proverbs 30:6, Revelation 22:18)
Secondly, if a passage in the Greek or Hebrew text happens to be capable of more than one translation, all of which are
equally accurate, viewing the King James Version as perfect and inerrant (in the same sense that the original manuscripts
were perfect and inerrant) would lead one to conclude that the King James Version shows which of these possibilities God
intended. This sort of thinking would in turn lead one to conclude that the King James Version of the Bible serves as a
clarifier or corrector of the original manuscripts and is, therefore, actually superior to, and thus more authoritative than,
the original Greek or Hebrew manuscripts. Wilton Baptist Church does not believe that the King James Version of the
Bible is superior to, and thus more authoritative than, the original manuscripts. We also do not believe that the King
James Version of the Bible can be used as a corrector or clarifier of the original Greek or Hebrew manuscripts.
Thirdly, Wilton Baptist Church believes that the sixty-six books comprising the Old and New Testaments are the Word of
God and that the apocryphal books have no place whatsoever in the sacred canon. Note that the apocryphal books were
included in the first edition of the King James Version but were later (and properly) removed. Thus, to believe that the
King James Version is perfect and inerrant in the same sense that the original manuscripts were perfect and inerrant
would bring us into conflict with our view of the apocryphal books and with their original inclusion in the King James
Version of the Bible.
Fourthly, the King James Version has undergone several revisions. While recognizing that these were minor revisions
consisting mainly of spelling and typographical corrections, this would have been totally unnecessary if the King James
Version were perfect and inerrant in the same sense that the original manuscripts were perfect and inerrant. There was no
necessity of revising the original writings. God the Holy Spirit so superintended their writing that the finished product
was exactly what He wished to say the very first time He said it. Furthermore, the fact that there have been a number of
revisions of the King James Version (however minor they may have been) implies that, if the King James Version of the
Bible were perfect and inerrant in the same sense as the original manuscripts, we would then have to decide which
particular version of the King James Version was perfect and inerrant (IE, whether it was the original King James Version
manuscripts, the first revision, the second revision, or one of the others.)
Wilton Baptist Church does not believe that there are “mistakes” in the King James Version, and does not perform any
correcting of the King James Version. Wilton Baptist Church does not believe that the translation of the King James is
wrong or that the King James Version should have been translated differently. The only English version of the Bible we
use is the King James Version. Wilton Baptist Church believes that the King James Version is an accurate translation of
the Bible. At the same time, however, we do not believe that there is necessarily only one correct way in which a verse
may have been translated. Therefore, we study Greek in order that we might better understand the Word of God and
accurately teach and preach it. The Greek text is frequently used to clarify the meaning of the original in the thinking of
the English reader. Therefore, it would not be uncommon for our preacher to say something such as, “Baptism is to be
understood in the sense of immersion.”, or “Conversation is to be used in the sense of behavior or manner of life.”
A POSITION ON THE KJV THAT WE REJECT
Wilton Baptist Church rejects the arguments of those who, in their pursuit to defend the King James Version against the
onslaught of modern translations, textual criticism, and the liberal church movement, have accepted questionable
theology concerning the Scriptures and particularly the King James Version of the Bible. This questionable theology
centers around what one believes the King James Version actually is. Some may feel the King James Version is given
certain qualities, that it is inspired, inerrant, or preserved, and that these qualities will automatically settle the Bible
version debate. However, when leaders of local churches accept a belief system that has no Scriptural authority, they end
up with a theology that is corrupt, inaccurate, or completely out of line with what the Scripture teaches. The result is that
these leaders then pass their flawed theology on to their members through their preaching and teaching ministries. Any
theory which assigns divine origin to the King James Version, or which in any way includes the idea of inspiration or even
preservation in its view of the production of the King James Version, is borrowing ideas from Ruckmanism.
What is Ruckmanism? A working definition of Ruckmanism is the belief that the King James Version is absolutely
inerrant, containing advanced revelation over the Greek and Hebrew from which it came, with the demand for one exact,
inerrant version to preach and teach. Ruckman teaches that the KJV English translation is superior to any Greek text
(including the Textus Receptus), that it corrects the errors in any Greek text, and that it is “advanced revelation.”
CONCLUSION
Wilton Baptist Church is a church that uses the King James Version of the Bible by conviction. We cannot see any reason
to use another translation in worship or personal study.
| KJV Online Bible |
| Wilton Baptist Church |
| Pastor Steve Harness Assistant Pastor Sam Ellis |
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| Wilton Baptist Church "Building Faith, Family, and a Future Together" 755 Saratoga Road, Wilton, NY 12831 518.583.2736 518.583.0717 www.wiltonbaptistchurch.com (c) 2009 |
"Building Faith, Family, and a Future Together"