When it comes to 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, The Messageis not clear at all, but I don't think it's because Dr. Peterson was trying to water down the two Greek terms used for homosexual practice. I also showed church leaders other occult words in The Message such as Light-bearers and Divine Guardians. "You do sports together or go shopping together. Garbage. However, as a very free paraphrase, it is sometimes powerful and brilliant while at other times it is seriously off target. This is the main message of the entire Bible, Old and New Testament, that those who have repented and trusted in Christ "have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord. He helps me do what honors him the most. Ultimately, God is the judge and we are not. Rise to the occasion and preach when it is convenient and when it is not. - is the Word of God? Worship, then, refers to something very big and. Arthur L. Farstad writes: As a Bible translator and editor myself, I must disagree. I believe that Gods people searchin n praying to Holy Spirit to guide us in understanding. for you are with me; A word-for-word translation like the ESV translates this as Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkeys colt!, The Living Bible translates this as, Dont be afraid of your King, people of Israel, for he will come to you meekly, sitting on a donkeys colt! Taylors use of dont be afraid is evidence that he does not realize that the common Hebrew expression of fear not means to have confidence.. I found it helpful to cobble together a resource from various websites showing examples of how The Message has tampered with Bible verses, misrepresented the gospel, and added occult and New Age words. Yes. They must be self-controlled, sensible, well-behaved, friendly to strangers, and able to teach. will inherit the kingdom of God. God spoke: "Light!" This mans interpretation is not always correct, nor is it always what the Spirit wants YOU to get from it. This displays The Messageat its worst, and it's another reminder as to why we should never use it as our primary Bible. With verse markings (The Message: The Numbered Edition): This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 03:21. John Clark: Ise, thank you for sharing and for your openness. Teaching the New Testament can be a dangerous thing. I remember complaining that if the church hall was hired for a function, as it often was, a member of the local community could come in, pick up the copy of The Message from the bookshelf and read a false gospel in it. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Joe, this is an incredible story that you shared. It is far more difficult to treat with love and kindness someone who disagrees with your faith than it is to denounce and dismiss them (as Paul did). Amen. Amen.. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Gossip always contributes to a problem and never to a solution. . As a white male . HIS thoughts are above our thoughts, HE himself did not TRANSLATE because they all spoke the same language, but HE did PARAPHRASE to speak to everyone on every level. Its because you have the spiritual gift of discernment! Although it appears that Eugene Peterson's bible The Message is endorsed by many prominent people this does not mean we accept what they promote without testing it against Scripture. In this article, we will discuss why it may be dangerous for ones understanding of the Christian faith and message. We must reject contemporary culture, not change to fit in. Samaritans and Jews also disagreed over their holy sites. 4 Even though I walk He instead uses the 1901 American Standard Version as his foundation. I just recently found your article that was written in 2017 as I was searching for errors in the Message. Many believers enjoy reading The Message because of its modern appeal; however, it is important to recognize that this unconventional version can have serious detrimental implications. Keep pressing into the Lord! He was speaking about HIS physical attributes. Jonathan Kotyk He asked his people to respect his grace in Numbers. Theological Reasons. I appreciate the years of effort that were put into it, and I recognize it for what it is, with all its great strengths and great weaknesses. Schedule III: Drugs with low to moderate potential for abuse and/or . Why The Message bible should not be used It is not the Word of God! And why are they persecuted? I also like Watchman Nees Normal Christian Life also. ", The Message reads: "Worse followed. KJV vs. [3] Peterson notes that in the course of the project, he realized this was exactly what he had been doing in his thirty-five years as a pastor, "always looking for an English way to make the biblical text relevant to the conditions of the people". It could also refer to sincerity; if ones eyes are windows into their soul, then having a sincere heart will be reflected in ones actions and words. When bestows glory on anything, its beautiful. We are going to keep the old Bible for several compelling reasons. through the darkest valley, He didn't. 9 "This, then, is how you should pray: However, despite this attractive feature, it is not a translation that should be used for the seriousness of Bible study, as the simplistic use of English in the Good News Translation has come at a price. While some good pastors may use it by mistake, many wolves love its language and use it to manipulate the flocks. 13 .mw-parser-output span.smallcaps{font-variant:small-caps}.mw-parser-output span.smallcaps-smaller{font-size:85%}God, my shepherd! This is something Ive had some trouble with at my church because speakers were prone to read out passages from The Message as part of the church service. Some scholars, like Michael J. Gorman, consider some of Peterson's idiomatic renderings unconventional. I admire your article and agree with the recommendation not to depend heavily on it alone. 3 he refreshes my soul. Church officials must be in control of their own families, and they must see that their children are obedient and always respectful. In the aftermath of Eugene Peterson's controversial remarksabout homosexuality, followed by his retraction, many have asked me if they should still use The Message. Thank you! He guides me along the right paths (a) (The Message) "Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy leaving us more lonely than ever - the kind of sex that can never "become one"." (b) Comment: Sexual immorality is reduced to "the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy". However, the Holy Spirit has still moved newcomers to the congregation to hear the necessary elements of the Sword of Truth in their message, that leads them to surrender to His Divine Will. Speak the Truth in Love. The Message keeps the language of the gospel compelling and modern. But I do prefer to use it to add clarity. Isaiah was born in 760 B.C. Here are a few really good reasons to be a little bit less confident in your ability to see the clear, intended meaning when you read the Bible: 1. This eventually led to the Reformation led by Martin Luther. Verse Concepts. Other times, we are ignorant because we have chosen not to learn something we need to know. This is wrong; it is not a translation it is a paraphrase, which makes it a commentary at best. Complaining isn't harmless sport; it's serious sin. Taylors lack of understanding of Hebrew and Greek and absent use of the original manuscripts has led to disingenuous passages and verses such as his translation of John 12:15. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. So, if the Bible is the Word of God, and God is perfect, it follows that the Bible must be perfect, too. Talking to the Dead in the Bible. (Dis)Honorable Mention: Two translations that most Christians know to avoid but should still be mentioned are the New World Translation (NWT), which was commissioned by the Jehovahs Witness cult and the Readers Digest Bible, which cuts out about 55% of the Old Testament and another 25% of the New Testament (including Revelation 22:19, which says, if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book). The Bible is therefore a highly dangerous. Doing so would be like saying that the fire used in the sacrifice is also evil. That is our job. Looking back to past success can be very dangerous to our progress, and might hinder us from living out a life that grows more abundant with each coming day. Sometimes we are ignorant because we did not know there was a need to learn something. Holy Bible comes with both the new testament and the old testaments of the holy scriptures. Those who promote use of the Message tend to deny the sinful nature of man and the exclusivity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Look for Part 2 of this article, where we will review the top 5 Bible translations to use. Instead of using any of these misleading translations, we would do much better to quote the Word of God faithfully, which is perfect and God-breathed, instead of rewording Gods message to include our biases and personal opinions and beliefs. The Living Bible (TLB): When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and rejoiced in Pauls message; and as many as wanted eternal life, believed. But use it with caution: It is, by design, a very free paraphrase. Rare a member that actually brings a Bible and there are none available in the pews. Where secrecy is removed, gossip is hampered. For a fair assessment of Dr. Peterson's comments and retraction this week, see Bill Muehlenberg's article here. Apparently, she told the minister that she couldnt see why it mattered that Eugene Peterson changed Gods words. He introduced himself as a God of grace in Genesis. Peterson's goal in creating The Message, in his own words, was to "bring the New Testament to life for two different types of people: those who hadn't read the Bible because it seemed too distant and irrelevant and those who had read the Bible so much that it had become 'old hat'." Of course, I could cite hundreds of brilliant renderings in The Message, and sometimes, when preaching, I'll cite one of them, since it powerfully drills home the point. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. The Samaritans, however, believed that their temple, on Mount Gerizim, was where true worship . Dont take any minister, pastor or friends word for truth. I will fear no evil, However, he has noticed that some portions of The Message cannot be linked to anything in the Greek text, indicating that additional meaning was added. Translation Comparison - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Reveal who you are. Your email address will not be published. Tyndale was killed by the Catholic Church because the Catholic Church did not want the common person to have a Bible. The Message translation additionally suggests that people may reject Jesus teaching because the truth is too close for comfort. 4 Even when the way goes through If they dont know how to control their own families, how can they look after Gods people? God's cautions are for our good, and ignoring His guidance and commands opens us up to being misled. People at my church had seemingly fallen in love with The Message and I was chucking a big rock in their pool. It is specifically targeted toward U.S. English . How do we know the Bible is not just a fairy tale? Did you know there are over 450 translations of the Bible in the English language alone? ", If you're reading The Message, it will go right over your head: "Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and abuse the earth and everything in it, don't qualify as citizens in God's kingdom. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. Taylors bias also leads to omitting text in key passages that do not fit his Arminian worldview, such as his deceptive repackaging of Acts 4:27-28, Acts 13:48, and Romans 8:28-29. "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. Eugene Peterson created The Message, a Bible translation which emphasizes the need to trust God rather than focus on material possessions or appearances. The Message has sold over 10 million copies and has continually ranked among the top five best-selling Bibles. 1) The Message (MSG) - This translation is a paraphrase by Eugene Peterson. Its the first day. .". What The Message did to The Lords Prayer as you outlined here is startling all the revolutionary meaning has been sliced and diced away. answer the question why the message bible is dangerous, which will help you get the most accurate answer. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. I agree The Message and other interpretive commentary, and modernized Scriptures of the Bible, are not best for study. One implies that the one being delivered is actually out there engaging the enemy (the devil), while the other gives more of a picture of holing up away from other people and not bothering to engage. Isaiah lived this name well, insisting that Judah's kings and people trust only in God, make no alliances with foreign nations, and refuse to fear anyone but God. He has found that The Message often adds meaning to passages that are not present in the original Greek text. This is a useful place to start, given the controversy currently surrounding this popular, 84-year-old, Christian author. Like you, I too have had a past of far left and far right exposure politically and spiritually but these days I am where Jesus was Render unto Caesar what is Caesars and unto God what us Gods Follow the Great Commission. We can get a glimpse of the strengths and weaknesses of The Messageby looking at how Dr. Peterson treated a number of key verses dealing with homosexual practice. It is a popular book to use in liberal churches that are more focused on creating social change than on Jesus Christ, His saving act on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. (Eph. There were phone calls and emails to the minister, as well as people appearing at the church office to complain about me to him in person. And this is why, as Bible Gateway general manager Rachel Barach told Christianity Today, "The Bible has been criticized, challenged, and banned by individuals, groups, and governments through centuries of persecution.". One person stormed up to me and demanded that I send her no more emails. 11 Give us our food again today, as usual, Throughout history, power has influenced a lot of good . 1Cor. The shepherds and leaders are deceived. Good for you, Simon son of John! answered Jesus. At one point, I emailed as many people in the church whose email addresses I could find, showing the problems with the book. (See 2 Timothy 2:15.) 1 Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need! And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. The Old Testament teaches that believers are defiled by their attempts at communicating with the dead, a practice that is detestable to God. Sexually confused, they abused and defiled one another, women with women, men with men all lust, no love. Let's look at Leviticus 18:22, first in the ESV, a conservative evangelical translation, then in The Message. The Message translation adds an extra layer of meaning by suggesting that having a generous eye is a way of showing respect for Gods truth. We should remember that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Its an important doctrinal point that the modern church seems to have largely forgotten. English Standard Version (ESV): And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. The Message (MSG): Don't you realize that this is not the way to live? But whatever it is, it STILL shouldnt be twisting scripture. Does this post violate any norms, rules, or others that you aware of? A man who has strong convictions, who speaks out boldly for God's truth, if he's not careful can become harsh or unkind. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Petersons lax handling of the Word of God results in stifled messages that are far less impactful than the original God-breathed directive. 9 Pray along these lines: Our Father in heaven, we honor your holy name. The reason it is so dangerous is that Satan blinds them and convinces them that God is not real, which keeps the person from pursuing spiritual truth, like the afterlife and the Creator of the universe. When did Paul write this? In this case, divination is completely neutral. Tags Bible Interpretation bible translations Dangerous Doctrine Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus Errors in the Message Bible ESV false teaching occult influence the Lord's prayer The Message Bible. A striving after love, is the ethically more demanding choice (1 Corinthians 13:4), while the other, insisting on the right faith, more likely than not will lead to callousness (Gal 1:6-9). The pdf file can be accessed at https://tinyurl.com/exz3t6bm and printed out. Thank you so much. We no longer need to be slaves to the ways of this world; instead, we can walk according to Gods will and purpose for our lives. They still didnt admit that it was a dubious practice to incorporate this book into a church service, but instead gave the reason that it was causing offence in the church. 2. He is further identified as the son of Amoz (Isaiah 1:1). The ESV reads: "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. Like I said, it is a commentary, not a translation and it should be treated as such. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and abuse the earth and everything in it, don't qualify as citizens in God's kingdom.". This Message book should not be used at all. Cults therefore suppress personal opinion, critical thinking and free exchange of ideas. There are many issues I have with the Message translation, but for the sake of space I am only listing three of them. I would question whether Peterson feels the same way. I dont need a thing. You are right-on! Read full chapter. Hoping it will appear in Google listings in time. Gossip always distorts and exaggerates, and is never a reliable source of truth. why is x2 closed at magic mountain; ul858 household electric ranges standard for safety; barron trump height problem; dr sebi daughter; growth mindset activities for high school pdf why the message bible is dangerous. No one can argue that if Mary was 1 day pregnant with JESUS, they would be hollering womens rights. 2) When pastors preach from it, it encourages people to use it, this is dangerous because the Message is full of errors, false doctrine, and occult philosophy. Later, when I started dating a woman (now my wife) at the church, she was warned that I was at the centre of controversy. Each phrase is considered so perfect that. So, The Messagedoes speak about those who "use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex," but what in the world does that mean? The men who spied out Canaan had returned to Israel's camp and reported that the Promised Land had giants. I got some belated support and encouragement. HE did say murder is a sin, which is ending the life of another human. 4:29) The Mess routinely speaks "corrupt communication" with some curse words in its pages.This is just one example.. This premise, however, is dangerous and has been the cause of much bigotry, intolerance, injustice and pain.The truth is that there is no proof that this collection of books is the Word of God. Our Father in heaven, When I first began to object due to the occult phrases and New Age terminology of The Message, in addition to its distortions of scripture my concerns were discussed with the church minister behind closed doors. Lets all be careful and remember William Tyndale who first translated the bible to English but encountered fierce opposition and was killed(burnt at stake) but his work has a very large impact on the King James Version (the most accepted version of the bible) They are persecuted because they wear a cross and bear witness to Jesus. 13 And lead us not into temptation, There was no malice in eating and therefore not offensive. Eugene Petersons translation of The Message removes this idea of worrying about paying for clothing and instead warns against vanity and attention to fancy clothing. Good people are going to perish. Indeed, a day of judgment is coming (2:12-22, 24:1-23), so let all the nations of the earth take heed. Photo Credit: Unsplash/Tom Morel Read more We have to read them for what they say, not for what we want them to say. Abortion isnt a sin if you cant hear a heartbeat or if the BABY was conceived via rape or incest. Peterson's Approach Yields a Commentary. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. Posted on . So every version that we read from is a translated interpretation. And then they paid for it, oh, how they paid for it emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches. Instead, they must be kind and gentle and not love money. Many dangerous theological errors are found throughout the GNT, including distortions of the divinity of Christ, removing references to Jesus blood, misrepresentations of Jesus virgin birth, removing references to hell, salvation being distorted, etc. I still get what The Holy Spirit is teaching me and have benefited Spiritually by it.. Refusing to know God, they soon didn't know how to be human either women didn't know how to be women, men didn't know how to be men. Regarded as sacred and authoritative, such a complex collection of histories, legends, allegories and images becomes a monstrous Rorschach blot in which you can picture almost . Robert D. McFadden. Remember, Noah built the Ark, scholars built the Titanic. when you walk at my side. 1. Remove unnecessary links, images, and attachments. I got the phrase As above, so below which appears in The Message and googled it alongside the word Satanism in the presence of the minister. Okay to get to the point, desire for the truth even if it means finding out everything you ever thought to be true was not, and you will, then asking Yahweh (God) to unblind you and guide you to the truth as you search for it and for protection from satanic deception so you wont be deceived. The Message promotes the mystical New Age message with a boldness never seen in a mainstream Bible. However, as a very free paraphrase, it is sometimes powerful and brilliant while at other times it is seriously off target. 1) The Message (MSG) - This translation is a paraphrase by Eugene Peterson. I reminded the church that Jesus said if we love him, we will obey his commands (John 14:23). Rather than allowing the Bible to expand his understanding, Peterson has often contracted the Bible to fit his own ideas, omitting those bits that he cannot fit, and adding his own material in far too many places. You set out at the beginning of the year to read the Bible every day. Schedule II: Drugs with some medically acceptable uses, but with high potential for abuse and/or addiction. My answer to the question remains the same today as it has always been: The Messageis not a translation and should not be used as your primary Bible. Although I was never rude in my emails, seven people complained about me to the church office in one day. ", The ESV reads: "For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. [2], According to the Introduction to the New Testament of The Message, its "contemporary idiom keeps the language of the Message (Bible) current and fresh and understandable". It wasnt too long ago that we were stuck in this stagnant life of sin, but thankfully, God has given us a new life through Jesus Christ. Biblical scholars can do real spiritual harm by casually dismissing the texts that students hold dear. Return to homepage. 10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Even the most liberal seminary would fail a student who turned in an essay full of Message quotes (at least I hope they would). [3], The publisher states: "Peterson's work has been thoroughly reviewed by a team of recognized Old and New Testament scholars to ensure that it is accurate and faithful to the original languages. Song of Solomon: Most Amazing . This mistreatment of Scripture can be seen in his misuse of passages such as 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Are you relying on the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding? Death Valley, Then there is the line as above, so below, which is from the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus an occult text from the school of Hermeticism, that has influenced every aspect of the new age movement, from Asatru to Satanism to Wicca. Keep us alive with three square meals. Here's what to do if your recipients are seeing "This Message Seems Dangerous" in emails you send: 1. Through Jesus Christ, we have been freed from the bondage of sin and death. I gave the leaders and some church members paper copies of this resource. The most dangerous verses in the Bible will have no bearing on us when we are saved and sure; not placing our faith in the work that we have done, but rather in Christ and His finished work. And whenever I see people carrying The Messageinto church services, I groan, since I assume that, for those people, it istheir Bible. In this section of the sermon, Jesus uses the example of wildflowers to illustrate how God provides for all creatures. It would be smart to not confuse the Message with the actual word of God, it is a commentary and should be treated as such, meaning it is not divinely inspired and is full of errors. Psalm 119:1-2. (For the record, Paul was not saying here that homosexual couples are incapable of love or that all homosexuals are sex fiends. Learn why this "gospel lite" illusion is such a seductive, powerful delusion for Christians and how you can avoid it in your walk of faith. However, by itself, the Bible is not reliable as a single historical source. Only the Bible is authoritative and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, as made clear in 2 Timothy 3:16. Compare Micah 3:5 in the MESSage bible to the King James Bible and others. I always have my NKJV Bible with me and when I saw what was on the screen it did appear correct from what I read in the NKJV. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Especially when our own pastor prayed the Lords prayer in Peterson speak. Yes. from. 1. Amen. This is clearly what Eugene Peterson is looking at, since otherwise the prayer should end after deliver us from evil, or as the paraphrase puts it (I hesitate to call it a paraphrase, since a true paraphrase keeps the original thought intact), keep us safe from ourselves and the devil. I would point out that theres a huge difference between deliverance and keeping safe. Yes. Firstly, ALL Bibles such as NKJV, NIV etc are paraphrasing. What is more alarming is that the church congregation relies on the over head screen to read the scriptures presented. As translated in the ESV, Paul wrote, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Use it, then, in a supplemental way and, where it really nails things or clarifies things, learn from it. Therefore, readers put a great deal more faith in the translators, as they are trusting their interpretation.
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