The very first evidence of awakening grace is dissatisfaction with one’s self and self-effort and a longing for deliverance from chains of sin that have bound the soul. To own frankly that I am lost and guilty is the prelude to life and peace. It is not a question of a certain depth of grief and sorrow, but simply the recognition and acknowledgment of need that lead one to turn to Christ for refuge. None can perish who put their trust in Him. His grace super abounds above all our sin, and His expiatory work on the cross is so infinitely precious to God that it fully meets all our uncleanness and guilt.
—H.A. Ironside (October 14, 1876 – January 15, 1951, Canadian-American Bible teacher, preacher, theologian, pastor, and author, well known for his commentaries)
The response to the recent article, Why Christians Should Never Use The Message Bible, has been significant. But an email from Pastor Don Veinot, one of the authors of Richard Rohr and the Enneagram Secret [1] points out what may be a painful truth.
Veinot writes, “When it first came out and somehow became the pulpit Bible of choice, it simply demonstrated the lack of viewing God as holy.”
Certainly there are people who are deceived, good Christians who just lack discernment. I have seen this with The Message, and also with The Chosen.Once they are informed, they turn from these things.
That being said, I believe Pastor Veinot is right. This unholy book was spread from the pulpit by many men who did not view God as holy.
The Message is not a translation of the Bible. It is not a para-translation, as its publishers have so cleverly called it. Nor is it simply a paraphrase, because its earthly author, Eugene Peterson, has added, subtracted, and altered.
We should not use The Message because it is unholy.
UNHOLY!
The Word of God is clear we are never to profane the Lord’s name. (Deut 5:11, Exodus 20:7)
Yet, that is what Peterson in his dark wisdom has placed in Micah 3:5-7. He uses God’s name as a curse word! So please, no more excuses, no more presentations of this thing as an example of a paraphrase* etc.
God is either holy, or He is not. God either means what He says, or He does not.
So, here is The Message’s blasphemous rendition of Micah 3:5-7:
Here is God’s Message to the prophets, the preachers who lie to my people: “For as long as they’re well paid and well fed, the prophets preach, ‘Isn’t life wonderful! Peace to all!’ But if you don’t pay up and jump on their bandwagon, their [God’s Name Profaned] (emphasis mine)
[Reader, the entire full-letter profanity is in The Message “bible.”]
As is so often the case with The Message, (earthly middleman) Eugene Peterson has once again savaged God’s Word. Genuine translations of Micah 3:5 are far different.
Here is Micah 3:5 in the NASB:
Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; When they have something to bite with their teeth, They cry, “Peace,” But against him who puts nothing in their mouths They declare holy war.
And here is the KJV translation of Micah 3:5:
Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.
The Lord makes clear we are to revere His name:
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. (Exodus 20:7, KJV)
As David Guzik notes in his excellent commentary:
a. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain: We can break [this] commandment through profanity (using the name of God in blasphemy and cursing), frivolity (using the name of God in a superficial, stupid way), and hypocrisy(claiming the name of God but acting in a way that disgraces Him). [1]
i. Jesus communicated the idea of this command in the disciple’s prayer, when He taught us to have a regard for the holiness of God’s name (Hallowed be Your name, Matthew 6:9). [2]
Don’t allow celebrity Christians, pastors, or any other person to mislead you about Eugene Peterson or The Message “Bible.”
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)
The Message flat out deletes homosexuality as sin from two key New Testament passages and gives a politically correct spin to a third (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Timothy 1:8-11, Romans 1:25-27). It removes Salvation from a key passage (Romans 10:13).
Exodus 3:5-6 — Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father-the God of Abraham the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
Psalm 99:2-3 — The Lord is great in Zion, and He is high above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awesome name-He is holy.
Isaiah 6:3 — “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”
Revelation 4:8 — “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”
SALIENT POINTS: Holiness is synonymous with God’s total purity and separation from the rest of creation. Holiness is a moral purity, and different from Adam’s holiness, God’s is eternally incorruptible. This holiness so sets God apart from fallen man that in his natural state, no man may approach the incorruptible God (for man is tarnished, dirty, and corrupt, and True holiness cannot bear such) — this is evidenced by the special commands to those who would approach God (cf.Exodus 3:4-6, Isaiah 6:1-6). God’s holiness is one of the primary reasons why the advent of Christ is so incredible: it allows men who were once unable to come before God the ability to kneel before the throne of God and worship forever and ever (Revelation 4:9-11, 5:14).
(The above is from the Attributes of GodStudy found in Blue Letter Bible)
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,
even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief;
and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.
It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:12-16)
For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully. (2 Corinthians 11:4)
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:20)
According to Lighthouse Trails:
Did you know that in the hugely popular series, The Chosen, the apostle Peter continually calls John the Baptist “creepy John”? Yet the Bible highly esteems John the Baptist saying he would “be great in the sight of the Lord” and come in the spirit and power of Elijah—Luke 1:15-17.
Did you know that in The Chosen, Jesus and John the Baptist get into an argument about whether John should confront Herod or not. But would the Bible’s John of the Baptist, who said he was not even worthy to untie the laces of Jesus’ sandles, argue with Jesus Christ, and is there any hint in God’s Word that Jesus disapproved of John the Baptist’s confronting a leader who was committing adultery?
The following video, done by a man who gave us permission to use his video, shows and discusses these scenes and others from The Chosen. As did our booklet, The Chosen Series: 10 Critical Concerns, the video below provides ample evidence that The Chosen discredits God’s Word.
It is a fearful thing, leaving A.A. The Big Book (the A.A. “Bible”) states, “We thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not.”[1] Because this passage of A.A. “scripture” is taken literally, alcoholics rarely look elsewhere for help. Christians continue to jam their God, the Ancient of Days, into A.A.’s chameleon theology.
“Do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead even expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11-12)
It is not just fear that keeps us bound to this all-gods religion. The 12 Step experience becomes an idol–long term involvement almost always results in a transference of faith. Bluntly stated, when it comes to sobriety, many Christians end up with more faith in the power of the 12 Step program than in Jesus Christ.
This idol worship is by no means limited to those in A.A., but applies to many in “Christian 12 Step” groups.
This transference of faith is subtle, gradual, and frequently inevitable. The result is that sobriety without the 12 Step program will not even be considered. Biblical wisdom, given by concerned and caring believers, is rejected.
For many years Christians have justified their involvement by pointing to numerous books that claim AA and the 12 Steps are Christian in origin. If this is true, then obviously A.A.’s co-founders had to have been Christians. Indeed, this belief is also a primary rationalization for remaining in the AA religion. …continue reading Alcoholics Anonymous co-founders were not Christians….*
The Word Like Fire 