Some time ago I heard a radio preacher present a Refor­mation Day sermon about what he called the "real" Bible. At first the sermon left me mildly irritated. He said that the King James Version (KJV) was the only real Bible as op­posed to all other versions and/or translations. He maintained that the Greek textus receptus upon which the KJV is based was the only valid Greek text and thus that the (old) KJV was the only real Bible today.

My mild irritation came about partly from his insistence on the sole validity of the KJV textual tradition. Neither could I give whole-hearted approval to his choice of words, namely his reference to a "real" Bible. If the KJV is real does that mean other versions are in some sense "unreal?" How can they be unreal? Do they lack existence or substance? Surely not. Or by "real" did he mean reliability according to God's Word as originally given? If so why did he not argue that the KJV was the only "reliable" Bible? Why is it fashionable in many circles today to use imprecise language? Are we perhaps losing something by trying to be too colloquial?

Enough by way of comment on the radio preacher. But his phrase "real" Bible did remain with me. I have reflected on it several times — finally concluding that in my congrega­tions there have been various "real" Bibles. Let me share these musings with you.

First some definition is in order. I shall try consistently to refer to the Bible of 66 books as the Word of God. I shall use the phrase "real" Bible to refer to the real authority in a person's life. The Word of God and one's "real" Bible may or may not be the same. I suspect that many of our prob­lems in the church today come because these are sometimes not the same.

Is the Word of God Our Real Bible?⤒🔗

There is some evidence to suggest that the Word of God is not the "real" Bible for all the members of the congrega­tions I have pastored. Let me illustrate.

Consider the matter of Sunday church attendance. Some do not see enough importance in worship and the Word to attend twice. Neither are they impressed with the authority and wisdom of the consistory or Church Order which re­quire attendance at two Sunday worship services. These find two worship services too burdensome (and boring?) for their own good. But why? These same people watch television an average of six hours per day, or forty-two hours per week. They can watch football, basketball and baseball games two to three hours at a time several times per week. Doesn't this say, at the very least, that the Bible is less important to them than certain secular activities? And if the Bible is not that important to them, isn't it also true that the Bible is not a real authority in their lives? After all, we have time for what is really important to us.

Or consider the law of God. Why can many "Christians" easily ignore that law they hear on Sunday from Monday to Saturday? Why do many so easily dismiss law from life? Can it be that their real law is the law of the land? Is the law for some the law of the kingdom of this age rather than that of the Kingdom of God?

These illustrations point out the problem. They suggest that some among us have a "real" Bible or real authority other than the Word of God. If so, we need a Reformational em­phasis today on sola Scriptura — the Bible only — once again.

What is a Person's Real Bible?←⤒🔗

I see many different "real" Bibles among our people. While for many the Word of God is the real Bible, for others it is not. Among these others I notice some six main "real" Bibles. I mention these six but do not imply anything about order, importance, or popularity of these by the order. Pastors and church leaders do well to consider the "real" Bible of a person before they can carry out effective ministry.

The first group is the TRADITIONALISTS. These often appear fiercely loyal to the Word of God, though close scrutiny reveals the contrary. The traditionalist is always conservative — and usually authoritarian and negative. His real authority is some tradition. In one congregation I served, after we completed an Activities Building, we had a lunch with coffee and ice cream after a morning worship service to celebrate. While we were celebrating, one church member came up to an Elder and myself loudly complaining that cof­fee outside church after a worship service was sin in which he would have to refuse to participate. From where did he derive his view? Not the Bible, for the Bible does not con­demn lunch after church. In fact, in Corinth they even ate a main meal with communion right in church! This objector spoke with the authority of tradition from certain earlier prac­tices in his denomination.

Unfortunately these traditionalists hurt the genuine con­servative cause. Over the years I have become very fearful of traditionalists. These can be as mistaken and cruel as the liberal members. A real problem with the pure traditionalists is that after a generation they cannot tell the difference be­tween the Biblical and the traditional. These make me hesi­tant to identify too strongly with conservative causes lest I seem to be a traditionalist. These bring disfavor upon Biblical conservatives.

A second group with a "real" Bible other than the Word of God is the WORLDLY-WISE. Often these are highly educated and have advanced degrees. Their central problem is that their educational discipline is better known and more authoritative for them than the Word of God. These include scientists who accept what science says as true rather than what the Bible says. If science and the Bible seem to con­tradict each other, the Bible must be explained away. Of course these include many more persons than scientists. I wish to add emphatically too, that many others with advanced degrees do not belong to the worldly wise. Among the worldly-wise in our churches there is usually enough overt respect for the Word of God to want to harmonize it with their academic disciplines. Those who do not wish to har­monize have left the church. The worldly-wise do well to remember that the allegedly "sure findings" of science change in only a few years, and must always be viewed as subordinate to Scripture. In reality, Scripture and (correct) science can not contradict each other, for God's special and general revelation are one — not contradictory. But when Scripture says something clearly, that should settle it for us. Although academic and scientific disciplines can help us understand Scripture, these other disciplines may never become "real" Bibles in place of Scripture.

A third group with a "real" Bible other than the Word of God — a group with many members in the churches I have served — is those with WORLDLY-VALUES. These are enamored with riches, expensive vacations, and similar lux­uries. This group seems to be getting larger in our churches. They find their fulfillment in the treasures of this world. They listen to the preaching of the Word of God only to the extent that preaching confirms their scale of values. They seldom want to hear anything else. They like sermons about positive thinking and God's blessing upon accomplishment. They usually do not like to think very deeply. They easily skip church if they do not hear what they want to hear. These seldom come to Bible studies or church societies.

They care little for the Bible, Christian tradition, or even scholarship. They easily leave one church for another which they "like" more for reasons vague even to them. In the secular world they are now called "yuppies." Yuppies are not scarce in churches today.

A fourth group with another "real" Bible are the HOB­BYISTS. These have their favorite activities, hobbies, or in­terests that come before the Word of God. I can usually discern these because they can speak animatedly about their real interests, but become very quiet when discussion turns to the Word of God. They talk much better about baseball, football or basketball than about spiritual things. They may talk much about horse cleanliness but little about Christian holiness. Their heart is on their real hobby rather than on the Word of God. In one of my congregations we had a member who went to the racetrack Sunday mornings to race horses rather than to worship services.

A fifth group with a wrong "real" Bible are the FAD­DISTS. These follow the latest fad or trend in the world. These may go camping weekends during the summer rather than to their own church. Or they may favor the ordination of women to church office for the simple reason that the worldly women's movement is demanding that. Their real authority is the fad, not the Bible. The pastor or church leader can pick this up quickly in conversation with them.

A sixth identifiable group is those whose "real" Bible seems to be simple PASSIVENESS. These seem interested primarily in leisure and laziness. They may refuse to get in­volved in any church work. They may refuse to put forth much effort to understand sermons or society lessons. A passive person told me he did not come to Bible study because it was not worth the effort of getting his coat on or wasting the gas to start his car.

Sometimes these have trouble working up the energy to go to church, especially if the weather is too hot or cold. One of these once told me that if our church would change its worship service from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. he thought he could get up early enough on Sunday mornings to come, but he wasn't sure. These may not have other interests. They may not be opposed to much. But they have little interest and energy for spiritual matters either. Refusing spiritual exercise, they become spiritual cripples. They are just passive and uninvolved. They like to call themselves Christians, but they know nothing of discipline, exercise, sanctification, or spiritual warfare.

Let not pastors and church leaders think that all members in their congregations have the Word of God as their "real" Bible! Such thinking would be shallow and foolish indeed!

Toward Making God's Word the "Real" Bible of Our People←⤒🔗

What can a pastor and consistory do to correct these con­ditions? How can we emphasize the Reformational princi­ple of "the Bible only" today? How can we most effectively minister in an age when the real enemy is no longer the Romish Church but the spirit of the age? How can we best lead when some church members will not submit to the Word and law of God, but are laws unto themselves, doing what is right in their own eyes?

Happily, pastors and church leaders can to an extent mini­ster effectively. But I must begin with a pessimistic and cau­tionary note. I have noticed that when I as a pastor try to help some church members toward a more Biblical position they immediately leave. For instance, if I suggest that Chris­tian schools are good, some members say that if they have to hear anymore of that they will go to the church down the street where they do not have to hear trash for sermons. Or if I suggest we should tithe, some members say that they will go to the large church across town where they do not pay quotas. We simply have to recognize that we live in an age of consumer Christians who will attend church where they hear what they want to hear. Many people see church atten­dance and membership as spiritually parallel to shopping at one department store or another. They go where the pro­duct or religion is cheapest and easiest. And they have little loyalty to one place or another, but go from one store or church to another without feeling any obligation to any store or church. Many Christians today have a consumer mentality. In this situation churches find it difficult to speak truth. They must meet consumer demands. And the ecclesiastical media give full support and approval to "church growth" effort, which usually means numerical growth in membership. Often church growth has little to do with growth in Biblical knowledge or Christian maturity. Too often truth is set aside for warm bodies. It is hard for pastors and church leaders to hold the Bible high when the popularly approved move­ments of the day do just the opposite.

Yet pastors and church leaders can help people toward the Word of God in some ways. And the true sheep will listen and follow. We must not despair. A minority with God is better than a majority without God, as the two spies found out who had the opposition of ten spies and a whole nation (Numbers 13-14). Rightness is more important than relation­ships. Truth is better than numbers. How can we help peo­ple make the Word of God their "real" Bible?

First, we must understand the situation described above. People seldom say what their real Bible is, but they always show it. We must look carefully at lifestyles and works. Then we see the trumpet people are following. We must be in­formed before we can transform.

Second, pastors and church leaders can truthfully but lov­ingly confront people with the facts. The Bible tells us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Both truth and love are important. Sometimes doctrinally solid church leaders have spoken truth without much love. On the contrary, the spirit of the age in ecclesiastical churches today has moved radically in the opposite direction, often totally dismissing truth and only emphasizing love or relationship. Blessed is the church where the truth is spoken in love. Paul told Timothy to refute false doctrines and heresies by simply presenting the truth positively (1 Timothy 4:13 -16).

Third, pastors and church leaders must insist in situations of conflict that the Biblical way be followed. It is a simple fact that the leadership and majority in a church determine direction. If the leadership is right the church can have some weaker members who will tend to be drawn in the right direc­tion. But if the leadership is wrong then even the minority of strong members will tend to be led astray. Sheep follow their shepherds. Pastor and church leaders, make sure that your "real" Bible is the Word of God!

Fourth and finally, pastors and church leaders must always remember to say, "Thus says the Lord." They must say no less, and they may say no more. Many times in ministry I would have been in trouble except that the Lord's Words resulted in God getting the blame (or credit). For instance, I once preached on Galatians 1:8 where the Bible says that anyone who comes with another gospel is accursed. One visitor became very angry at me for being so narrow-minded and bigoted. I tried to say gently that if he could show that I had misrepresented what God said, I would make a public apology. As he was forced to see that it was God who said it and not I, the Word began to work powerfully in him, eventually converting him. Another young parishioner who was far from God and who attended church only sporadical­ly became very upset when I preached on Revelation 3:14-22 and spoke against lukewarmness. He vowed never to come to church to hear me again. But some time later He testified to the elders that he gradually came to see that it was really God speaking, and that he was the lukewarm one to whom the Word was directed. He is progressing, though still has far to go. Pastors and elders, make sure God gets all the blame or credit for what you say. That way, we do not have to worry. After all, we are only messengers. And as we become better and better messengers we find that the liv­ing, powerful, active Word of God (Hebrews 4:12) still speaks. "Thus says the Lord" still today.

Let the sola Scriptura, or "The Bible only" of the Refor­mation still be heard today! Let our "real" Bible be THE WORD OF GOD!