We are UNDER CONSTRUCTION: After being loyal to King James' Version of the Holy scritpures for the entirety of our Christian lives, even though we felt the translation made the truth regarding local, church governance hard to discern, we discovered there is a very real reason we felt that way. The following is an excerpt from Bible Gateway, emphasis in quotes added: "In January 1604, King James VI...convened the Hampton Court Conference where a new English version was conceived in response to the perceived problems of the earlier translations as "detected" by the Puritans. James gave the translators instructions intended to "guarantee" that the new version would "conform" to the "ecclesiology" and "reflect" the episcopal "structure" of the Church of England and its belief in an ordained ""clergy."" The translation was done by 47 scholars, "all" of whom were members of the Church of England."
If this doesn't make you aware that we all, like the Puritans must become detectives, nothing would. Everything we know about King James leads us to conclude that he was not born again. Had he have been, he would have understood that no one makes scripture conform or reflect to doctrines of men but that the scriptures themselves are to conform us and cause us to reflect God's glory. The majority, if not all translations were undertaken by men who we have no certainty were even born again. Thankfully, those believers who have been and are born again, have the promise of the Spirit of Truth guiding into all Truth. Please again note that the King James translates elder to bishop in certain verses instead of simply using elder throughout. Bishop = elder, which the KJV calls an office which is defined as "a duty, charge or trust of a sacred nature" by Webster's 1828 Dictionary. To serve as an elder is a function of serving the body, not a position or title. There are no ranks. An elder is one among equals. Jesus is the shepherd and bishop(guardian/overseer) of our souls. Elders = bishops = overseers in the body of Christ. Elders were never meant to be an elevated priest class, obstructing the view of and connection to Saviour by the body. Jesus commanded that we call no man Master, Rabbi or Father. The overuse and misuse of the word Pastor as a title or even name in so many modern day churches fits into the same category. Again, the singular form of the word pastor can not be found once in the New Testament. Yet in most modern day churches one would think that there is no other function or that the solo pastor is the totality of the local body of Christ. How does that fit with "All ye are brethren?" The Bible tells us to "Greet the friends by name." III John 1:14 The body of Christ is more of a family than flesh and blood. Friends and especially family address one another on a first name basis. That is not disrespect. That is true fellowship of a body undivided by class or rank.For more information regarding the King James version please see
"The Great Eccelsiastical Conspiracy"."...In doing so, he exposed what we call the great ecclesiastical conspiracy that was at the heart of all the abuses. The church had something to protect and protect it they did, and in their usual manner they began to plot the death of the heretic."Here's how you can make bold and italic text.
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