Understanding the KJV VPP Heresy by Lim Seng Hoo

The KJV-VPP Heresy2 The Greek “Hairesis” is associated with two elements: - A choice; especially a self-willed opinion, which is substituted for submission to the power of truth. (Tit 3:10, 2Pet 2:1). In other words, a chosen course of thought based on a doctrinal departure from revealed truths. This leads to division and the formation of sects, (1Cor 11:18-19, Gal 5:20). In other words, dissensions / divisions arise as a result of the above.

The KJV-VPP Heresy3 The Nature of Heresy The Apostle Paul warned us in Gal 5:9: - “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” Chrysostom warned us “not to stray even a little to the left or to the right!” Charles Spurgeon: “There is no new doctrine except that which is false.”

The KJV-VPP Heresy4 The Purpose of Heresy / Our End Times Context “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.” (1Cor 11:19) “Seven Churches of Rev 2 & 3.” Only Smyrna and Philadelphia unreservedly approved.

The KJV-VPP Heresy5 Local Church End Times Context The Apostle Paul’s founding of the Churches of Asia and his final farewell at Miletus (Act 19:10 & 20:17-32) His prison epistle from Rome (Eph 1:15-16) The Seven Churches co-existing (Rev 1:20) The Judgement on the children of the fourth Church (Thyatira) – a warning to all the churches (Rev 2:23) In the local church context, we can be a Smyrna or a Philadelphia, even though we live in a Laodicean age!

The KJV-VPP Heresy6 Verbal Plenary Inspiration “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2Tim 3:16-17) “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Pet 1:21) Every scripture is God-breathed and thus infallible. This refers to every chapter, verse, word, syllable and letter of all 66 Books of the Divine Original Autographa.

The KJV-VPP Heresy7 KJV-VPP Postulate In the fullness of time (1611), God providentially guided the translators of the King James Bible (KJV) to restore a perfect set of apographa copy or text founded on the Hebrew OT Masoretic text and the Greek NT Textus Receptus, that is perfect and jot and tittle exact with the Original Infallible God-breathed Autographa.” They also define “providentially” used to mean “special”, “miraculous”, “supernaturally”

The KJV-VPP Heresy8 KJV-VPP Origins Every heresy has an origin! KJV-VPP has its origins in Seventh Day Adventism. Dr Wilkinson’s 1930 “Our Authorized Bible Vindicated,” postulated KJV Perfection to anticipate all revisions whatsover, against the erosion of KJV textual support for various SDA teachings (Sabbath keeping, soul sleep/annihilation, and exposure of Miller’s prophetic errors)

The KJV-VPP Heresy9 KJV-VPP Origins Benjamin G. Wilkinson, (1872 – 1968) was Dean of Theology at the SDA Columbia Union College, 7600 Flower Avenue, Tomoka Park, MD He held an SDA rank equal to a Bishop of a large diocese. Otis Fuller’s “Which Bible?” reproduced 10 of Wilkinson’s 16 chapters, sans footnote references to Mrs Ellen White. Wilkinson’s identity was hid as one who “was all but unknown in the world of scholarship” and “taught for many years in a small and obscure Eastern college”.

The KJV-VPP Heresy10 The Origins of VPP

The KJV-VPP Heresy11

The KJV-VPP Heresy12

The KJV-VPP Heresy13 Perfect KJV Branches Wilkinson’s Perfect KJV Postulate branched into: - Ruckmanism – English Text of KJV Perfect! (Peter Ruckman, graduate of BJU, assoc with Pensacola) KJV-VPP – underlying Hebrew & Greek text Perfect! (Otis Fuller, JJ Ray, D A Waite  Dean Burgon Society) Ironically, Dean Burgon would not have been admitted as a member of the DBS).

The KJV-VPP Heresy14 KJV-VPP Easily Refuted Summary of Review Findings: the VPP theory must either be: - Absolutely TRUE in which case we ought to embrace it OR Completely FALSE in which case we ought to reject it. It CANNOT BE BOTH If true, all, not just some, of the evidence would be found in support of it. If false, all the evidence would be against it. It would not be part here and part there.

The KJV-VPP Heresy15 KJV-VPP Easily Refuted In “An Evidential Review”, all four areas investigated:- VPP theoretical basis: detailed arguments, assumptions and rhetoric, Literature research on true views of key authorities put forward, The inability of VPP proponents to convincingly identify the “VPP text”, The last VPP defence: “Dean Burgon Oath” = Perfect Apographa were unanimously null for the VPP hypothesis.

The KJV-VPP Heresy16 KJV-VPP Easily Refuted In the SH Lim Vs Jeffrey Khoo Open Written Debate, (see this conclusion is re-echoed:- Common sense tells us that KJV-VPP is unreasonable. Factual investigation manifestly shows it is false. Finally, Faith in Almighty God is greater than to allow our salvation to turn precariously upon the perfection of the specific KJV texts.

The KJV-VPP Heresy17 OBSERVATIONS (for understanding) KJV-VPPism pretends to be about a Perfect Bible but is in reality KJV fundamentalism gone extreme! Whereas Ruckmanism reckons the KJV’s English translation as inspired, VPPism requires an inspired KJV textual criticism. VPPism also requires postulating English as the singly blessed language of the Gospel, forgetting that “there is no respect of persons with God” (Rom 2:11), Who gave the original Autographs in Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek and provided reliable translations in numerous languages.

The KJV-VPP Heresy18 OBSERVATIONS (for understanding) The VPP faith proposition is predicated not on true Biblical faith but on a misplaced faith. (Objective faith is always based on the clear revelation of God, such in God’s call of Abraham out of Haran and into Canaan. Misplaced faith is when men act on their idealism when God had not spoken.) Almighty God could easily made the Autographs indestructible, but in His higher Sovereign Wisdom, did not! (God knew man’s idolatrous nature (Ex 32) and perhaps did not wish His Word to be made into an object of worship. “The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (2 Cor 3:6). (We ought not to trust our own theories for Wisdom is vindicated in her children (Prov 3:5, Luke 7:35, 1 Cor 1:24, 25)).

The KJV-VPP Heresy19 OBSERVATIONS (for understanding) Buswell rightly said, “We contend for the inerrancy of the meaning” rather than words. God’s Word was given not before but after Babel. To reach all tongues and nations, meanings rather than words have to be paramount. That Moses broke the tablets showed that the Autographs were not designed physically indestructible. Comparison of the Ten Commandments in Ex 20:1- 17, and at its recount forty years later in Deut 5:6-21, also shows various word disparities, without however any loss to its primary meanings. For Jeremiah’s roll burned by King Jehoiakim, God instructed to write again all the former words that were in the first roll, and “there were added besides unto them many like words” (Jer 36:1-4, 27-32). Clearly it is the meanings and like words that God’s Spirit wants us to receive, in humility and by His aid.

The KJV-VPP Heresy20 THE PRESERVATION OF GOD’S WORD Ch I, Sect VIII, WCF, “The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and by His singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical… Result: the Divine Origins and Inspiration of God’s Word, was immediately recognized by God’s people, who thus took great care and pains to make many accurate and exact-as-possible copies, which were distributed to all the churches. Through this, God’s singular care and providence in the preservation of the manuscripts are most clearly seen!

The KJV-VPP Heresy21 THE PRESERVATION OF GOD’S WORD Extant ancient manuscripts: we have some 5,488 Greek manuscripts, over 8,000 Latin manuscripts, supplemented by surviving manuscripts of Versions (early translations into other languages such as the LXX, Syriac- Peshitto, Arabic) plus the writings of the early Church Fathers (over 1,000 verbatim quotations of the Scriptures). This is thousands of times more evidence than any other ancient history facts! Bentley’s golden precept: ‘The real text of the sacred writers does not now, since the originals have been so long lost, lie in any MS, or edition, but is dispersed in them all.’

The KJV-VPP Heresy22 THE PRESERVATION OF GOD’S WORD The areas of agreement completely outweighs the areas of disagreement! Over 98% of texts are not in dispute. Areas in dispute often are in minor areas of lesser importance. The KJV Translators’ Preface to the Reader, “It hath pleased God in his Divine Providence here and there to scatter words and sentences of that difficulty and doubtfulness, not in doctrinal points that concern salvation, (for in such it hath been vouched that the Scriptures are plain) but in matters of less moment, that fearfulness would better beseem us than confidence, and if we will resolve, to resolve upon modesty with S. Augustine: It is better to make doubt of those things which are secret, than to strive about those things that are uncertain.” The textual database adequately provides for unequivocal correct textual readings in any important disputed text, for e.g., in 1Tim 3:16.

The KJV-VPP Heresy23 THE PRESERVATION OF GOD’S WORD We have a Bible in our hands so adequately preserved, as to be accurate and fully reliable that we can confidently conclude with Peter: - “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Pet 1:19) And with Paul: - “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2Tim 3:15)

The KJV-VPP Heresy24 Spiritual Bondage Against Knowing God [The Design (Motive) & Hypocrisy of Heresy] O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? (Gal 3:1) Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (Gal 3:3) For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Gal 3:10)

The KJV-VPP Heresy25 Spiritual Bondage Against Knowing God [The Design (Motive) & Hypocrisy of Heresy] Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. (Gal 5:1-4) I would they were even cut off which trouble you. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Gal 5:12- 14)

The KJV-VPP Heresy26 Spiritual Bondage Against Knowing God [The Design (Motive) & Hypocrisy of Heresy] As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Gal 6:12-14)

The KJV-VPP Heresy27 Much Rather, be Gold for Christ! Brethren, Press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. That we may know Him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings. O that we may not be distracted from thirsting to know our worthy Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, intimately in a daily and deep, personal, experiential knowledge!