Originally posted by Pastor Larry:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Steve K.:
Check this nugget out,a quote from the chief editor of the NIV.
This {his NIV} shows the great error that is so prevelant in some orthodox Protestant circles,namely the error that regeneration depends upon faith...and that in order to be born again man must first accept Jesus as his savior.
Few clear and decisive texts say that Jesus is God.
Why don't you give us a source for this quotation so that we can check it out. Something smells really funny here; I think I know what it is. If you give the source, we can check it out.</font>[/QUOTE]It's already been checked out, and this "quote" is none other than one (two actually), of Riplinger's famous MISquotes, as appearing in the introductory chapter of her "New Age Bible Versions".
The first part of the quote comes from "The Holy Spirit" by Edwin Palmer (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1974), page 83. Looking at the context, the only conclusion is that those repeating Riplinger have *never* bothered to check the quote for themselves. Also, because the misquote conveys the opposite meaning of the words in their original context, I believe that Riplinger has deliberately and deceptively twisted the quote, for purposes of misrepresentation and slander. In context, Palmer is discussing that regeneration, the new birth, is first of all a work of God's Holy Spirit and not a work of man's faith. The "..." from Riplinger's quote was deliberately placed, removing key words. The quote fixed, replacing the "..." with the missing words, says "namely the error that regeneration depends upon faith AND NOT UPON GOD, and that in order to be born again man must first accept Jesus as Savior." Palmer is saying that regeneration depends upon God, and without God, no man can accept Jesus as Savior.
The second part comes from "The NIV: The Making of a Contemporary Translation" by Kenneth Barker, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Corporation, 1986), p. 143. The chapter the quote comes from was written by Palmer. But first, I would point out that the quote as it stands is actually true. There are few clear and decisive texts that declare that Jesus is God. Palmer was discussing how the KJV blurs one of the few texts, and here is the quote with surrounding text, which Riplinger does not provide for obvious reasons:
"A striking case of where the KJV, following bad Greek copies of the original text, changed the originial is John 1:18. The KJV says: "No man hath see God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." John 1:18, as inspired by the Holy Spirit, is one of those
few clear and decisive texts that declare that Jesus is God. But, without fault of its own, the KJV, following inferior manuscripts, altered what the Holy Spirit said through John, calling Jesus "Son". Using the archaic language of the KJV, the verse should read: "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten God, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." Or to say it in a modern and elegant way: "No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only [Son], who is at the Father's side, has made him known" (NIV)."
Despite Riplinger's quotes being deliberately deceptive and attempts at slander, I feel they are very appropriately placed in her introduction, for they help set the tone of the entire book.
