HOLD FAST THE FORM OF SOUND

WORDS

by Rev. Jerry Matson,

The substance of an address delivered at the 29th Annual Conference of The
Trinitarian Bible Society (Canada), 25 October 1997. The Rev. Jerry Matson is
a Vice-President of TBS CANADA

I want to begin tonight by reading 2 Timothy 1:12 & 13. My text is verse 13,
but I must constantly remind myself to be mindful of the the context of any
verse I am studying. Verse 12, "For the which cause I also suffer these things:
nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am
persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against
that day." Now for the text of my message, verse 13, "Hold fast the form of
sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ
Jesus."

Today there are many who want to downplay the importance of words. The
subject of my message is dealing with the very words of Scripture, the words
that God has given to us. There are those who would say something like this,
"Surely, you place too much emphasis on words." My dear friends, we cannot
place too much emphasis on words. Words are the vehicle by which we
communicate one to another . Words are very important In Matthew 22:29-33
we read these words, as the Lord Jesus is dealing with those Sadducees who did
not believe in the resurrection. Without doubt, everyone here would agree that
the resurrection is one of the greatest and most important doctrines in all of
Scripture. Consider these verses, "Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do
err, not knowing the scripture, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection
they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in
heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that
which was spoken unto you by God saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the
living." Do you realize that Jesus Christ was pinning His whole argument for
the resurrection on one word that we find in this passage? And that one word
has but two letters. Isn't that interesting? What is that one word? Look at verse
32 again. Jesus said, "I am the God of Abraham...". You see Abraham was dead.
He could have said if Abraham were to die and never be raised from the dead, "I
was the God of Abraham...", But He did not say that. He said, "I am the God of
Abraham...", thus validating the resurrection. Jesus told those Sadducees, "Ye
do err, not knowing the scripture." The words of God are indeed important and
we see that a two-letter word is so important that Christ pins the whole
resurrection on those two little letters. My dear friends, do not ever
underestimate the words of God. Words are important. Every little jot and tittle
is of great importance.

You have the unorthodox, those who do not believe in the doctrines as we do.
They might say something like this concerning the words of God, "Those words
are not that important." My dear friends, words are important. I would say,
without any reservation whatsoever, that when someone tells me that words are
not important, that in a sense, they are lying. I realize that is strong language,
but I ask you to hear me out. What do you mean, Brother Jerry, when you say
that they are lying? I say that they are lying because if words were not
important, why would they be making any issue of changing the words of
Scripture in the first place? If words are not important, then why do they want to
change them? Why do they want to alter the words which we find in the Bible?
Why do they want to alter the words which we use right from Scripture? Why
do they want to change them? Why? Because they want to de-emphasize the
importance of words.

Let me go a little further to explain what I am talking about. Go back to 2

Timothy 1:13. I want to read from the "New International Version" in order to
illustrate my point. In our Bible, the Word of God, we read, "Hold fast the form
of sound words". The N.I.V. says this, "What you have heard from me keep as a
pattern of sound teaching". Please understand, I am not picking at things, but
there is a vast difference between "words" and "teaching". Think with me for
just a few moments. Is teaching important? Absolutely it is! You don't want to
sit under a false teacher and neither do I. You don't want to promote someone
who is teaching falsehoods and neither do I. Teaching is important. However, if
we place the emphasis on "teaching" and forget the "words", now we can
change the very words of God and say, "We haven't done anything. We are
basically saying the same thing." But my dear friends, there is a difference
between "words" and "teaching". The enemies of God's Word change 2
Timothy 1:13 in order to be able to change the words of God. The
commandment is to "hold fast the form of sound words". By changing that to
"teaching" they now can change the words of God without disobeying this
commandment.

I do not profess to be a Greek scholar. I was blessed to be able to study Greek

many years ago. I am not skilled in the Greek language, but I can make my way
around in the Greek New Testament. This verse in Greek uses the word "logos"
for "words". Actually, it is the plural form of this noun, thus we have in our
Bible it properly translated uot;words". This Greek word is found many times in
the New Testament and in the vast majority of cases it is translated "word" or
"words". The question that must be asked is, "Why did the translators of the
N.I.V. translate "logos" as "teaching"? " I must question their motive. I believe
the reason they changed the translation in this case is so that they can change
words in other places in the Bible. They do not want to hold fast the "form of
sound words". They do not want to be obliged to use the very words as they
ought to be used. Just another curious thing about this translation, why did they
not use the plural form of "teaching" instead of the singular. The Greek word is
plural. That is why in our Bible it is translated "words" and not "word". I must
again emphasize that this is a deliberate attempt to down play the importance of
words. The words that we use are of extreme importance.

Some might say, "You are talking about the "form of sound words. The form is
not really that important." Oh, the form is not important? The form is like an
eggshell. The shell is not really that important, it is what is in the shell that is
important. What these enemies will say is "The form is not the important thing,
but the really important thing is the meaning. The form is OK, but I believe that
the meaning is what we are really after." God said we are to "hold fast the form
of sound words" not "sound meaning". Please think with me for just a moment.
If that egg shell is not so important, then why, when I go grocery shopping does
my wife tell me to open the carton of eggs and make sure there are no cracked
eggs? If the eggshell is not so important, then why should I worry about it being
cracked? How many of you were raised on a farm? Did you have chickens?
Have you ever seen a cracked egg hatch? Who says that the "form" is not
important? God says it is. He says "Hold fast the form of sound words." This is
a commandment of God. There is no option on our part.

One result of playing down the importance of "sound words" is the diminishing
of the lines of distinction between God's people and the world and its methods.
God's work must be done only by God's people. TBS Canada refuses to go to
apostates for help. God's work will be supplied by God through His people and
not through His enemies. Abraham said that he would not take even a shoe
latchet from God's enemy. God would meet his needs, not an unregenerate
worldling. And I too must say that we will not take a shoe latchet from the
apostates, for it is God Who receives the glory when God supplies our needs
through His people.

I want to show you two different ways that the N.I.V. and those who promote it
actually change the usage of words.

I. WORDS WHICH ARE BEING CHANGED IN OUR

EVERYDAY USAGE.

I am talking about Bible words, words which are found in our Bibles, which we
would use in our conversations or ministries.

1. The first word that I want to look at is the word "preach". This word is toned
down and actually changed by substituting the word "share". I am standing
before you now and I am not "sharing" the Gospel. Some of you might be
offended by what I am saying, but I want you to listen to me very carefully. I
don't mean to offend. I want to speak to you about things that are important
because all of this has to do with a lowering of the standards of God. Nowhere
in the Bible am I told to "share" the Gospel. I want to give you the dictionary
meaning of the words "preach" and "share".

The definition of the word "preach" is a "public crier" or "to proclaim, to preach
the Word of God". On the other hand, to share means "to divide in portions". I
do not "divide" the Gospel in portions". Paul said that he "preached the whole
counsel of God" and that is what I am called to do and that is what every
Christian is called to do. It does not matter if you are a pastor, missionary,
deacon, Sunday school teacher or a mother in your house, you are called to
"preach" the Gospel. You are not called to "share" it. Let us look into the Word
of God. Isaiah 61:1, as it applies to the Lord Jesus Himself, "The Spirit of the
LORD God is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good
tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are
bound." In Jonah 3:1,2 we read, "And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah
the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto
it the preaching that I bid thee." We are called to preach the Gospel. We read
these words in Matthew 4:17 concerning the Lord Jesus, "From that time Jesus
began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." I do
not read anywhere in the Scriptures the use of the word "share". It does not say
that "Jesus began to share, and say..." but it says he "began to preach that the
kingdom of God was at hand." In fact there is only one place in all of Scripture
where we find the word share and that is talking about a "plow share". The
Scriptural term is "preach the Gospel".

Look at Matthew 10:27,28, "What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light:
and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not
them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him
which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Do you know why people
want to use the word "share" rather than the word "preach"? Its simple. Its
because we fear man. Have you ever heard someone say something like this,
"Don't you dare preach to me!"? So, instead of preaching, we "share".
Consequently we tone down the very word of God. Paul said, "Hold fast the
form of sound words." It is preaching, not sharing. I am not dividing the Gospel.
It is not like I have a Hershey Bar and I will give you some and I will keep
some for myself. That is sharing. It is good to share. If you have a Hershey Bar
you want to share with me afterwards, I will gladly take a share of it. But you
cannot share the Gospel. It has to be preached.

Paul was adamant about this as we see in 1 Corinthians 1:23, "But we preach
Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks
foolishness." My dear friends, we don't want to preach something that's going to
be rejected. We don't want somebody to say, "Well, that's a stumblingblock to
me" or "That's foolishness". So we tone it down. And I would dare say that one
of the main reasons we are not seeing more people turn to Christ today is that
we are toning down the Gospel. We are not saying, "Thus saith the Lord". But
we are trying to sneak people into the kingdom. I have done the same thing
myself. I have tried to sneak people into the kingdom. I won't tell a rich man
what the Bible says about the rich. Perhaps once he is saved then the Lord can
show that rich man the truth. That is plain deception. Consequently, I am not
holding fast the form of sound words.

It is my practice to seek a verse from the Lord for each year. This has been a
great blessing to me over the years. Some years ago my Lord gave me 1
Corinthians 9:16 as my "year's verse". "For though I preach the gospel, I have
nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I
preach not the Gospel!" Notice, Paul did not say, "Woe is unto me if I share not
the gospel!" We must hold fast the form of sound words.

Let's go back to 2 Timothy, this time to chapter four and look at verse two.
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort
with all longsuffering and doctrine." These are the last words of the Apostle
Paul and he say, "PREACH the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."

Nothing about sharing!

That is the first word I want to look at. I need to add just one more thing about
this word. Someone might say, "I am not called to preach". Are you called to
witness? Are you called to tell other people about Jesus Christ? Then you are
indeed called to preach. "Brother Jerry, you mean if I just talk to my neighbor,
that is preaching?" Yes it is. Absolutely. Remember in the Book of Acts when
Philip climbed in the chariot with the Ethiopian Eunuch? That man was reading
the prophet Isaiah and he had some questions. The Bible tells us that Philip
began from that point and "preached" Christ unto him. This was one man
talking to one man about Jesus and he "preached" unto him. He did not "share
Christ" with him. The same would be true if one woman talked to one woman
about Christ. She would be "preaching" Christ unto her friend.

2. The second word I want to look at is the word "charge" and the word
"challenge". The word "charge" means "to testify earnestly" and the word
"challenge" means "to call or to summon to a contest, to call or summon to a
debate, call to a duel." I am speaking mainly to preachers at this point, because I
don't hear too many other than preachers using the word "challenge". I find the
word "challenge" nowhere in Scripture. On the other hand, I do find the word
"charge" in the Bible.

Turn to 1 Timothy 5:21. "I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one
before another, doing nothing by partiality." Do you catch the magnitude of
what Paul is saying. In other words he is saying, "I am standing before God. I
am standing before Jesus Christ. I am standing before the angels. And I am
testifying before these three great ones that there is something you are to do.
Now folk, that has punch to it. And I can say here tonight without any fear of
contradiction, that I, too, am standing before God. I, too, am standing before
Jesus Christ, Who died for me. I, too, am standing before the elect angels who
are all about us even here tonight, and I charge you that you hold fast the form
of sound words. Now compare that to me saying, "I challenge you to hold fast
the form of sound words." Do you know what the difference is? The difference
is when I charge you, you have no other option but to do it. What if I am driving
down the highway, without paying any attention to my speed when I hear a
police siren, and I look in my rear view mirror and I see some lights flashing?
After I pull over, the police officer doesn't walk up to my car window and say,
"Mr. Matson, I challenge you to go to court." He "charges" me with a traffic
violation and I have no other option but to go to court. "Hold fast the form of
sound words." We actually take the teeth right out our gospel preaching by not
using the very words of Scripture. When we think that we know more than God
and we begin to tone down God's words we are robbing preaching of the most
powerful tool there is, the very words God.

Turn to 2 Timothy 4:1, "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus
Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his
kingdom; preach the word." Ha! There they are, tied together. "Preach the
word!" Hold fast the form of sound words!

This is not my whole message. I must press on into that which remains, because
there is another part which I believe to be even more important and I am not
going to be able to deal with it in any great detail.

II. ACTUAL CHANGES WHICH HAVE OCCURRED

IN THE WORDS OF GOD
I am speaking of changes which have taken place from the Authorized Bible to
the New International Version. We are going to see that there is an attack on the
person of Jesus Christ, by changing the words of God. The deity of Jesus Christ
is under attack in the N.I.V.

We will begin by comparing Luke 2:33 in the Authorized Bible with what is in
the N.I.V. The A.V. says, "And Joseph and his (Jesus) mother marvelled at
those things which were spoken of him." Now see what the N.I.V. says, "The
child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him."

Now compare Luke 2:43 in the same manner. The A.V. read, "And when they
had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in
Jerusalem: and Joseph and his mother knew not of it." While the N.I.V. reads,
"After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus
stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it." This is an attack on
the virgin birth. If Jesus Christ was not born of a virgin, then He cannot be the
spotless Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Do you see where
the attack is?

But that is not all. Go to 1 John 5:7. The Authorized Bible says, "For there are
three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and
these three are one." But look what we find in the N.I.V., "For there are three
that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement."
Completely doing away with the Trinity.

One of my favorite Christmas verses is 1 Timothy 3:16, "And without

controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in
the world, received up into glory." Now who does the Bible say was manifest in
the flesh? Without any doubt, it was God. But now in the N.I.V. we read,
"Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great, He appeared in a body,
was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the
nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory." The Greek word
"Theos" is in the Greek New Testament. Why would they change the word
"God" to a pronoun if they were not attacking the deity of Jesus Christ?

Now turn your attention to Revelation 22:16 in the Authorized Bible. "I, Jesus
have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the
root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." Note that
Christ Himself claims the title "the morning star". Now go back to Isaiah 14.
This chapter is a description of Satan. We shall not read the entire passage, but I
want to show you the 12th verse in the Authorized Bible. "How art thou fallen
from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the
ground, which dids't weaken the nations!" Do you really want to see what the
N.I.V. says? Here is the blasphemy, "How you have fallen from heaven, O
morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who
once laid low the nations!" In Revelation 22:16, Jesus said, "I am the morning
star." Yet this corrupted version says that Satan is the morning star. Absolute
blasphemy.

God says, "Hold fast the form of sound words". The N.I.V. is a deliberate
attempt to undermine the deity of Jesus Christ. And it does it by changing the
words. That is why the N.I.V. said we were to "keep the pattern of sound
teaching" not "words". If we hold fast to teaching we don't have to hold fast to
the form of sound words. Is that important? My dear friends, it is of the utmost
importance. If you have the King James Bible in your hands, you have the very
words of God. Hold fast the form of sound words. Use it as you preach the
Gospel to a lost and dying world. May God richly bless you, my beloved.

Amen..
Copyright © Trinitarian Bible Society Canada, 1997