I’d like to know why some countries are taking Jesus out of the new bible.
I have not seen any of the translations that have removed the name of the Lord Jesus Christ from their texts, so I have had to rely on information gathered from the Internet and from news organizations. It does seem that there is an effort to remove the proper title of the Lord Jesus Christ in “The Voice”, which is a new translation published by the Thomas Nelson publishing company. As I understand it, instead of using the term, Jesus Christ, The Voice translates that as ‘Jesus, the anointed one.’ Using a Strong’s concordance, we see that the word Christ does literally mean ‘the anointed one’.
I am much more comfortable using the word Christ, but I don’t see that this particular change does harm to the name or dignity of our blessed savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. I certainly do not condone or recommend this translation because I do not know anything more about it.
Reading from an article in the Huffington Post, I read the following statement: “A controversy is brewing over three reputable Christian organizations, which are based in North America, whose efforts have ousted the words “Father” and “Son” from new Bibles. Wycliffe Bible Translators, Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) and Frontiers are under fire for “producing Bibles that remove “Father,” “Son” and “Son of God” because these terms are offensive to Muslims.””
This is terrible. To remove parts of the inspired scriptures because it may offend non-believers is terribly offensive to me. Let’s not forget what 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “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.” Any true translation of the Word of God must be so careful to preserve the truth of the original transcripts. When one translates the transcripts with a particular agenda, then truth will be lost.
It is no wonder that it is the very name and person of the Lord Jesus Christ that is being tampered with. The work of Satan has always been to detract from the dignity and holiness of the name of the Son of God. It was the name of the Lord Jesus that angered the so-called religious leaders in the book of Acts. Witnessing the testimony and power of God in the apostles, we read in Acts 4:1-2, “And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.” It was the very name of Jesus that angered these men. We read in Acts 4:6 that this counsel of leaders consisted of, “Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest…” After conferring among themselves, we read in Acts 4:18 that, “…they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” It was the name of Jesus that these religious leaders hated and attacked. We can rejoice in the boldness of the apostles who refused to let this counsel of men prohibit them from preaching salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. As they continued to preach about the Lord Jesus, they were brought before the counsel once again. We read in Acts 5:27-29, “And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”
No matter what the world does; no matter what some so-called religious leaders tell us, may we look to the Lord to be faithful to proclaim the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to all. May we obey God rather than men! May we exalt the name of our blessed savior, that name which is above every name as we read in Philippians 2:5-11, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
As the old saying goes:
Let names and sects and parties fall,
And only Christ be our all in all.