Who’s Message?
By Richard C. Abel
Over the past decade we have
seen various editions of Eugene Peterson’s Bible, “The Message”, popping up on
the shelves of various bookstores and other retailers across the land.
The first time I heard quotations from “The Message” I could
hardly believe my ears. Was this the
Word of God I so dearly loved? Being
born in 1946, my first encounter with the Bible was the King James Version. This is the Bible I have memorized from and
have used predominantly throughout my Christian life.
I believe the first person I ever heard read passages from “The Message”
was then Illinois District Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Paul
Martin. I could not believe how he
received it with such great enthusiasm.
It wasn’t long until I saw any number of pastors quoting from this new
fresh version of the “Word of God” in lock step with the Superintendent.
My jaw about hit the floor
when Book, Chapter and Verse were added to the verses being read. These were verses I knew well and could not
even recognize them with the hearing.
Surely, I thought, this sort
of corruption of the Word of God would be short lived as more and more men and
women of God became vocal about such an altered form of God’s Holy, inspired
Word.
Rev. Martin was far from the
only minister to excitedly endorse Peterson’s book. Men like J. I. Packer, Warren Wiersby and Jack Hayford have
wholeheartedly endorsed “The Message”.
How can this be? These are men
who should know better! You don’t have
to be a Bible scholar to recognize that Peterson’s work adds to and takes away
from the Word of God. This is something
that the Bible itself forbids.
Ye shall not
add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it,
that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. -
Deut. 4:2
As an example, I cite Colossians 2:10 from the “King James Version”
comparing it with the “The Message”,
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and
power: KJV
You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the
fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him… T M
Please tell me how any born again, Spirit led individual can accept this
sort of nonsense as the inspired Word of God.
I can understand some newborn babe in Christ being duped by this sort of
thing… but Wiersby and Packer?
The enemy is having a hay day with God’s Word. He hasn’t been able to eliminate the Bible so he went to work and
found advocates who would corrupt it and palm it off as a new and fresh Bible
for today.
To add to my deep concern, Rick Warren, author of the unbelievably
popular “Purpose Driven…” books uses a profusion of quotes from “The Message”
to back up statements he makes in his books, which could not be backed up using
a solid translation of God’s Word.
The “Purpose Driven” phenomenon has swept the church world and along with
it people have bought right into “The Message”. Both Eugene Peterson’s book and Rick Warren’s books have some
serious theological problems.
Nevertheless these books are received into the church as Moses received
the tables of stone on Mount Sinai.
The church had better wake up and start relying on the pure Word of God
and its Great Teacher the Holy Spirit.
Preachers had better wake up and take a fresh look at the sort of
spiritual food they are feeding the sheep.
Christian leaders had better wake up and take a closer look at the sort
of books and materials they are endorsing.
Above all, I would hope and pray that the lights would come on for Eugene
Peterson and that he would recognize that “The Message” is his message, not
God’s message. I am certain that
Peterson had good intentions when he began his work of writing “The Message”.
Nonetheless good intentions do not make up for the disservice I believe he has
done to God’s true Message to man.
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust
in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a
liar. Proverbs 30:5, 6