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"...The church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."
I Timothy 3:15
The Purity of the Bible
Dr. Tom Malone, Sr.
No true believer could deny the purity of the scriptures. To deny the purity of the Bible is to deny the whole Bible as the inspired Word of God. The Bible claims purity for itself.
"The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." Psalm 12:6
"The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure making wise the simple.
"The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes." Psalm 19:7,8
"Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it." Psalm 119:140
Some people today are in such a battle of semantics about the Bible, that they are throwing off more heat than light. They try to answer questions that have not been raised, and deal with matters that confuse more than define. There is one matter however, I want made clear. That is, I not only believe in the inspiration of the Bible, but I believe in an impeccable and pure Bible.
I studied Greek for three of my four college years, but I sometimes get a little weary of hearing the expression "now the Greek says..." None of my people at Emmanuel Baptist speak Greek or Hebrew. I still study Greek to some small degree, but I want to spend my time in the English Bible.
God’s Word is likened unto "silver tried in a furnace." This refining process was to remove all dross and iniquity and leave only pure silver. The Word of God has been heated in the fires of God’s holiness and purity, and it is as pure as God Himself. It has been placed in the crucible of "science so-called," and heated by worldly scholarship and philosophic criticism, and has come forth as pure as it was when God spoke the word through holy men of God.
You might as well try to paint an orchid as to dress up or enhance the Bible by the "Greek says." Orchids do not need painting; God has already painted them. The Word of the Lord is pure. Some old time saint said, "It is a crime to add to it, treason to alter it, and a felony to take from it."
I know it is pure because it purifies. It is clean because it cleanses. It is holy because it produces holiness. It is perfect because its purpose is perfection. It is moral because it demands morality. It is right because it produces righteousness. It is impeccable because its source is a perfect God.
What we need is a revival of powerful preaching of the pure Word of God. Preaching with fervor, and conviction for the purpose of getting people saved, and putting some spiritual meat on the bones of the saints.
I have read books of "higher criticism," and studied the alleged contradiction, and listened to the pseudo scientist try to explain creation. I have had a few good laughs, challenged a few people to present some proof of their evil criticism, and learned to hate modernism more and more. And when the dust all settle, I still had a pure Bible, and loved it more than ever.
We use only the King James at Midwestern Baptist College and Emmanuel Baptist Church. When we read it, we don’t say that it says one thing, but means another. So while some people are talking about "copyist errors," we are trying to turn out some preachers every year who believe the Bible to be the pure Word of God, and preach it with a pure, clean heart.
The next time you hear some wild eyed, loud mouth, over pious pig-headed preacher say that Tom Malone does not believe in a pure and perfect Bible, you just grab him, and hold him until I get there!
If you get the idea that I am a Biblicist, a believer in the inerrancy, and a preacher with a pure Bible, then I have accomplished what I set out to do when I wrote this article.