KJV-Onlyists and “Scripture Alone”

I mentioned this yesterday to a pastor friend of mine, and though I’m fairly certain I may have mentioned it here, it bears repeating.

KJV-Onlyists place absolute authority in the King James Version of the Bible. It is where the buck stops for them in all matters of faith & practice. To a point, I respect that. If every Christian viewed the Bible with such high esteem, the world would be a much different place, I’ve no doubt. However, rather than placing their faith in the Bible, the onlyists place it in a translation of the Bible.

When such a translation can be shown to contain error (which it does), it is often viewed as a choice between either defending to their translation or abandoning the faith. I speak as one who has come out of onlyism.

A greater problem rears its ugly head, however, when a KJV-Onlyist must defend his or her faith in the King James translation of the Bible from the Bible itself in the spirit of Scripture Alone.

It can’t be done.

Admittedly, I have heard several verses used to defend onlyism. The interpretations given to the verses are wholly anachronistic and man-made, however. To say that the exegesis is felonious would be wrong because true exegesis isn’t even attempted.

And because the scriptural support for this doctrine is wholly nonexistent, I am forced to conclude that KJV-Onlyism is a man-made doctrine that, because it is man-made, directly contradicts one’s belief in the authority and sufficiency of the Scriptures.

There are plenty of historical and textual arguments that can be used against KJV-Onlyist claims, but it is that theological argument which carries the most weight in my heart. If I only have a Bible, I should be able to discern all that I believe from its pages. If I can’t discern KJV-Onlyism from the text of the Bible, what business have I in believing it, let alone teachings others to do the same?

3 thoughts on “KJV-Onlyists and “Scripture Alone””

    1. Someone disagreed w/Pastor Rob. He demonstrates his left wing thinking as a snowflake having a meltdown by accusing someone of hate.

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