Clear Word Bible: Is it the Word of God?

[Gunny]

The Clear Word Bible: Is It the Word of God?
By Dale Ratzlaff and Verle Streifling

The Seventh-day Adventists express a firm belief in the authority and inerrancy of Scripture. Their statement of beliefs claims,
The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to man the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history.1

Despite this affirmation of the character of the Bible, the SDA Church demonstrates a different approach to Scripture in its popular Clear Word Bible. The many changes made to the biblical text in the Clear Word Bible are ultimately destructive to the integrity of God’s Word.

The gravity of deliberately changing the meaning of God’s word cannot be overemphasized. Psalm 138 equates the sacredness of God’s Word with His holy name: “Thou hast magnified Thy word according to all Thy name.” Deuteronomy 4:2 says, “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it.” Proverbs 30:5, 6 reiterates this point: “Every word of God is pure…Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Since God’s Word is pure and truth,2 any changes to His Word will ultimately change the truth of God into a lie, with disastrous consequences.3

Christians should inquire as to why anyone would want to make numerous additions, deletions and changes to God’s word. True, some Christians allow paraphrases that interpretively present God’s word in order to make it plain for the current generation. What is indicated, however, when a paraphrase deliberately revises God’s Word? The belief that additions, deletions and changes need to be made is a clear sign of doctrinal weakness. This article will show that The Clear Word Bible has changed God’s Word so that it supports Adventist doctrines in general and writings of their prophetess, Ellen G. White, in particular. Her writings are still held by the SDA church to be “a continuing and authoritative source of truth.”4 Following are just a few examples where the Clear Word Bible alters the statements of Scripture to make it line up with Adventist theology. To illustrate this assertion, several passages in the CW (The Clear Word Bible) will be compared with the KJV (King James Version or Authorized Version).

Seventh day Sabbath
Adventists teach that observing the seventh-day Sabbath is the seal of God and will become the final test of loyalty to Christ for all Christians.
Genesis 2:2–3
KJV — And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
CW — Then on the seventh day of creation week, God stopped to enjoy what He had made and to rest in the beauty of it all. So He blessed the seventh day and set it apart as a day of spiritual refreshment and joy.

Note — The CW makes the seventh day part of “creation week” rather than the celebration of a finished creation.

Exodus 5:5
KJV —And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
CW — You’ve created enough problems by making them rest every week on your Sabbath.

Note — The CW describes the rest as occurring every week on the Sabbath, whereas in reality Moses requested an isolated three day period in which the Israelites could worship God (see verse 3 in the KJV).

Exodus 16:5
KJV — And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.


CW — On the sixth day they should gather twice as much as on the other days so as to have enough for the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, the day I set aside for worship and rest.

Note — The addition “which is the Sabbath, the day I set aside for worship and rest,” does not appear in any biblical manuscript.


Exodus 31:13–14, 16
KJV —Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people ...Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
CW — Say to the people, “Most importantly, remember to keep the Sabbath holy because it is a very special day for me, and it’s a day of rest for you. It’s a sign between you and me for all time to show that you are the people whom I have chosen and set apart. The Sabbath is holy and anyone who desecrates it by working on that day will be put to death, since that would be an act of treason against God’s government. My people are to keep the Sabbath, celebrating it as a sign that they belong to me.”

Note — The CW purposefully revises the text to make it appear that the Sabbath is intended for all people, not just for Israel, as the Bible teaches. In verse 13 it changes “children of Israel” to “people” and in verse 16 it changes “children of Israel” to “My people,” and “a perpetual covenant” to “a sign that they belong to Me.” To justify making the Sabbath observance a universal requirement it also adds, “Since that would be treason against God’s government to verse 14.

Leviticus 23:3
KJV — Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
CW — There has always been the weekly Sabbath.

Note — The CW replaces the biblical institution of the Sabbath with the statement that the Sabbath has always existed.

Ezekiel 45:17
KJV — And it shall be the prince’s part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.
CW — It will be his duty to provide these national offerings on all appointed festivals with their special Sabbaths, including the monthly festival of the New Moon. He is to bring grain offerings, whole burnt offerings and peace offerings for an atonement for the nation as a whole.

Note — The “feasts,” “new moons,” and “sabbaths” respectively signify the yearly, monthly, and weekly celebrations. The phrase is a virtual formula used in numerous places in the Old Testament in both ascending and descending order. In order to prevent the weekly sabbath from being associated with the whole sacrificial system done away with by the New Covenant, the CW destroys the word order to make sabbaths refer to the yearly feasts instead of the weekly.

Acts 20:7
KJV —And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
CW — After sundown on Saturday night, the believers got together for a fellowship meal and to say good-by to Paul. That evening he spoke to them until midnight, after which he hoped to get a few hours sleep before leaving early Sunday morning.

Note — The CW calls this a Saturday night meeting, changes “break bread”, a term used by the early church for communion, to a fellowship meal and to say good-by to Paul. Such revision of Scripture completely changes the focus of this verse to fit Adventist theology.


Colossians 2:16
KJV — Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.
CW — Don’t let anyone control you life by giving you a set of ceremonial rules about what to eat, what to drink and what monthly festivals or special Sabbaths to keep. All these rules were given as a shadow of the reality to come and that reality is Jesus Christ.

Note — Colossians 2:16 is a very important verse in that it shows clearly that the Seventh-day Sabbath is only a shadow of Christ. This verse should be studied in its context and also compared to its Old Testament parallel, Ezekiel 45:17 (above) When the terms “festival (or equivalent), new moons and Sabbaths are used together in the Old Testament the word Sabbath always refers to the seventh-day Sabbath. Also, these terms are usually used in either ascending or descending sequence: festival (yearly) new moons (monthly) Sabbaths (weekly) or Sabbaths (weekly), new moons (monthly), festivals (yearly).

These two well established patterns make it certain that the seventh-day Sabbath is in view in Colossians 2:16 and this fact undermines the whole SDA emphasis on the seventh-day Sabbath. Note how the CB alters both Colossians 2:16 as well as the Old Testament parallel text.

Hebrews 4:4
KJV —For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
CW — That’s why at creation He gave man the seventh-day Sabbath, not only as a reminder of creation week, but also as a symbol of spiritual rest. According to the Scriptures, God Himself rested on the seventh day and enjoyed this special time with man.

Note — The CW states “according to the Scriptures,” but then adds to the Scriptures such phrases as the “symbol of spiritual rest” and the “special time with man.”

Hebrews 4:9
KJV —There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
CW — So there still remains the offer of spiritual rest that God intends for each generation to have, of which the Sabbath is a symbol.

Note — The biblical manuscripts make no reference in this verse to spiritual rest or the Sabbath as a symbol.5

Revelation 1:10
KJV — I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.
CW — On Sabbath morning when I had gone to the rocky island shore to meditate and worship.

Note — The CW adds the concluding clause to reinforce Adventist liturgical practices.

One can see by the examples listed above that The Clear Word Bible makes numerous deletions and additions, revising the Word of God to make the Bible teach what it does not teach: the Adventist doctrine of required universal observance of the seventh-day Sabbath for all peoples.

Death and Hell
Adventists, like Jehovah Witnesses, believe in soul sleep and do not believe in hell. Note how they have changed the word of God to fit their theology.
Isaiah 66:24
KJV — And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
CW — They will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me lying outside the city. It will be an abhorrent sight. But just as worms don’t stop until they devour the dead and fire doesn’t stop until it destroys, so the fires of the Lord will destroy the wicked and consume them all.

Note — Christ quotes this verse on several occasions. Never, however, does He give this interpretation. Rather, He uses it as a description of hell.6 A similar change can be seen in Matthew 5:22, 29, 30, where the CW changes “hell fire” to “lose eternal life”.

Matthew 10:28
KJV —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.
CW — Don’t be afraid that you might be killed. They can kill your body but not your spirit or your loyalty to me. Now if there is some thing to be concerned about, it’s that you don’t lose your faith in God.

Note — The CW deletes the segment referring to eternal damnation, and instead alter the text to make it solely an exhortation to retain one’s faith in God.

Matthew 18:9
KJV —And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
CW — If, for example, your eye places a wrong value on things, be willing to lose your eye to keep your moral innocence. If you have to make a choice, it’s better not to be great in this life and yet live forever than to lose your childlike innocence and have everything end with this life.

Note — Not only does this verse do away with “fiery hell” but it also inserts “moral innocence” and “childlike innocence,” neither of which are mentioned in Scripture.

Luke 16:19–30

This is the familiar parable of Christ about the rich man and Lazarus. The CW introduces teaching with these words: “You keep telling people the Jewish fable about a rich man.” The revision makes it appear that Christ is refuting a Jewish myth, when in reality is proclaiming the spiritual truth of the parable.

One can readily see how this “Bible” which proclaims by its title, Clear Word, to be an accurate rending of Scripture is perhaps, one of the most deceptive Bibles of recent times. For 150 years Seventh-day Adventists have called the Roman Catholic Church “the beast” for allegedly omitting 2 verses of the law against images. Yet they have now made hundreds of revisions in their Bible.7 Each addition is itself an admission to some part of their teaching that lacks Bible support. Each deletion and change likewise admits to some part of their teachings which the Bible refutes. These changes are made to uphold E.G. White’s nonbiblical views. However, by committing this which God, they place themselves above God Himself. In Revelation 18:4 God calls His people to come out of Babylon, “That ye receive not of her plagues.” “Babylon” pictures false religion and false religious practices. Any church that would alter God’s word which He says is “forever settled in heaven”, or promote a Bible which does, is thus part of Babylon the Great, which is fallen. If you love Jesus, obey His call to “come out of her”!


Cont'd

 

[Gunny]

The Clear Word Bible: Is It the Word of God? cont'd
By Dale Ratzlaff and Verle Streifling



End notes

1 Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists [Online]. URL http://www.adventist.org/
2 Psalm 12:6; John 17:17
3 Romans 1:25ff; Ezekiel 5:6; Revelation 22:18,19; 21:8
4 Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists. Emphasis added.
5 See Dale Ratzlaff, Sabbath in Crisis, (Sedona, Az: Life Assurance Ministries,1990), pp. 233–248 for a full exegesis of this text.
6 Mark 9:38–48.
7 The Clear Word was printed by the Review and Herald Publishing Association and is sold in Adventist Book Centers throughout the country.

 

[A Sheep]

Doesn't this belong in the Christians-Only forum that discusses the Bible and it's translations: http://www.christianforums.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=86

Because the atheists that post in this forum are obviously not going to believe that any translation of the Bible is the Word of God.

 

[Gunny]

It is my contention that SDA Discussion concerning this non-biblical book, The Clear Word Bible is in the right forum.


GySgt James

 

[Gunny]

Richard Kyle, an evangelical Christian writing from the perspective of a historian in his largely un-critical book ''The Religious Fringe: A History Of Alternative Religions In America,'' writes:

Whether the Seventh-day Adventists are a sect, a cult or a denomination is a matter of intense controversy. Some evangelical scholars have insisted they that are cultic. Others have claimed that they are not. Some scholars have reviewed the institutional developments of the Seventh-day Adventists and asked whether this onetime sect has now become a denomination.

This study will regard Seventh-day Adventism as a sect. To be sure, they possess some cultic characteristics. The Seventh-day Adventists have added a significant number of new and deviant teachings to the Christian tradition. They uplift a prophetic teacher, Ellen G. White, and come close to making her teachings a "third testament." Some of the prophetic positions and their teachings on the ''Investigative Judgment'' have pushed at the boundaries of Christian orthodoxy. In particular, the Investigative Judgment doctrine, which diminishes the work of Christ on the cross by emphasizing his continuing atoning work, stretches the limits of orthodoxy. The Seventh-day Adventists maintain some other beliefs and practices that give them a pronounced sectarian character, not only in the nineteenth century but also in the late twentieth. In particular, their maintenance of the sabbath and rigid dietary practices separate them form most of Christian society.
Richard Kyle, The Religious Fringe: A History Of Alternative Religions In America. InterVarsity Press, Ill. 1993. p. 150-151.

 

[A Sheep]

OK, fair enough. I personally do not like how Mormon's, JW's, this book (Clear Word), and other books are allowed to put the words "The Bible" or "The Holy Bible" on the cover. It is a lie and tricks people into thinking that it is God's Word. They should not be able to outright change the meaning of scripture by putting in extra/different phrases that are not found in MSS and still call it "The Bible".

 

[Gunny]

The Clear Word Bible


Printed by the


Seventh-day Adventist Church


By Gary Mayo


I first saw the "Clear Word Bible" printed by the Seventh-Day Advent Church, when the book was given to my wife as a means to bring her back into the fold of Adventism, by the wife of the head elder of our local country SDA Church.


I did not give the book another thought, as I assumed it was just a gift from a friend, and what possible harm could come from a "Holy Bible", Right? Think again.



The "Clear Word Bible", printed by the Adventists, is a far cry from a Bible. After much outrage by many from all walks of life, The SDA Church is trying to say the "book" is not a "Bible" at all.

Thousands of these "books" have been printed and distributed under the name "Clear word" and "Clear Word Bible". A picture is worth a thousand words. This is the "book" that is in my SDA-EGW Historical Society book shelf on public display, in Lincoln, Nebraska.

It is clear (pardon the pun) that the SDA Church has accomplished several distinct things here on the Bible jacket/cover.

They call the book a "Bible", or use the word Bible, no less than fourteen times on the cover jacket.


No place on the book cover or jacket (or anywhere I can find inside), does the phrase "Seventh-day Adventist" appear.


Every paragraph inside the book is laid out just like other "Bibles" with chapter and verse numbers.


The problem with the book is not the cover. The "Adventist Bible" is by far the most blasphemous undertaking I have ever witnessed.
The first time I ever looked at the "Book", I opened to Deuteronomy chapter five. This is where you can find the Ten Commandments. The SDA's NEVER quote the Ten Commandments from Deuteronomy, because of the following verse.

Deut. 5:3 The Lord did not make this covenant long ago with our ancestors, but with all of us who are alive today. The Holy Bible, New Living Translation.


Deut. 5:3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. KJV


Adventists teach that the Ten Commandments were not first given at Sinai, but were given to Adam and Eve before the fall of man, before sin began.


Now notice the same verse from the "SDA Bible".


Deut. 5:3 It wasn't only with our ancestors that He made a covenant , but with us and with all who are alive today.



Read those two verses again and notice the 180 degree difference. The REAL Bible says that the Lord did not make this covenant with our ancestors. The SDA bible clearly implies or states just the opposite. This leads to some questions.

Why did the Adventist's change the meaning to read the complete opposite of what ALL other Bibles read in Deut. 5:3? (look for yourself)

How many other verses in their "Bible" did they change, and if they do change others, why?


On closer inspection of the SDA bible we find literally hundreds of major changes to the real meaning of Scripture. From simple movement of commas, to out-and-out blasphemy, the SDA Bible is a real shame. Someone is going to pay a big price for tampering with God's word, and changing the meaning of Scripture.


Bible scholar, former SDA Pastor, Dale Ratzlaff says on his web site:


Many Christian groups still consider Seventh-day Adventists to be part of mainstream Christianity. It is time that Evangelicals everywhere stand up and speak up about the multitude of deliberate, destructive changes to the Word of God in SDA's popular Clear Word Bible.


The gravity of deliberately changing the meaning of God's word cannot be overemphasized! Psalm 138 equates the sacredness of God's Word with His holy name, "Thou hast magnified Thy word according to all Thy name." Deuteronomy 4:2 says, "You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it…" Proverbs 30:5, 6 states, "Every word of God is tested…Do not add to His words lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar." Since God's Word is pure and truth (Ps. 12:6; John 17:17) any changes to His Word will ultimately change the truth of God into a lie with resulting disastrous consequences. (Rom. 1:25ff; Ezek. 5:6; Rev. 22:18,19; 21:8)


We should inquire as to why anyone would want to make numerous additions, deletions and changes to God's word. True, we allow paraphrases take certain liberty in loosely rendering God's word with the goal to make it plain for our generation. However, when a paraphrase sets out to deliberately distort the truth of God's Word, then what? The fact that additions, deletions and changes "need" to be made is a clear sign of doctrinal weakness if not outright error. We will soon see that The Clear Word Bible has changed God's Word so that it supports Adventist doctrines in general and writings of their prophetess, Ellen G. White, in particular. Her writings are still held by the SDA church to be "a continuing and authoritative source of truth" (Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists, No. 17) Following are just a few examples where the Clear Word Bible corrupts the statements of Scripture to make it line up with Adventist theology. We will compare the CW (The Clear Word Bible) with the NASB (New American Standard Bible).


Seventh day Sabbath.


Adventists teach that seventh-day Sabbath keeping is the seal of God and will become the final test of loyalty to Christ for all Christians.


Gen. 2:2-3


NASB And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.


CW Then on the seventh day of creation week, God stopped to enjoy what He had made and to rest in the beauty of it all. So He blessed the seventh day and set it apart as a day of spiritual refreshment and joy.


The CW makes the seventh day part of "creation week" rather than a celebration of a finished creation.


Ex. 5:5


NASB Again Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!"


CW "You've created enough problems by making them rest every week on your Sabbath…"


Ex. 16:5


NASB "And it will come about on the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily


CW "On the sixth day they should gather twice as much as on the other days so as to have enough for the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, the day I set aside for worship and rest.


Ex. 31:13-14


NASB "But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. 'Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.' Exodus 31:16


CW Say to the people, "Most importantly, remember to keep the Sabbath holy because it is a very special day for me, and it's a day of rest for you. It's a sign between you and me for all time to show that you are the people whom I have chosen and set apart. The Sabbath is holy and anyone who desecrates it be working on that day will be put do death, since that would be an act of treason against God's government. My people are to keep the Sabbath, celebrating it as a sign that they belong to me."


Note how the CW has changed "Israel" to "people" to make it appear that the Sabbath is intended for all people, not just for Israel, as Scripture teaches. It has also changed "put to death" to "an act of treason against God's government". Verse 16 in the CW has corrupted Scripture by leaving out "celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant" to My people…" This is a clear, purposeful twisting of God's word to make it appear the Sabbath was a universal institution for all people.


Lev. 23:3


NSAB 'For six days work may be done; but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation…"


CW There has always been the weekly Sabbath…"


Heb. 4:4


NASB For He has thus said somewhere concerning the seventh day, "And God RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL His works"


CW "That's why at creation He gave man the seventh-day Sabbath, not only as a reminder of creation week, but also as a symbol of spiritual rest. According to the Scriptures, God Himself rested on the seventh day and enjoyed this special time with man."


Note that the CW states "according to the Scriptures" and then adds fantastic things not in the Scriptures!


Heb. 4:9


NASB There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.


CW So there still remains the offer of spiritual rest that God intends for each generation to have, of which the Sabbath is a symbol.


Note how the CW has twisted this verse! (See Sabbath in Crisis, P. 233-248 for a full exegesis of this text.)


Acts 20:7


NASB And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to depart the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.


CW After sundown on Saturday night, the believers got together for a fellowship meal and to say good-by to Paul. That evening he spoke to them until midnight, after which he hoped to get a few hours sleep before leaving early Sunday morning.


Note how the CW calls this a Saturday night meeting, changes "break bread", a term used by the early church for communion, to a fellowship meal and to say good-by to Paul. This twisting of Scripture completely changes the force of this verse to fit Adventist theology.


Colossians 2:16


Colossians 2:16 is a very important verse in that it shows clearly that the Seventh-day Sabbath is only a shadow of Christ. This verse should be studied in its context and also compared to its Old Testament Parallel, Ezekiel 45:17 (below) When the terms "festival (or equivalent), new moons and Sabbaths are used together in the Old Testament the word Sabbath always refers to the Seventh-day Sabbath. Also, these terms are usually used in either ascending or descending sequence: festival (yearly) new moons (monthly) Sabbaths (weekly) or Sabbaths (weekly), new moons (monthly), festivals (yearly). These two well established patterns make it certain that the Seventh-day Sabbath is in view in Colossians 2:16 and this fact undermines the whole SDA emphasis on the seventh-day Sabbath. Note how they have twisted both Colossians 2:16 as well as the Old Testament parallel text, Ezekiel 45:17. They have tried to make the term "Sabbaths" refer to the special yearly feasts and in so doing have made Paul redundant. They have also mixed up the wording so the apparent ascending or descending sequence is broken, thus twisting this verse in two ways to fit their doctrine and corrupt the truth of God's word.


Col. 2:16


NASB "Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ."


CWB "Don't let anyone control you life by giving you a set of ceremonial rules about what to eat, what to drink and what monthly festivals or special Sabbaths to keep. All these rules were given as a shadow of the reality to come and that reality is Jesus Christ."


Ezekiel 45:17


NASB "And it shall be the prince's part to provide the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the libations, at the feasts, on the new moons, and on the sabbaths, at all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel…"


CWB "It will be his duty to provide these national offerings on all appointed festivals with their special Sabbaths, including the monthly festival of the New Moon. He is to bring grain offerings, whole burnt offerings and peace offerings for an atonement for the nation as a whole."


Rev. 1:10


NASB I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day…


CW On Sabbath morning when I had gone to the rocky island shore to meditate and worship…


One can see by the examples listed above that The Clear Word Bible makes deletions, additions and twists the Word of God to make the Bible teach what it does not teach: required universal observance of the seventh-day Sabbath for all peoples--Adventist doctrine.


Death and Hell


Adventists, like Jehovah Witnesses, believe in soul sleep and do not believe in hell. Note how they have changed the word of God to fit their theology.


Isa. 66:24


NASB "Then they shall go forth and look on the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm shall not die, And their fire shall not be quenched; And they shall be an abhorrence to all mankind."


CW They will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me lying outside the city. It will be an abhorrent sight. But just as worms don't stop until they devour the dead and fire doesn't stop until it destroys, so the fires of the Lord will destroy the wicked and consume them all."


Christ quotes this verse on several occasions. However, never does He give this interoperation to it. Rather, He uses it as a description of hell.


In Matt. 5:22, 29, 30 the CW changes "fiery hell" to "lose eternal life".


Matthew 10:28


NASB "And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."


CW "Don't be afraid that you might be killed. They can kill your body but not your spirit or your loyalty to me. Now if there is some thing to be concerned about, it's that you don't lose your faith in God.


cont'd.

 

[Gunny]

The Clear Word Bible


Printed by the


Seventh-day Adventist Church


By Gary Mayo cont'd



Matt. 18:9


NASB "And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into the fiery hell.


CW "If, for example, your eye places a wrong value on things, be willing to lose your eye to keep your moral innocence. If you have to make a choice, it's better not to be great in this life and yet live forever than to lose your childlike innocence and have everything end with this life.


Note: Not only does this verse do away with "fiery hell" but it also inserts "moral innocence" and "childlike innocence" not mentioned in Scripture.


Luke 16:19-30. This is the familiar word of Christ about the rich man and Lazarus. The CW introduces teaching with these words: "You keep telling people the Jewish fable about a rich man…"


Note: Philippians 1:23 is another text that undermines the Adventist doctrine of soul-sleep. Note how they have added words to this text to make it teach Adventist doctrine.


Philippians 1:23


NASB "But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;


CWB "So I've been wrestling with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I would prefer to be sentenced to death and in the next moment of consciousness see Christ, which would be much better than staying here in this old world."


Note: Luke 23:43 disagrees with the doctrine of soul-sleep held by Jehovah Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists. In the Jehovah Witness, New World Translation, they simply changed the comma to change the meaning. The Clear Word Bible, however completely changes the meaning of this verse.


Luke 23:43


NASB "And He said to him, 'Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.'"


CWB "Jesus turned His head toward him and said, 'I promise you today, when I return with the glory of my Father, I'll take you home with me to paradise.'"


Hebrews 12:23


NASB "…to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,


CWB "We are just as much a part of the heavenly family as they are because we are God's born-again children. Our names are written in the books of heaven, and we have the spiritual rights of a firstborn. You have come into the presence of God, the Judge of all the earth, to join righteous men and women who figuratively are already there."


Note: Daniel 8:14 is the central pillar of the Adventist faith. SDA Bible scholars know that the SDA doctrine of the investigative judgment cannot be found in this text. Note how The Clear Word Bible makes Daniel 8:14 teach this Adventist doctrine.


Judgment


Daniel 8:14


NASB "And he said to me, 'For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored.'"


CWB "He said to him, 'After two thousand three hundred prophetic days (or two thousand three hundred years), God will step in, proclaim the truth about Himself and restore the ministry of the Sanctuary in heaven to its rightful place. This is when the judgment will begin, of which the cleansing of the earthy sanctuary was a type.'"


Note: SDAs follow the teaching of Ellen White, and other cults, that Jesus Christ is Michael the archangel.


Jude 1:9


NASB "But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you."


CWB "In contrast to these ungodly men is the Lord Jesus Christ, also called Michael, the archangel in charge of the entire angelic host. When He was challenged by Satan about His intentions to resurrect Moses, He didn't come against Satan with a blistering attack nor did he belittle him. He simply said, 'God rejects your claim to his body."


Note: SDAs do not accept "the Lord's day" as being Sunday, even though this term was used for Sunday by the early church fathers. Note how The Clear Word Bible boldly makes this text say what it does not say.


Note: Adventists have used Revelation 12:17 coupled with Revelation 19:10 (below) to prove that the last-day church will have a living prophet, whom they believe to be Ellen G. White. (even though she has been dead from many years) Her writings are called "the Spirit of Prophecy". In fact, one multi-volume set by Ellen White, was even named "The Spirit of Prophecy".


Revelation 12:17


NASB "And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus."


CWB "Then the dragon became furious and decided to attack the last of the woman's children, those who keep the commandments of God and hold on to the truth revealed by the testimony of Jesus."


Revelation 19:10


NASB "And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, 'Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.'"


CWB "When I heard this, I fell on my knees in front of the angel to thank him, but he raised me up and said, 'Don't do that! Worship God, not me! I'm one of His servants, just as you are. I belong to those who, like you, hold on to Jesus' own testimony, which is the spirit of prophecy given by the Holy Spirit.


Note: for a fuller explanation of both Colossians 2:16 and Revelation 12:17 and 19:10 See Sabbath in Crisis.


One can readily see how this "Bible" which proclaims by its title, "Clear Word", to be an accurate rendering of Scripture is perhaps, one of the most deceptive Bibles of recent times. For 150 years Seventh-day Adventists have called Rome "the beast" for allegedly omitting 2 verses of the law against images. Yet now, without blush, they have made hundreds of destructive distortions in their Bible. Each addition is itself an admission to some part of their teaching that lacks Bible support. Each deletion and change likewise admits to some part of their teachings which the Bible refutes. These changes are made to uphold E.G. White's nonbiblical views. However by doing this when God forbids this, they place themselves above God Himself. Amazingly, they who cried "wolf" against Rome, have instead proved to be the wolves in sheep's clothing. In Revelation 14 God calls His people to come out of Babylon, "that you do not partake of her plagues." "Babylon" pictures false religion and false religious practices. Any church that would alter God's word which He says is "forever settled in heaven", or promotes a Bible which does, would be a candidate for the false religious practices typified by "Babylon". Evangelicals were quick to condemn the Jehovah's Witnesses for their New World Bible. However, the Clear Word Bible appears to be riddled with mistranslations from beginning to end. May the same outcry travel throughout Evangelical circles against the Clear Word Bible!


Note: the above texts are only samplings. This page will be added to and it will become evident that in addition to the corruptions listed above the Clear Word Bible also undermines the high deity of Christ and the assurance of eternal life, taking the assurance of salvation away from the Christian.


The Study Bible


This Bible is printed by the Review and Harold Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church and sold in Adventist Book Centers throughout the country.


This is a large King James Bible with the writings of Ellen white below the Bible text. It also has many references to the writings of Ellen White which would be too numerous to print. The real concern, however, is what is said in the preface. We quote:


"…The need for the Word today is even more urgent. Every wind of doctrine blows (Eph 4:14). Satan is working 'with all power and signs and lying wonders' (1 Thess 2:10). Deceptions are so great, that 'if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect' (Matt 24:24). But God in his goodness has once again caused 'the testimony of Christ' to be confirmed in his church, so that we 'come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Cor. 1:6-7). His last day remnant people have had restored through the ministry of Ellen G. White, 'the testimony of Jesus' which is 'the spirit of prophecy' (Rev. 12:17, 19:10). To combine this inspired commentary [my emphasis] with the Scriptures themselves is the purpose of this present volume…"


Conclusion:


Is it any wonder that more and more Evangelical groups no longer consider SDAs as part of main-stream Christianity? Is it any wonder that more and more Evangelical groups are considering at least one faction (historic Adventism) of the SDA church cultic? Is it any wonder that many Adventist pastors are leaving the SDA church? Is it any wonder that some SDA churches are leaving the SDA denomination?


Truth needs no other foundation than honest investigation (using an accurate translation of Scriptures) under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and a willingness to follow truth when it is discovered.

 

[cenimo]

This is from a "learn about Seventh Day Adventists" discussion on another board...

The clear word bible is not an official publication of the SDA church. It has not been officially endorsed by the church. It is not a bible version but a paraprase of the bible. The author interprets what he believes the original bible writer was trying to convey. This paraphase of the bible contains the opinions and views of the author. Dr. Blancoauthored the publication as a devotional tool. It should not be used for serious bible study.

The SDA church has not endorsed the specific use of any transaltion of the bible. Quite often minister preach from the NIV.

and from
http://www.adventistbookcenter.com/Detail.tpl?sku=0970011156

For everyone who hungers
for a clearer understanding of God’s Word
and a richer devotional experience

Imagine how much more you would get out of the Bible if the meaning of every passage were crystal clear. Compare the same text from the King James Version and The Clear Word.

"Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way" (Psalm 119: 36, 37, KJV).

"Turn my heart toward your law more than toward accumulating riches. Help me not to desire worthless trinkets, but give me more desire for your word" (Psalm 119: 36, 37, TCW).

The Clear Word lets the power of ancient texts come through today. As the meaning of Scripture becomes more transparent, you see more of God’s grace. His love shines through even in difficult Old Testament passages. The Clear Word has renewed the devotional lives of thousands of people. Let it renew yours. Now available in the popular two-column format with the text in paragraphs.


Jack J. Blanco

Jack J. Blanco is the former dean of the School of Religion of Southern Adventist University, near Chattanooga, Tennessee. He began writing this paraphrase by hand to develop a deeper devotional experience with Jesus Christ.

 

[kiwimac]

Well Gy...

That was a long post which actually contributed little or nothing!

Kiwimac

 

[deu58]

This is from a "learn about Seventh Day Adventists" discussion on another board...



and from
http://www.adventistbookcenter.com/Detail.tpl?sku=0970011156

For everyone who hungers
for a clearer understanding of God’s Word
and a richer devotional experience

Imagine how much more you would get out of the Bible if the meaning of every passage were crystal clear. Compare the same text from the King James Version and The Clear Word.

"Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way" (Psalm 119: 36, 37, KJV).

"Turn my heart toward your law more than toward accumulating riches. Help me not to desire worthless trinkets, but give me more desire for your word" (Psalm 119: 36, 37, TCW).

The Clear Word lets the power of ancient texts come through today. As the meaning of Scripture becomes more transparent, you see more of God’s grace. His love shines through even in difficult Old Testament passages. The Clear Word has renewed the devotional lives of thousands of people. Let it renew yours. Now available in the popular two-column format with the text in paragraphs.


Jack J. Blanco

Jack J. Blanco is the former dean of the School of Religion of Southern Adventist University, near Chattanooga, Tennessee. He began writing this paraphrase by hand to develop a deeper devotional experience with Jesus Christ.

hello all

Can't read the name of the person who posted that the SDA church does not endorse the Clear Word but the Adventistbook center is an official SDA site that is making an official profit and if they did not really support it they would make an official denial of the book and remove it from their inventory.

Also the Clear Word is no longer referred to as a Bible because it caused to much of an uproar inside and outside the church. Today it is just called the Clear Word.

But it is still clearly an abomination.

yours in Christ
deu58

 

[Shekinahs]

There are a whole lot of translations of the Bible. Everybody pick the one you agree with and study that one. I personally have issues with the KJV and don't study with it. I'll cross refernce and I like the poetry of the Psalms but that's it. I like the Prophecy Bible myself but there are those who disagree with it. I like the NRSV as my version of choice. Some like the NIV and others think it's not true to the scriptures. And there is no doubt in my mind that sooner or later another translation will hit the shelves and others will disagree with it. If you do not like a translation then don't use it. Let others find God on their own journey.

Folks need to just get over spending all their energy trying to prove wrongness. If you spend all your time focused on wrongness that's what you will be living in your life. What you think on is how you live. Folks who spend all their time looking for Satan in all things will find Satan will be a big part of their lives. Same with looking for abominations. You keep looking for it and it will follow you like the flu.

 

[deu58]

There are a whole lot of translations of the Bible. Everybody pick the one you agree with and study that one. I personally have issues with the KJV and don't study with it. I'll cross refernce and I like the poetry of the Psalms but that's it. I like the Prophecy Bible myself but there are those who disagree with it. I like the NRSV as my version of choice. Some like the NIV and others think it's not true to the scriptures. And there is no doubt in my mind that sooner or later another translation will hit the shelves and others will disagree with it. If you do not like a translation then don't use it. Let others find God on their own journey.

Folks need to just get over spending all their energy trying to prove wrongness. If you spend all your time focused on wrongness that's what you will be living in your life. What you think on is how you live. Folks who spend all their time looking for Satan in all things will find Satan will be a big part of their lives. Same with looking for abominations. You keep looking for it and it will follow you like the flu.

hello shekinah

The clear word is not a translation from the original tongues, It is a translation from the Adventist Spirit of Prophecy as written by Ellen G White

yours in Christ
deu58

 

[Monk Rock]

i think what shekinahs was trying to say is that too often christians define themselves by what they are against, and they don't often focus on what they are for... sometimes they focus on avoiding the bad, and forget about doing the good...



so let's just focus on what we need to do to live the right life and let the other guy who believes just as much as we do that they're just as right as we are... that we let that other guy do his best to live the life he believes is right. and we should both be willing to listen to each other... and not just wait for our turn to speak so we can cram dogma down their throat...

 

[deu58]

i think what shekinahs was trying to say is that too often christians define themselves by what they are against, and they don't often focus on what they are for... sometimes they focus on avoiding the bad, and forget about doing the good...



so let's just focus on what we need to do to live the right life and let the other guy who believes just as much as we do that they're just as right as we are... that we let that other guy do his best to live the life he believes is right. and we should both be willing to listen to each other... and not just wait for our turn to speak so we can cram dogma down their throat...

hello monk rock

Cramming dogma down somebody's throat is it exactly what is at issue here.

The Clear Word is a massive alteration of the bible falsly Advertised as a Paraphrase with the sole intention of promoting SDA dogma by falsly claiming that Scripture supports their dogma.

I had an SDA friend loan me a copy the Clear Word and the long list of changes that Gunny listed on pg 1 of this thread does even come close to all the changes the SDA's made in this book to promote their own dogma.

does that seem like a good thing to you?

yours in Christ
deu58

 

[Monk Rock]

i'm not saying that perversion of scripture is a good thing... what i'm saying is that instead of attacking, let's attempt to build up. let's not tell them that they're evil and heretics, but instead let's gently show them truth.

if they disagree, we should realize that they believe what they do with as much passion and fervor as we believe what we do. let's have an eye for the constructive, not for the destructive.

attacking them and telling them they are wrong is way to drive them from us...


but i haven't seen any SDA trying to tell me the "clear word" is the infallible and inerrant word of god... so i don't think they're trying to cram their dogma down my throat. they're just trying to explain their faith to themselves. i'm not sure that whoever wrote this "clear word" was out to intentionally pervert the Word..... things christians or others have done with good intentions have not always turned out to be good or fully thought out.

let's approach this with understanding, and not criticism. i'm not saying that we should accept the Clear Word, just approach it and the SDAs more gently

 

[Gunny]

hello all


Also the Clear Word is no longer referred to as a Bible because it caused to much of an uproar inside and outside the church. Today it is just called the Clear Word.

But it is still clearly an abomination.

yours in Christ
deu58

Amen, Brother In Christ.

 

[Gunny]

hello monk rock

Cramming dogma down somebody's throat is it exactly what is at issue here.

The Clear Word is a massive alteration of the bible falsly Advertised as a Paraphrase with the sole intention of promoting SDA dogma by falsly claiming that Scripture supports their dogma.

I had an SDA friend loan me a copy the Clear Word and the long list of changes that Gunny listed on pg 1 of this thread does even come close to all the changes the SDA's made in this book to promote their own dogma.

does that seem like a good thing to you?

yours in Christ
deu58

I am in complete agreement. It is not a good thing.


II TIMOTHY 4:1
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;
II TIMOTHY 4:2
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
II TIMOTHY 4:3
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
II TIMOTHY 4:4
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
II TIMOTHY 4:5
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
KJV


It is our duty as disciples of Jesus Christ-Our Lord and Savior, to come against false doctrine. The very same false doctrine being preached by false teachers and false prophets. Spiritual discernment is paramount at a time when God's Word is being perveted and twisted by individuals that are spiritually blinded and/or decieved.

 

[deu58]

Hello gunny


Amen and amen to that gunny. I do believe that these are the end times. If ever there was a time to preserve the scripture so that people can come to a fair and honest conclusion as the Spirit guides them, that time is now.

For any denomination to purposly alter the The true word of God claiming that they are only trying to make the truth easier to understand by removing that very same truth is not a very good thing

The SDA's were not gentle in there reinterpretation of the bible and neither were they gentle in their false advertising of this abomination

yours in Christ
deu58

 

[Monk Rock]

It is our duty as disciples of Jesus Christ-Our Lord and Savior, to come against false doctrine. The very same false doctrine being preached by false teachers and false prophets.

Matthew 7:3
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

John 8:7
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.