"The Passion Translation": You are Jesus Christ's Equal

[amariselle]

The Passion Translation, authored by Brian Simmons, has inserted these words into the mouth of Christ:

"For you reach into my heart. With one flash of your eyes I am undone by your love, my beloved, my equal, my bride. You leave me breathless-I am overcome by merely a glance from your worshiping eyes, for you have stolen my heart..." Song of Songs 4:9 (TPT)

Much can of course be said about interpreting Song of Songs/Solomon to be about Christ and the Church, but to even suggest, nevermind blatantly have Jesus call us His "equal", is beyond erroneous, it is heretical and even blasphemous. The worst of it is that, thanks to Brian Simmons and his "Passion Translation", people can now argue that mankind's equality with God is Biblical.

Honestly, I do not know how terrible the deception in the Church has to be before more people are willing to stand up and speak up to warn brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Passion Translation is used and promoted by Bethel Redding, (Bill Johnson) and by Georgian and Winnie Banov, and who knows how many others. It seems to be a favourite "translation" in the loosely organized but very broad and fast growing NAR.

I encourage all Christians to do their research on this.

Here are several screenshots from the Banov's Facebook page, where they repeatedly promote this heretical and blasphemous doctrine of equality with God.

 

[joshcorn]

The Passion Translation, authored by Brian Simmons, has inserted these words into the mouth of Christ:

"For you reach into my heart. With one flash of your eyes I am undone by your love, my beloved, my equal, my bride. You leave me breathless-I am overcome by merely a glance from your worshiping eyes, for you have stolen my heart..." Song of Songs 4:9 (TPT)

Much can of course be said about interpreting Song of Songs/Solomon to be about Christ and the Church, but to even suggest, nevermind blatantly have Jesus call us His "equal", is beyond erroneous, it is heretical and even blasphemous. The worst of it is that, thanks to Brian Simmons and his "Passion Translation", people can now argue that mankind's equality with God is Biblical.

Honestly, I do not know how terrible the deception in the Church has to be before more people are willing to stand up and speak up to warn brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Passion Translation is used and promoted by Bethel Redding, (Bill Johnson) and by Georgian and Winnie Banov, and who knows how many others. It seems to be a favourite "translation" in the loosely organized but very broad and fast growing NAR.

I encourage all Christians to do their research on this.

Here are several screenshots from the Banov's Facebook page, where they repeatedly promote this heretical and blasphemous doctrine of equality with God.

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Hi George and Wnnie I remember you from the first years of the Toronto Blessing.God wwwwoooded us there and Still doing it in my to.Yes there is no putting God in a Box.

John 10-34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

 

[amariselle]

Hi George and Wnnie I remember you from the first years of the Toronto Blessing.God wwwwoooded us there and Still doing it in my to.Yes there is no putting God in a Box.

John 10-34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

The Bible is not a "box", it is God's inspired word. And true Scripture is absolutely clear, we are NOT God's equal.

As for the "Toronto Blessing", that is another topic altogether.

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

Hi amariselle, I remember you I talked to you way back. How are you?

 

[Doug Melven]

I think they take this "my equal" to far.
KJV 4:9 Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.

To me it looks as if they took "my spouse" out and replaced it with "my equal".
From my limited understanding of marriage (always have been single and unless God says otherwise I will always be single) husband and wife are not equal.
Ephesians 5:30-32 says the husband is to love the wife as Christ loved the church and the wife is to reverence the husband.
I do not see equality here. I see both have a position, both positions are extremely important, but not equal.

 

[amariselle]

Hi amariselle, I remember you I talked to you way back. How are you?

Hi Far Side of the Moon! I am well, how have you been?

 

[Far Side Of the Moon]

Hi Far Side of the Moon! I am well, how have you been?

Ive been good

 

[amariselle]

I think they take this "my equal" to far.
KJV 4:9 Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.

To me it looks as if they took "my spouse" out and replaced it with "my equal".
From my limited understanding of marriage (always have been single and unless God says otherwise I will always be single) husband and wife are not equal.
Ephesians 5:30-32 says the husband is to love the wife as Christ loved the church and the wife is to reverence the husband.
I do not see equality here. I see both have a position, both positions are extremely important, but not equal.

Yes, and although I do agree that the Church is the "Bride of Christ", I am not in complete agreement with Song of Songs being entirely about the Church. (The explicitly sexual phrases are always conveniently glossed over).

However, regardless of the way in which one interprets Song of Songs, claiming equality with God is entirely unBiblical.

It is actually the original lie of Satan, that mankind can be like God. And it is what Satan himself aspired to. Here is one example of what Scripture has to say about attempting to claim equality with God:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Isaiah 14:12-15

 

[amariselle]

Ive been good

I'm glad to hear it.

 

[Doug Melven]

Yes, and although I do agree that the Church is the "Bride of Christ", I am not in complete agreement with Song of Songs being entirely about the Church. (The explicitly sexual phrases are always conveniently glossed over).

However, regardless of the way in which one interprets Song of Songs, claiming equality with God is entirely unBiblical.

It is actually the original lie of Satan, that mankind can be like God. And it is what Satan himself aspired to. Here is one example of what Scripture has to say about attempting to claim equality with God:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Isaiah 14:12-15

After reading your OP I googled "passion translation controversial Scriptures" and found this page.
What’s Wrong With The Passion “Translation”?

After reading his article I would never recommend TPT to anyone.

 

[gordonhooker]

The Passion Translation, authored by Brian Simmons, has inserted these words into the mouth of Christ:

"For you reach into my heart. With one flash of your eyes I am undone by your love, my beloved, my equal, my bride. You leave me breathless-I am overcome by merely a glance from your worshiping eyes, for you have stolen my heart..." Song of Songs 4:9 (TPT)

Much can of course be said about interpreting Song of Songs/Solomon to be about Christ and the Church, but to even suggest, nevermind blatantly have Jesus call us His "equal", is beyond erroneous, it is heretical and even blasphemous. The worst of it is that, thanks to Brian Simmons and his "Passion Translation", people can now argue that mankind's equality with God is Biblical.

Honestly, I do not know how terrible the deception in the Church has to be before more people are willing to stand up and speak up to warn brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Passion Translation is used and promoted by Bethel Redding, (Bill Johnson) and by Georgian and Winnie Banov, and who knows how many others. It seems to be a favourite "translation" in the loosely organized but very broad and fast growing NAR.

I encourage all Christians to do their research on this.

Here are several screenshots from the Banov's Facebook page, where they repeatedly promote this heretical and blasphemous doctrine of equality with God.

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View attachment 216192

I think you might be reading into it more than what I believe he is saying, I believe they are talking about our spirit and being equal in unconditional love. What do you make of Paul's insistence that are with Christ in God. Col. 3:3 or in the Eucharist where we are all one with Christ because we all share the one bread. 1Cor. 10:17 and one in spirit as in 1Cor. 6:17. Jesus talk of the same thing - look at Matt. 10:40, 18:5 25:40, John 14:20 and 2 Cor. 5:17 and many more verses like these.

 

[gordonhooker]

After reading your OP I googled "passion translation controversial Scriptures" and found this page.
What’s Wrong With The Passion “Translation”?

After reading his article I would never recommend TPT to anyone.

Personally I would read more widely than one article found through google before I made up my mind to recommend or not recommend something.

 

[Doug Melven]

I think you might be reading into it more than what I believe he is saying, I believe they are talking about our spirit and being equal in unconditional love. What do you make of Paul's insistence that are with Christ in God. Col. 3:3 or in the Eucharist where we are all one with Christ because we all share the one bread. 1Cor. 10:17 and one in spirit as in 1Cor. 6:17. Jesus talk of the same thing - look at Matt. 10:40, 18:5 25:40, John 14:20 and 2 Cor. 5:17 and many more verses like these.

1 Corinthians 3:9 says
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
I think we can be one with Him without being equal to Him.
He is still the Creator, and we are the created.

 

[amariselle]

I think you might be reading into it more than what I believe he is saying, I believe they are talking about our spirit and being equal in unconditional love. What do you make of Paul's insistence that are with Christ in God. Col. 3:3 or in the Eucharist where we are all one with Christ because we all share the one bread. 1Cor. 10:17 and one in spirit as in 1Cor. 6:17. Jesus talk of the same thing - look at Matt. 10:40, 18:5 25:40, John 14:20 and 2 Cor. 5:17 and many more verses like these.

Did you look at the screenshots I included as well? There is no way in which we are "equal" to God. Yes, we are "in" Christ, but we are not equal to Him. He is God, we are not.

 

[amariselle]

Personally I would read more widely than one article found through google before I made up my mind to recommend or not recommend something.

Well, I have read more than one article, and I've actually listened to Brian Simmons explain in his own words how
The Passion Translation came about.

I don't need copious resources to tell me that we are not God's equal, however. The problems with that claim are more than apparent to anyone with even a basic knowledge of Scripture.

So, I have to agree, I would not recommend TPT to anyone, it is not a translation.

 

[gordonhooker]

1 Corinthians 3:9 says
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
I think we can be one with Him without being equal to Him.
He is still the Creator, and we are the created.

My point flew straight over your head - so rather than me waste any more energy trying to explain it to you I will leave you with it.

 

[gordonhooker]

Well, I have read more than one article, and I've actually listened to Brian Simmons explain in his own words how
The Passion Translation came about.

I don't need copious resources to tell me that we are not God's equal, however. The problems with that claim are more than apparent to anyone with even a basic knowledge of Scripture.

So, I have to agree, I would not recommend TPT to anyone, it is not a translation.

Well there you go....

 

[gordonhooker]

Did you look at the screenshots I included as well? There is no way in which we are "equal" to God. Yes, we are "in" Christ, but we are not equal to Him. He is God, we are not.

I can only repeat what I said above...

You missed my point.

 

[PeaceB]

Did you look at the screenshots I included as well? There is no way in which we are "equal" to God. Yes, we are "in" Christ, but we are not equal to Him. He is God, we are not.

I am not sure why you have such a problem with this, because this is essentially what your theology teaches when you take it to its logical conclusion. Your theology teaches that Jesus’s own personal righteousness is imputed to a believer, and it is on this ground that the believer is justified before the Father. So in the eyes of the Father the believer should be considered just as righteousness as our Lord Jesus.

Now it is of course ridiculous that the Father should consider you and Jesus to be equally righteous, but this is the only result you are left with from the theology that Jesus’s own personal righteousness is imputed to you.

 

[amariselle]

I can only repeat what I said above...

You missed my point.

No, I did not "miss your point". As I said, I agree that we are "in" Christ, we are united to Him. What I disagree with is the claim that we are His equal.