The Witness and the Record

 

 

2 Corinthians 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

Introduction: When reading this teaching, please keep in mind the following:

I wrote this article to show the authority of the King James Bible and to encourage all who are reading it to stay with it.
I wrote it as a warning to those in leadership and authority that promote the modern translations the great spiritual danger they face.
I wrote this to the modern translations apologists of the great spiritual danger that they also face for tampering with God’s word.
I wrote this to encourage those who are using the modern translations to switch to the KJB and come under its protection and blessings as the word of God.

The Two Witness Law

This is a very important principle that is seen throughout the Bible. When God establishes a principle, He does it with two or three witnesses in His word. It is found in both the Old and New Testaments. The idea of two or three witnesses even spills over into the legal system. Two or three witnesses are needed to establish a crime or rebuke someone of sin in the church.

Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

Matthew 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

When the Lord Jesus sent His disciples out as witnesses, He sent them out in twos.

Mark 6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;

The presence of two or three believers in prayer and agreement establishes that matter in heaven and the Father responds. The Lord Jesus is even in the midst of us when two or three are in agreement. This a powerful principle that reaches into heaven. When we understand this principle, it adds power and faith to our prayers.

Matthew 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (20) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Just before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, God warns the world. He is about to unleash incredible judgments upon the earth. God uses the two witnesses law to establish the coming judgments and warn the world He does it with two prophets or witnesses. These two prophets are establishing God’s judgment on the earth.

Revelation 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

The gospels of the New Testament are structured after this pattern. There are four gospels but three are called synoptic meaning they are telling the history of the Lord’s ministry. These three are witnesses to the life of the Lord Jesus and are synchronized together. Matthew, Mark and Luke are these three witnesses. Together they establish the truth of the life and death of the Lord Jesus and His Second Coming. Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 are examples of how the three establish the events surrounding the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus.

The Bible lists three witnesses that the Lord Jesus was Israel’s Messiah. The witnesses that establish this are John the Baptist, His works, and the Father. The Lord Jesus was not the only witness that He was the Messiah of Israel. God had other witnesses to establish that He was the Savior of Israel and the world.

John 5:32  There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
(33)  Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
(36) But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
(37) And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

What I have listed is a foundation to show this extremely important principle found in the Bible. There are many more scriptures that establish this matter, but remember it is ALWAYS with two or three witnesses.

The Modern Translations

Most modern translations attack the witness of the word and do not establish the word so the Holy Spirit can convict of this truth. They break the requirement of the two or three witnesses, and therefore, a principle that God wants to establish is blocked. This is a direct attack on God’s word and greatly weakens the SPIRITUAL authority within the Bible. This is the main reason why the modern translations are so powerless. They lack spiritual authority and conviction of the Holy Spirit because they are not backed up by two or three witnesses.

The Only Begotten Son of God

The most obvious example to this is the modern translations which have removed that the Lord Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. Because they tamper with the nature of the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit does not bear witness with these translations. Eternal salvation is based upon the Lord Jesus being the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The fact that these translations removed Jesus is the only begotten Son of God is really all that is needed to prove these translations are illegitimate. The tampering with doctrine is really the proof that these translations are not of God. (For more information on this topic, please see my teaching: The Only Begotten Son of God  http://www.defendproclaimthefaith.org/bible_for_today.htm)

The reality of Hell

In Mark 9, the Holy Spirit was using the two or three witness principle in the New Testament to establish the reality of hell and issue a stern warning. In the King James Bible this is clearly established as three times the same words are written. Based on this principle, there is great conviction and power in this section of scriptures. In most of the modern translation the word hell was removed and replaced with hades, further weakening the reality of hell. No one really knows what hades is, but almost everyone knows what hell is!

Mark 9:44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Mar 9:45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Mark 9:46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Mar 9:47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
Mark 9:48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

In the modern translations, verses 44 and 46 were removed; therefore, the spiritual witness principle is not established and there is no spiritual authority to establish the reality of hell. This weakens the reality of hell to those who use these translations along with the preachers who preach from them. These translations could be the reason that hell is so seldom, if ever, preached from the pastors using the modern translations.

Jesus Came to Heal the Brokenhearted

There are two verses which establish that the Lord Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted. This is an extremely important doctrine as it shows the love and mercy of God toward sinful man. It is at the very heart of the Lord Jesus’ ministry.

Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

The modern translations removed “he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted” from Luke 4:18! These translations broke the two witnesses’ law, so they are now powerless to heal the brokenhearted. Multitudes of people reading these translations that have broken hearts are now kept in bondage because the power is out these translations. A person with a broken heart would have to hear the truth of the KJB to have their heart healed.

I believe this is the reason there are so many self-helps in the churches. The power is out of the modern translations, so the people have to turn to three-steps to peace, etc. Many of the people in these self-help programs are brokenhearted and looking for healing and freedom, but they are being kept in bondage by the modern translations. These will not find the answer in the NIV as the key words have been removed.

In all my years, I have never found any NIV reader attempt to minister to the brokenhearted with Isaiah 61. The conviction of the Holy Spirit was removed and the people now suffer. It seems that the Lord’s ministry to heal the brokenhearted was removed and is now off the radar screen in most of today’s churches. The people are now left with NO way to heal their broken hearts. When was the last time you heard a sermon or teaching that the Lord Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted? You will hear three-step or five-step solutions or see a “Christian psychologist” but never about the Lord healing the brokenhearted! This is what happens when men tamper with the word of God.

I have ministered to dozens upon dozens of people with broken hearts, and it makes me very angry that these modern translations tamper with Luke 4:18. I have seen the power of this verse over and over again in operation as I pray with people whose lives were shattered. To tamper with Luke 4:18, in my opinion, is a spiritual crime.

Identifying the Spirit of Antichrist

The two or three witness law is seen in identifying the spirit of antichrist. This is found in 1 John 4:1-3. The KJB uses two witnesses in verses two and three. The matter is now established that everyone who does not confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is not of God. The people who refuse to believe are of the spirit of antichrist. This is of extreme importance. We need to know who is of God and who is not of God. God gives us the key and then with the conviction of the Holy Spirit we can discern who is of God and who is not.

The tampering with this section breaks the two witness rule and the matter is NOT spiritually established! The people who use these translations are now open to deception because they lack the conviction of the Holy Spirit in their inner man.

King James Bible:

1John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

1John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

New International Version:

1 John4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

1 John 4:2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,]
1John 4:3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus (missing words ) is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

The Bible repeated “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh” twice to establish the two witness law. The NIV destroyed this law by removing the second witness, so therefore, the NIV is powerless. The spirit of antichrist is now in the modern translations right under the eyes of the reader weakening them so they cannot discern this spirit of antichrist. The very section of the Bible that shows the spirit of antichrist, this very evil spirit penetrated to break the two witness law! This shows just how subtle and deceptive spiritual warfare is.

The people that use the modern translations are now open to all sorts of false teaching because the translations they use do not have the witness to defend them from it. This is how apostate Christianity will merge with the coming one-world religion! The conviction of the Holy Spirit is not in these translations to warn the people. These people will need an outside witness, like reading the KJB or hearing it from a person who uses the KJB.

The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending.

The Book of Revelation begins with the witness that the Lord Jesus is the “Alpha and Omega”. It also ends in Chapters 21, 22 with the Lord as the Alpha and Omega. There are two series of witnesses to this. One is at the beginning and one at the end of the book! They are like bookends giving testimony that the Lord Jesus is the Alpha and Omega.

In Revelation 21 and 22 the Lord Jesus being the Alpha and Omega is found twice. They are also found in the modern translations.

Revelation 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Revelation 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

The modern translations tamper with the Lord Jesus being the Alpha and Omega. In Chapter 1, the KJB establishes the three witnesses’ law. In verses 8 and 11, Alpha and Omega is used twice while the beginning and ending and first and last are used once. In Revelation 1:8 and 11, the three witness law is established. In the NIV three of the four witnesses are out.

King James Bible:

Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Revelation 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last:

New International Version:

Revelation 1:8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, (missing verses) " says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

Revelation 1:11 which said (missing verses)

God bracketed the Book of Revelation with the Lord being the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending rule. The two witnesses were at the beginning and end of this book! The modern translations broke this bracket, and thus violated the two witness rule. This weakens the Book of Revelation as the conviction of the Holy Spirit is weakened.

The Record in Heaven

1 John 5:7 is probably one of the most controversial verses in the Bible. The reason it is so controversial is that all the modern translations, except the New King James, remove this verse. But, even the NKJV has a footnote associated with this verse stating that 1 John 5:7 is not found in the oldest Greek manuscripts! This could cause serious doubt in the reader’s mind that this verse is the word of God. This verse was never controversial until the modern translations challenged it.

The problem is the modern translations come from a different Greek underlying manuscript than the King James Bible. The KJB uses the Greek Textus Receptus, while the modern scholars reject this manuscript. This results in the modern translations missing the equivalent of the Book of Ephesians and also changing words like “only begotten Son” into “one and only Son”. One of the missing verses is 1 John 5:7.

I believe the modern translations have tampered with the very word of God, which is beyond serious. I want to take a look at the internal evidence that 1 John 5:7 is indeed the very word of God and belongs in the Bible, just as it is found in the tried and true King James Bible.

I was recently studying 1 John 5 and came across some interesting information that I never realized. I had never actually studied verse 7, but just looked at it as one of the proofs of the Holy Trinity. The first time, I actually studied it and asked myself what is the RECORD that the Father, Word and Holy Ghost are bearing record to in heaven? To my amazement, I did not know. The following is a brief study to show what is this record and how important it is to our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.

1John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
(In heaven the Godhead bears record but from this verse it is not clear what is the record. In context, it has to do something with the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice the three witness rule: The Father, Word and Holy Spirit. Whatever the record, it is must be very important because it involves the three witness rule within the Godhead!)

1John 5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
(On earth, the Holy Spirit agrees in one with the water and the blood. Again, this has to do with the Lord Jesus’ ministry but exactly what is not mentioned. Again, the three witness rule, but this time it is on earth.)

1John 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
(The witness of the Holy Spirit is greater than any witness of men. The witness has to do about the ministry of the Lord Jesus here on earth. The three witness rule of God was just established in verse 7.)

1John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
(This is a very strong verse. It states that anyone who does not believe the record that God gave of His Son makes God a liar! What makes this so strong is that God established the three witness rule and whoever does not believe this goes against this rule! I cannot imagine a verse stronger than this. This is so serious that the record is settled in heaven between the Godhead! But, we still do not know what is this record, but only that the Godhead bears witness to it in heaven.)

1John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
(Now the record is revealed. The record that the Godhead agrees in heaven is that WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE IN THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD! Our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ is secure because the Godhead is in total agreement with the three witness rule. The blood and water of the Lord Jesus on earth bear witness to the record in heaven. The three witness rule in heaven agrees with the three witness rule on earth! This is a two witness rule that includes heaven and earth and within these are the three witness rule! This is a three witness rule within a two witness rule!

Look how God has tied this altogether for the ministry of the Lord Jesus and our eternal salvation! Wow! The Lord Jesus’ ministry and our eternal life are all tied so beautifully together with this combination with two or three witness laws! It is established.)

If verse 7 is removed, then the record of agreement by the Godhead in heaven is also removed and the two and three witness law is violated! Verse 7 is not a mere proof of the Trinity; it is really a proof that believers have total assurance of eternal life when they are in the Son of God! God bears record in heaven that we have eternal life! The proof of the Blessed Trinity is actually a side issue.

How dare these modern translations tamper with 1 John 5:7, as they tamper with the actual record in heaven that we have eternal life through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is probably the strongest verse in the entire Bible for the assurance of eternal life in the Blessed Redeemer. It is sealed by two and three witness laws from several directions.

While contemplating on this verse and the violation of the two and three witness law, Revelation 22:19 came to mind.

Revelation 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

This verse states if ANYONE removes words from the Bible, God will remove that person’s name from the Book of Life. I believe that this warning is not limited to the Book of Revelation but the entire Bible.

Often, those who reject the authority of KJB the first verse they point to is 1John 5:7. They claim it was added and is not part of the word of God. This verse happens to be the strongest verse in the Bible showing that the complete Godhead bears record to our eternal life in heaven!

How very sad that removal of 1 John 5:7 removes God bearing record in heaven for these people because it is NOT in their translations! How ironic, that by applying Revelation 22:19 to those that reject 1John 5:7, God does not bear record in heaven for them; therefore, their name is removed from the Book of Life! The very verse removed from these translations is the very verse which damns them, and it is exactly as Revelation 22:19 states would happen.

It is as if 1 John 5:7 is the litmus test for tampering with the word God. Those who removed it and promote this removal fall under the curse of Revelation 22:19. Those defending that it is not the word of God also fall under this condemnation. The Godhead, Father, Word and Holy Spirit, do not bear record to that person’s name being in the Book of Life. What a lesson; to just accept the word of God and not tamper with it as the modern translation do.

I am pleading with anyone who has read this teaching and rejects the King James Bible, to throw away the modern translations and come under the Bible that is structured on the two or three witness law. The modern translations are powerless and eventually will lead people into the “Whore of Babylon”, the coming world false religious system. These modern translations are spiritually structured to accomplish this. Your protection is in the King James Bible.

Is your name sealed in heaven by three bearing record confirming the three witness law?

1John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

 

By John McTernan
Defend and Proclaim the Faith

Blog: John McTernan’s Insights at www.johnmcternan.name

Meet author John McTernan
During numerous appearances on television, radio and in seminars, he has publicly defended Israel in light of Biblical prophecy. His current best selling book is As America Has Done To Israel.
He is author of the acclaimed book God's Final Warning to America, and co-author of the bestseller Israel: The Blessing or the Curse. From his experience debating, John wrote the Only Jesus of Nazareth series. This series includes: Only Jesus of Nazareth Can Sit on the Throne of David and Only Jesus of Nazareth Can Be Israel's King Messiah. Additionally, he has written several tracts, including Muhammad or Jesus: The Prophet Like Unto Moses, and The Koran vs the Bible.

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