A New Mind

Faith

Faith is something that we all possess, it is a prerequisite for knowledge. The question is never how much faith we have, but instead it is a question of what our faith is placed in. For me, the greatest, and only sure foundation for faith is the Bible. While I confess that I have some faith in my senses (touch, sight, etc.), I have greater faith in God's Word.

Some of the basic fundamentals of my faith are recorded in my Statement Of Faith. What follows on this page is a more verbose description of my beliefs.

The Bible

I say that I place my faith in the Bible. However, that may seem ambiguous to some, so let me explain some of those points.

Literal Interpretation

I believe that the Bible is literal in nature, and not allegorical except for when it actually states that it is giving a story, parable, or allegory. If the Bible is contradicted or directly contradicts science, reason, or even my own senses, the Bible must be true and the other false. I admit that I am imperfect and that we as people may misread or misunderstand a passage, but that passage as it is written must be true.

Infallibility

I believe that the Bible is entirely without error. It is impossible for it to be wrong in any area which it covers. It is never to be questioned or interpreted in the light of our own ideas and reasoning. Since our reasoning is fallible, and the Bible is not, we must use it to temper our reasoning and not the other way around. Any apparent contradictions must therefore be caused from our faulty and fallible logic and resources.

Only Source of Doctrine

I believe that the Bible is not only completely accurate, but that it is in fact the only source from which we can receive correct doctrine. No vision, experience, or feeling can provide doctrine, and neither can any man or angel. It is therefore a requirement to test every teaching with the Bible. A priest or preacher is also not a source of doctrine and can only direct us to the Scriptures for answers.

Practicality

I believe that the Bible is practical and applicable to all areas of our life. I believe that within its pages lie all the answers a person needs to live a happy and complete life. Although it may not answer every question specifically, it can give us the solution as it applies to our life. I believe that there are more specific answers found inside the Word that we realise.

Bible Versions

Source Texts

I believe that the correct and perfectly accurate text for the New Testament is that which is known as the Textus Receptus, and the text for the Old Testament is that which is known as the Masoretic Text. I do not acknowledge the existence of any "older more accurate" texts. I believe the Wescott & Hort texts are flawed in their creation, and therefore so are the versions based on them.

Translations

I believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of the Holy Word, and that the proper translation method should be formal equivalence. I believe that every word must be preserved. I find paraphrases particularly harmful and do not condone the use of them.

King James Version

I believe that the King James Version, also called the Authorized Version, is a perfectly translated copy of the correct source texts. I believe that the KJV is sufficient in itself for all doctrine and teaching without the aid of the original source texts. However, I believe that it is still helpful to read the source texts as they can shed additional light on the Scriptures in ways that a translation never can.