Hello Doves,I prefer the KJV. The reason I prefer the KJV is because it cuts through the chase, and gets right to the point. For instance, Galatians 5: 19-21 (KJV):"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."Where the verse above is highlighted some versions translate: "they that commit," or "they that continue," or "they that fulfill," or "they that practice.....such things." These other translations cause one to interpet the above verse to imply that this only pertains to one who is habitually or is constantly giving into these sins of the flesh, as it is taught by most. Therefore it becomes a measure of how much they are giving into these sins. But whether one is committing, continuing, fulfilling, or praciticing these sins, they are still DOING them.The above verse therefore, is not a mesurement of how much we are giving into these sins, but rather if we do them, whether it be once a day, or seventy times a day, or even once in awhile. The Apostle Paul says,"Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Cor. 5: 6-8).
As we can clearly see, there is a doing on our part to keep (guard) ourselves. I would just like to encourage and exhort each Dove (myself included), as we see the day approaching, to keep ourselves, even as scrpture tells us, and to put on our strength, as we abide IN Him and Him IN us.
"We know that whosoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not" (1 Jn. 5: 18).
"And every man that has this hope in Him purifies himself, even as He is pure" (1 Jn. 3: 3).
"Whosoever abides in Him sins not: whosoever sins has not seen Him, neither known Him" (1 Jn. 3: 6).
Therefore, there is a doing on our part, and an expectation of Him (Heb. 10: 13) toward all them that name the name of Christ to depart from iniquity (2 Tim. 2: 19) because of His cross. For whoever is doing these sins, as mentioned above, will not inherit the kingdom of God.
"Let the weak say I am strong" (Joel 3: 10).
"If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes" (Mark 9: 23).
"For with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1: 37).
IN the love of Christ,
Greg