Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear ones.

Sure enough…it was a good 12 hour run from Columbia Falls, Montana. We were once again spell-bound along the way at the marvelous variety of geography and vegetation that was on display. Wish you could have squeezed into our little car so you could have been spell-bound with us. There is nothing much better than a spell-binding party that honors the Maker.

We are definitely back home…and two little boys were delivered here at 6:30am this morning. I’ve put out the garbage, did a jog, and now I need to get on with my pile of work. It’s a pretty big pile.

May your day be blessed beyond your capabilities.

Love, Dad/Ray.

If you happen to be reading this passage from the New International Version as I am, you may have noticed that verse 24 is missing. There is a little footnote that reads like this in connection with verse 23: “Some manuscripts ‘their greetings. 24 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen.’” This can only mean that the translators of the NIV determined that this verse 24 (which, of course, does appear in the King James Version) did not pass the test of their scrutiny so as to be permitted to remain in their best and most accurate rendering of the Biblical text. I don’t know about you, but this kind of thing seems to raise a serious question for me concerning our doctrinal position of “plenary inspiration” that deems every word to be inspired and inerrant. You may recall that I’ve touched on this before. I realize I need to be real careful here. I have no intention of developing a new doctrine. It’s just that I have come to hold a belief that the Sovereign God of the Bible still transcends our best intellectual and doctrinal efforts. He is just too big to be placed perfectly and completely into doctrinal boxes. It is the condition of a HEART AFTER GOD that is of far greater importance than a precisely accurate theology or even a flawless rendering of the scriptures. Furthermore, I have to believe that He is both aware of, and allows, this measure of human struggle so that our relationship with Him would be by the quality of a seeking faith—A HEART AFTER GOD.

Allow me to direct your careful attention to Isaiah 55:6-11. “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth; It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.’”

Let’s take a moment to consider again Romans 16:24. Does it contain truth or does it present error? I suppose it’s possible that some unknown scribe along the line put this sentence in on his own, but the fact remains that the sentence embodies a wonderful truth that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is indeed with all whose hearts are sincerely after Him. Lots of other scriptures support the truth of Christ’s presence and grace. For example…

Matthew 1:23. “’The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’—which means ‘God with us.’”

Deuteronomy 31:8. “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Matthew 28:19-20. “’Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

2 Corinthians 12:9. “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Titus 2:11-13. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 5:10-11. “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.”