Resolution On Bible Preservation

Whereas a part of the "King James Only" movement has arisen that holds that the King James Version of the Bible is God's exclusive preserved Word for today and is to be considered on the same level as the original language autographs and manuscripts;

And Whereas the Bible does not tell how God has preserved His Word but only that is shall be preserved completely forever: "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the Word of our God shall stand in heaven" (Isaiah 40:8); "For ever, O LORD, thy Word is settled in heaven" (Psalm 119:89); "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35); "But the word of the Lord endureth for ever" (I Peter 1:25);

And Whereas the traditional view of Bible preservation is that God has preserved His Word in the thousands of original language manuscripts;

And Whereas this segment of the "King James Only" movement treats their preservation view as a major doctrine of the faith and are castigating and separating from those who hold a more traditional view of preservation;

And Whereas fellowship among Christians is to be based on agreement in doctrine and obedience to God, both of which are clearly delineated in Scripture: "I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts" (Psalm 119:63); "and they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship" (Acts 2:42); "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:7),

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that since the Bible does not directly give the method of preservation, we, the members of the Ohio Bible Fellowship in the Spring 1996 Conference meeting at Calvary Baptist Church in Willard, Ohio, will not make the method of Bible preservation an issue of separation unless a particular view violates Scripture or leads to unbiblical extremes;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we view this segment of the "King James Only" movement that holds their preservation view of Scripture to be a major doctrine of the faith as an error that wrongly adds to the Scriptures;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we identify this segment of the "King James Only" movement as a movement which unnecessarily divides brethren over a contrived article of faith rather than clear Bible doctrines and obedience to God.