I know the author of it got parts of the Bible so right it blows your mind, but there are entire sections where he is dead wrong and injects false doctrine into it. Biblical scholars can do real spiritual harm by casually dismissing the texts that students hold dear. Since it is more of a commentary than a real Bible, it does not have the same effect of cutting into the depths of the heart. The Old Testament teaches that believers are defiled by their attempts at communicating with the dead, a practice that is detestable to God. Eugene Peterson's "The Message" Exposed! Return to homepage. I saw new believers using The Message as their actual Bible during a study, and felt like The Message was robbing them of some choice meat when they read passages from it that were flowery but so watered-down. It confirms science, reveals the Messiah, and proves that it is supernatural in origin. Each phrase is considered so perfect that. It is specifically targeted toward U.S. English speakers with its use of American contemporary slang. And then they paid for it, oh, how they paid for it emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches. Keep pressing into the Lord! Where secrecy is removed, gossip is hampered. The Bible warns against personal interpretations of Scripture (2 Peter 1:20). According to NavPress, publisher of Eugene Peterson's The Message The Bible in Contemporary Language, there have been over 10,000,000 readers of The Message. Speakers were lacking in integrity to feed people from this book without first explaining the many problems with it. 9 "This, then, is how you should pray: The cult, of course, believes that these teachings must be preserved and protected from change. The Message (MSG): Don't you realize that this is not the way to live? One person stormed up to me and demanded that I send her no more emails. . 7. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, The most dangerous verses in the Bible will have no bearing on us when we are saved and sure; not placing our faith in the work that we have done, but rather in Christ and His finished work. No one can argue that if Mary was 1 day pregnant with JESUS, they would be hollering womens rights. will not get you closer to GOD. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, In this article, we will discuss why it may be dangerous for ones understanding of the Christian faith and message. Authored by Eugene H. Peterson and published in segments from 1993 to 2002. 713 The 3 most dangerous ways to interpret the Bible - Focus Press Contemporary English Version (CEV): It is true that anyone who desires to be a church official wants to be something worthwhile. Also, check to make sure your email is well written. I showed him the many websites that spring up connecting this phrase to Satanism and other forms of the occult. He is further identified as the son of Amoz (Isaiah 1:1). None of those individuals ever identified themselves to me and to this day I dont know who they were. One lady, a former church leader, reportedly lay awake all night wrestling with the issue. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven. 1Cor. 10 your kingdom come, Read full chapter. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. Your email address will not be published. The Message, I was told, is a paraphrase, a commentary, a rendition, a transliteration, etc, etc. 13 And lead us not into temptation, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language (MSG) is a paraphrase of the Bible in contemporary English. 10 Scriptural reasons Jesus Calling is a dangerous book Eugene Peterson made his translation when there were already 20 Bible versions out there. Taylors bias also leads to omitting text in key passages that do not fit his Arminian worldview, such as his deceptive repackaging of Acts 4:27-28, Acts 13:48, and Romans 8:28-29. 5. They read a passage of The Message that theyve written down or read it from an app on their cell phone. These drugs can be obtained through prescription. The same would be true for other versions or translations of the Bible, no? My answer to the question remains the same today as it has always been: The Messageis not a translation and should not be used as your primary Bible. 'Our Father in heaven, 1:28-32). This premise, however, is dangerous and has been the cause of much bigotry, intolerance, injustice and pain.The truth is that there is no proof that this collection of books is the Word of God. Although it appears that Eugene Peterson's bible The Message is endorsed by many prominent people this does not mean we accept what they promote without testing it against Scripture. Then there is the line as above, so below, which is from the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus an occult text from the school of Hermeticism, that has influenced every aspect of the new age movement, from Asatru to Satanism to Wicca. Is it still available? https://www.ebay.com/itm/115037693742 The second most dangerous way to read the Bible is to let someone create preconceived notions for you. You committed to reading x amount of chapters or studying God's Word for x amount of minutes each day. 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. Do you believe that the KJV did not paraphrase. Did the Bible copy other religious myths, legends, and traditions? It wasnt too long ago that we were stuck in this stagnant life of sin, but thankfully, God has given us a new life through Jesus Christ. The Message Bible has become a field manual for false teachers. When studying the Word of God, one needs an authentic representation of the original autographs (the original manuscript of each of the 66 books of the Bible) while avoiding sources that would distort the original message from God. His interpretation provides us with a deeper understanding of Jesus message, and can be applied to our lives today. [] The New Testament instructs believers to seek guidance from God and his Spirit only. On the other hand, a man oozing with love and compassion can err by tolerating everything and everyone, thus compromising God's truth. Some people are more religious than GOD. The King James Version 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. I think my actions sent out a shockwave in the spiritual realm. Is The Message as bad as they all say? Mike Frost 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don't call attention to yourselves. The result is a strongly sectarian translation that no longer counts as Scripture; by masquerading as a Bible it threatens to bind entire churches in thrall to a false god. The Passion Translation is even promoted by churches that share Simmons own theology (for example removing rebuking and correcting from 2 Timothy 4:2). Worship, then, refers to something very big and. 2-3 He lets me rest in the meadow grass and leads me beside the quiet streams. Of course, here in America, the Bible has, until recently, been a . One such critic is biblical scholar and translator, Andrew G. Shead, who said in his article, Burning Scripture with Passion: A Review of The Psalms (The Passion Translation), that Simmons abandons all interest in textual accuracy, playing fast and loose with the original languages, and inserting so much new material into the text that it is at least 50% longer than the original. I wish you all the best! The Message is not only a poor paraphrase, but it is, in fact,heretical. Who Was Isaiah, and What Does His Message Mean for Us? This Message book should not be used at all. Lesson 3: When Christians Compromise With the World (2 - Bible Jesus is warning the people that they must repent and turn away from their sins if they want to be saved from Gods judgement. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and abuse the earth and everything in it, don't qualify as citizens in God's kingdom. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it. Keep us alive with three square meals. The following translations listed below should be avoided altogether, as utilizing them can lead to grave theological errors, the teaching of a radically different gospel, and a counterfeit Jesus. 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. They still didnt admit that it was a dubious practice to incorporate this book into a church service, but instead gave the reason that it was causing offence in the church. Instead, they must be kind and gentle and not love money. Psalm 119:1-2. Garbage - Life's Little Slices. This, again, is a great weakness of The Message: It sometimes produces beautifully phrased lines at the expense of the truth of Scripture. Taylors lack of understanding of Hebrew and Greek and absent use of the original manuscripts has led to disingenuous passages and verses such as his translation of John 12:15. [3], The publisher states: "Peterson's work has been thoroughly reviewed by a team of recognized Old and New Testament scholars to ensure that it is accurate and faithful to the original languages. The gospel addresses all of life, both this life and the one to come. Sometimes we are ignorant because we did not know there was a need to learn something. Talking to the Dead: What Does the Bible Say? - Learn Religions Gossip always distorts and exaggerates, and is never a reliable source of truth. Taking away and adding to ie Going to the casino is a sin. Joe, this is an incredible story that you shared. There are sections where the message really brings an idea into easy-to-understand language, but for me there is far too much dumbing down and softening of scripture. Unjust people who don't care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. I am not alone. [2], According to the Introduction to the New Testament of The Message, its "contemporary idiom keeps the language of the Message (Bible) current and fresh and understandable". And whenever I see people carrying The Messageinto church services, I groan, since I assume that, for those people, it istheir Bible. Paraphrase is often written by a single author who translates the Bible in their own words, sometimes not even using the original biblical languages as a foundation. The Bible: the world's most dangerous book, Alan Watts - Katinka Hesselink This phrase is used to describe someone who is wicked and deceitful, as snakes are often seen as symbols of evil in the Bible. The Message (MSG) - BibleGateway.com: A searchable online Bible in over They are persecuted because they wear a cross and bear witness to Jesus. My answer to the question remains the same today as it has always been: The Message is not a translation and should not be used as your primary Bible. It is written in a conversational style with contemporary language, making it easier for readers to relate to on a personal level. I got the phrase As above, so below which appears in The Message and googled it alongside the word Satanism in the presence of the minister. A striving after love, is the ethically more demanding choice (1 Corinthians 13:4), while the other, insisting on the right faith, more likely than not will lead to callousness (Gal 1:6-9). Its always better to refer to Scripture than to quote any pastor, preacher, biblical scholar, theological professor, etc., no matter where they are in their walk with Christ. Song of Solomon: Most Amazing . Why it's Dangerous to Take the Bible Literally - Medium I remember complaining that if the church hall was hired for a function, as it often was, a member of the local community could come in, pick up the copy of The Message from the bookshelf and read a false gospel in it. Doing so would be like saying that the fire used in the sacrifice is also evil. We run to God to understand who he is n to lead us n trust in his word I for his names sake. makes me feel secure. He is asking them who directed them to flee from the wrath that is coming. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. Through Jesus Christ, we have been freed from the bondage of sin and death. I reminded the church that Jesus said if we love him, we will obey his commands (John 14:23). I would question whether Peterson feels the same way. It is a popular book to use in liberal churches that are more focused on creating social change than on Jesus Christ, His saving act on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. I found it helpful to cobble together a resource from various websites showing examples of how The Message has tampered with Bible verses, misrepresented the gospel, and added occult and New Age words. The pdf file can be accessed at https://tinyurl.com/exz3t6bm and printed out. 4) Good News Translation (GNT) - Also known as the Good News Bible (GNB), the GNT was created by the American Bible Society as a translation that would be simple enough for anyone to easily pick up and understand, including individuals learning the English language and children.