This Old Book
I heard the old time preachers speak without one reference to the Greek,
"This precious Book within my hand is God's own word on which I stand."
And then the scholars came along and said the preacher had it wrong:
"Conflations here, rescissions there, and scribal errors everywhere."
A book "essentially correct," but not in every last respect.
"A'fairly certain' word they say, "To light our path and guide our way."
Then in despair I bowed my head. "We have no word of God," I said.
"If some of this old Book is wrong, pray tell, what else does not belong?"
Will still more manuscripts be found to make us go another round?
Correcting, changing, taking out; creating questions, fear, and doubt?
Must more discoveries come to light before we finally get it right?
Will precious doctrines fade away because of what the scholars say?
How many errors must we purge because of what the scholars urge?
How many versions must we make? How many changes can we take?
How will we ever know we're through - that we possess a scripture true?
If man must find God's word, my friend, when will the changes ever end?
Then to the Book again I fled to find out what my Father said.
"Forever settled...never fade" - This promise God the Spirit made.
"A thousand generations hence" - that seems a pretty strong defense.
A "perfect Book?" Then it must be, man can't improve what God gave me.
We have a Book completely true, instructing us in all we do.
Preserved by God, not found by men, inscribed by God the Spirit's pen.
If God or scholars you must choose, be sure the "experts" always lose.
Don't give to them a second look; Just keep believing this old Book.
Preached by R.B. Ouellette at Woodland Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, NC on May 1, 2007.
"This precious Book within my hand is God's own word on which I stand."
And then the scholars came along and said the preacher had it wrong:
"Conflations here, rescissions there, and scribal errors everywhere."
A book "essentially correct," but not in every last respect.
"A'fairly certain' word they say, "To light our path and guide our way."
Then in despair I bowed my head. "We have no word of God," I said.
"If some of this old Book is wrong, pray tell, what else does not belong?"
Will still more manuscripts be found to make us go another round?
Correcting, changing, taking out; creating questions, fear, and doubt?
Must more discoveries come to light before we finally get it right?
Will precious doctrines fade away because of what the scholars say?
How many errors must we purge because of what the scholars urge?
How many versions must we make? How many changes can we take?
How will we ever know we're through - that we possess a scripture true?
If man must find God's word, my friend, when will the changes ever end?
Then to the Book again I fled to find out what my Father said.
"Forever settled...never fade" - This promise God the Spirit made.
"A thousand generations hence" - that seems a pretty strong defense.
A "perfect Book?" Then it must be, man can't improve what God gave me.
We have a Book completely true, instructing us in all we do.
Preserved by God, not found by men, inscribed by God the Spirit's pen.
If God or scholars you must choose, be sure the "experts" always lose.
Don't give to them a second look; Just keep believing this old Book.
Preached by R.B. Ouellette at Woodland Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, NC on May 1, 2007.
