IS THE FIGHT FOR THE KJV NECESSARY?

The following is by Pastor Gary Freeman: "A writer who was despairing over the debate concerning Bible versions recently wrote, `Precious energies and talents must be wasted on petty quarrels between soldiers who ought to be giving their best efforts to fight the real enemies of biblical Christianity.' Is this correct thinking? We believe fellow soldiers ought to debate an issue when it involves the integrity and reliability of the most important piece of weaponry with which we intend to fight the enemy. How can we say nothing to our fellow soldiers when someone has tampered with our artillery. How do we intend to win the battle when we go into the fight with our main weapon taken away and replaced with a faulty, unreliable substitute?

"The fight for the KJV is necessary. We who are holding the line for the KJV only are being called the culprits. One pastor said, `Certainly the KJV controversy rages on by those who would make it a test of fellowship.' Another writes, `One of the heartbreaks faced by any fellowship comes when some movement comes along and polarizes and then splits the group. It may be over Bible versions, personal squabbles or wrongs suffered. The issue is not doctrinal since there is always essential agreement among fundamental brethren in that regard.'

"We are amazed how the group who brought in the new modern versions into our churches and fellowships now want to blame us who desire to stay with the KJV as being the dividers, polarizers, splitters and controversial ones. If these `fellow soldiers' want to bring in `Bibles' that leave out [or question] Mk. 16:9-20; Jn. 7:53-8:11; Ac. 8:37; Ro. 8:1b; and that delete `through His blood' in Col. 1:14; `God' in 1 Ti. 3:16; Trinity passage in 1 Jn. 5:7,8; "by Himself purged our sins' in He. 1:3; `washed us from our sins' in Re. 1:5; the word `yet' in Jn. 7:8 (this word being dropped from new versions makes our Saviour a liar); then they should not cry foul, unfair, unloving, or divisive when we squabble over which Bible will be the Word of God in the Battlefield.

"The offenders, dividers, squabblers and polarizers are those who want to bring new versions into fundamentalism. We believe, contrary to the previous quote, that this is a doctrinal issue. We believe that God has preserved the word He inspired. We believe it to be found in the Greek Textus Receptus and in English in our KJV. We will continue the fight for the KJV, not to be divisive but so that we as fellow soldiers can go into battle against our enemies saying, `Thus saith the Lord,' rather than, `Yea, hath God said?'"
The charge is often made that the "King James Only" crowd is divisive and hateful. In response to this, author David Cloud writes:

"We would remind you that the King James Bible is the OLD Bible. Its underlying text is the OLD text. Those who are defending it are simply standing in the old paths. Those who are pushing the new versions upon God's people are the ones who are divisive. As for the business of King James defenders being hateful, I have two things to say to this: (1) While admitting that some probably defend the King James Bible in a fleshy way, I would say that hatefulness is not a one sided affair. There is no lack of hatefulness on the side of those who promote the modern versions. I have received some VERY haughty, spiteful letters from these. Spirituality, or lack thereof, is a personal matter, not a group matter. (2) Is it not also possible that you are confusing zeal for God's truth with hatefulness? Did the godly Psalmist not say, "Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I HATE EVERY FALSE WAY" (Ps. 119:128)? "HORROR hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law" (Ps. 119:53)? Genuine love for God will produce a tremendous enthusiasm, both positive and negative! Be careful that you do not confuse this with fleshly hate."