IS THE RECEIVED TEXT OF THE
BIBLE THE KEY TO REVIVAL?
If there’s one thing the churches of today lack it’s revival. Social activity and entertainment may help fill the pews on Sunday but the awe inspiring, heart changing power of God that leads to repentance is absent.
Consequently, it’s largely down to human devising to make church services attractive. The role of deeper, higher, restored Holy Ghost revealed Bible truth in changing hearts is widely neglected. Who wants to know about the latest wonders of grace and the mystery set out in Paul’s prison epistles when it’s easier to talk about what God did in the past, rather than what He is doing and saying today?
But I want to pose the question: Is preservation and wide publication of the accurate, written and printed, Word of God an important factor in seeing revival? History strongly suggests that it is. It is no coincidence that the background to the Reformation revival, for example, was the battle to see the accurately God preserved Holy Scriptures made freely available in common everyday languages to the ordinary people.
So precious was the word translated into English in the 13th and 14th centuries in Britain that the Lollards preached in the streets each having only a small portion of hand-written scripture. Yet their efforts won the hearts of thousands.
The father of the English Bible, William Tyndalem, had to flee England to complete his New Testament translation into English. It was the first translation from the Greek into English and the first English Bible to be printed. Roman Catholic bishops ordered him strangled and burnt along with his bibles, then went on to persecute those that dared to distribute them. And, it is only in my lifetime that the Catholic Church has moved away from Latin to minister in English in the English-speaking world and encourage the use of certain selected Bibles, but, of course, not the King James Bible.
Indeed, no popular, Catholic approved, Bibles are based on the Received or Majority Text, which underpins the KJB and only two other Bibles. Does that matter, you ask? Yes, it does, because it seems that only when God-spoken and divinely preserved scripture is taken to heart can there be revival.
I am a New Zealander and for me the only revival I personally know about was the Charismatic Movement of the 1970s and 1980s. At the heart of that was the outpouring of beautiful words and music from David and Dale Garrett’s Scripture in Song, entirely taken from the King James Bible. In the upshot tens of thousands of New Zealanders were saved – I was one of them - and churches were revitalised.
Then came a flood of new bible versions not based on the Received Text but devised by academics that certainly did not bring about revival.
But what of other revivals in history. Were they too based on a fresh and God-breathed revelation of his true word? Let’s turn the pages back and see.
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According to the online Bible Hub’s Topical Encyclopedia, the concept of revival and the rediscovery of God's Word is a recurring theme throughout biblical history, marked by periods of spiritual renewal and a return to the foundational truths of Scripture. These events often occurred during times of spiritual decline, idolatry, or moral decay, when God's people were called back to a dynamic living relationship with Him through the rediscovery and application of His Word.
Old Testament Revivals
During the reign of King Josiah of Judah the Book of the Law was rediscovered in the temple, leading to a national revival. "Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, 'I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who read it" (2 Kings 22:8). Upon hearing the words of the Law, Josiah tore his clothes in repentance and initiated reforms to restore true worship and eliminate idolatry (2 Kings 23:1-25).
In Nehemiah’s time, after the Israelite return from Babylonian exile, there was a significant revival marked by the public reading and explanation of the Law. Ezra the scribe read from the Book of the Law, and the Levites helped the people understand it, leading to a renewed commitment to follow God's commandments (Nehemiah 8:1-12).
New Testament and Early Church
In the New Testament, the Day of Pentecost represents a pivotal moment of revival, as the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, empowering them to preach the gospel of Jesus’ resurrection with boldness. And the first thing that Peter said about it was that the Spirit outpouring was that prophesied by Joel in Old Testament scripture. His proclamation that Christ had risen from the dead, according to the written Old Testament prophecy of David, led to the conversion of about three thousand souls (Acts 2:41). Thus, it was the preserved written word that Peter cited to validate this outstanding spiritual experience.
As a consequence the early church experienced continuous growth and revival as believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, again based on carefully preserved scripture, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42).
Throughout church history, there have been several revivals characterised by a renewed emphasis on Scripture. The Protestant Reformation, led by figures like Martin Luther and John Calvin, was a significant movement that sought to return to the authority of Scripture, challenging the non-biblical traditions and practices that for centuries had overshadowed what God’s word said.
The Great Awakenings in the 18th and 19th centuries in America and Britain were marked by powerful preaching, widespread conversions, and a renewed focus on personal piety and social reform. Preachers like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield emphasized the necessity of a personal relationship with Christ based on the transformative power of God's Word. There was no question about the veracity and accuracy of the Received Text as translated in the King James Bible. No other bible was used in these revivals.
Principles of Revival
Now, revival is characterized by several key elements: a deep conviction of sin, genuine repentance, a renewed commitment to holiness, and a fervent desire to spread the gospel. The rediscovery of God's preserved Word plays a central role in this process, as it reveals God's character, will, and promises, leading to a transformation of hearts and minds.
Psalm 119:25 captures the essence of revival: "My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word." This verse underscores the life-giving power of Scripture to renew and restore the believer's spiritual vitality. Without such quickening there can be no revival.
In summary, the rediscovery of God's Word is a divine intervention that brings about spiritual awakening and renewal, calling God's people back to a faithful and vibrant relationship with Him. These events serve as reminders of the enduring power and relevance of Scripture in guiding and transforming the lives of believers.
John Dudley Aldworth
Email: john.aldworth@hotmail.com
Website: Day of Christ Ministries
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