John Calvin or Menno Simons?

I still have trouble understanding why some Baptists have such a love affair with John Calvin, the Reformation and Reformed Theology, seeing none of these are linked with Baptist history or heritage. Calvin had no love for the Baptists, nor did the Reformers (with the exception of Erasmus). In my readings, I would think that Baptists would be better served with looking toward men like Menno Simons and groups like the Reformation-era Anabaptists, the Mennonites and the Brethren groups.

Comparing Menno Simons with John Calvin reveals a world of difference and theological attitudes.

1. Menno never persecuted anyone while Calvin did.
2. Menno never had anyone put to death while Calvin did.
3. Menno was every bit a scholar as was Calvin.
4. Menno held to religious liberty while Calvin did not.
5. Menno opposed state churches while Calvin didn’t.
6. Menno made a cleaner break with Rome than Calvin did.
7. Menno suffered more persecution than Calvin did (Calvin faced some early in his life, before he came under the protection of a state church, an advantage Menno never had).
8. The Mennonites are much closer to modern Baptists than are the Protestants.

Baptists really should look toward Menno, and the Brethren/Anabaptist/Brethren groups rather than the Reformed Protestants for our inspiration and historical instruction. After all, we are all related theologically, while the same cannot be said of any Baptist relationship with the Calvinistic branch of the Reformation.

I have really come to appreciate the Mennonite/Brethren groups more over the years as a genuine Pilgrim/Remnant movement in church history. Naturally, they have their problems today (who doesn’t?) and no human theological group is perfect. I am well familiar with Menno’s struggles over some issues of Christology. But Calvin had many theological errors as well, such as his teachings of predestination and election, so neither man was perfect theologically. But what a world of difference in reading Calvin and Menno Simons! Menno is not forever quoting Augustine and his language is more more Christian than is Calvin’s. Calvin could almost sound like Peter Ruckman in attacking his enemies. Menno displayed a much better Christian spirit in his life and writings.

Part of my appreciation of the Mennonite/Brethren groups may come from a close geographic association I have with them. There is a sizable Mennonite and Amish population here in central Delaware and I spend a lot of time in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. I’ve always believed that the true “Bible Belt” in the United States is not “down south” but runs from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to near Philadelphia, through southern Pennsylvania, where there is a higher percentage of these Baptistic groups. Mennonites and the Brethren are my spiritual “cousins” and I can have a much deeper affinity with them than I could every hope to have with Martin Luther or John Calvin.

The Pilgrim and His Bible

The Christian Pilgrim, on his long journey from the City of Destruction to the Heavenly Mount Zion needs a guidebook and a map. Only a fool would embark on a long and dangerous journey without such reference materials at his disposal. For the Christian, the issue is “What is my map?” The answer to that is obvious- it is the Bible and nothing else. The Pilgrim will reject unreliable maps and guides such as the Book of Mormon, Roman Catholic traditions, the Koran or Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures.

Once this has been established, the Pilgrim’s next decision will prove to be daunting. He immediately realizes that there are dozens of Bible versions to choose from. He goes into his nearest Christian bookstore with a hopeful heart to obtain the necessary guidebook for his long quest. But he is confronted with the King James Bible, the English Standard Version, the New International Version, the Holman Standard Christian Bible, Good News For Modern Man, the New American Standard Version, The Message, the Contemporary English Version, the New King James Version, and who knows what else. Now if “things that are different are not the same”, is the Pilgrim to assume that all of these various translations are the same?

Our Pilgrim friend immediately starts his investigation of the materials available to him. As a result of his research, he comes to a few basic conclusions:

1. Despite the number of versions available, there are just two basic Bibles- the King James Bible, and then everything else. These modern versions generally agree with the readings in the King James Bible about 93% percent of the time (according to Dr. D. A. Waite). But in those verses where there are disagreements, the changed verses tent to attack major doctrines of the faith. There are about 200 New Testament verses that have been identified as standards by which to judge the orthodoxy of a translation. The modern versions tend to attack all of these 200 verses that are left intact in the King James Bible.

2. He notices that the King James Bible is nearing its 400th anniversary. Imagine, a 400-year old translation, full of supposedly “archaic” language that no one can read or understand (supposedly!) on the shelves, and usually, taking up quite a bit of real estate. Who is buying such an “outdated” version? Obviously, someone is, and in volume, if there is this level of demand. There must be something very special and unusual about this King James Version for it to be so popular year after year, even in this 21st century, in spite of no marketing campaign for the King James Bible. He notices slick and attractive advertisements for the other versions, but the King James Bible get no “play”. Yet it still sells.

3. He also looks at who is recommending what version. Most “Christian celebrities” and television personalities are promoting that new version of this new version but hardly anyone recommends the King James. Why is that? What’s wrong with the King James that it seems to be treated like the “red-headed stepchild” in comparison to, say, the English Standard Version or the New International Version? Why are there practically no Bible colleges, “major ministries” or “nationwide ministries” recommending it?

The Pilgrim goes home, and starts researching the issue on the internet. He sees that most evangelical ministries are recommending everything but the King James. He notices that most so-called Fundamentalist ministries are also recommending anything but the King James. His immediate reaction might be “well, these modern versions may be better, since they seem to be so popular”. But then the Holy Spirit reminds him of certain truths that he has heard before. One is “That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination to God” (Luke 16:15). If these “men” are all for modern versions and against the King James, does that mean their opinions are an abomination to God on this matter? If truth is often in the minority, can the opinions of the majority on this issue be trusted?

The Pilgrim does notice a remnant of ministries and men that seem to be supporting the King James Bible. It appears that they are mainly smaller, unpretentious ministries. They don’t have much name recognition. Their education may not be as impressive as the other men who are against the King James. These King James men are also maligned and attacked on most of the blogs and Christian message boards. They tend to be called every name in the book. Yet these men stand their ground, in the face of the furious assaults and invectives hurled against them. They can’t be bullied or intimidated to compromise for that translation. Is it that special and dear to them that they are willing to endure the very darts of hell to stand for a mere translation of the Bible?

The Pilgrim sits down and considers all that he has seen. He knows he is a stranger and a pilgrim in the world. He knows the world crucified his Savior and is no friend to the church. He knows that whole world lieth in the wicked one and that there is a great apostasy in the churches today that will only get worse as we draw closer to the end of the age. He then sits down and prayerfully weighs the evidence. He comes to the conclusion that he will take the old King James Bible as his guide for his pilgrimage.

How many of us have been in this situation? After my salvation in February, 1978, I bought a Good News For Modern Man. My reasons were two-fold. First, it seemed easy to read, which was important for a 13-year old new convert. Plus, it had cute line drawings scattered through the text. I used that Good News Version up into the years I was at the University of Maryland, as late as 1985. But my mother had a King James Bible and I always KNEW, even as a young convert, that her King James Bible was a REAL Bible and what I had was a compromise at best, that my Good News For Modern Man was not quite a real Bible. After I started attending an Independent Baptist church in 1985, I came to realize just how important the issue is and I switched my allegiance to the King James Bible.

The King James Bible is truly a pilgrim Bible. Pilgrims tend to be vilified, attacked, rejected, shunned and otherwise mistreated by the world and even by the carnal Daughters of Jerusalem in the church. Studying the trials and tribulations of Pilgrim in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress illustrates that quite well. A despised Pilgrim will naturally gravitate toward a Bible version that is likewise despised, and there is no version today so despised as the King James. It is nothing new, for the ink on the first edition was hardly dry before the attacks began. For four centuries, that one translation has suffered more abuse and grief than any other book since. There have been dedicated campaigns to destroy it and to relegate it to the scrapheap of church history.

Our friend Pilgrim has cast in his lot with the old Book because the King James speaks to his heart as nothing else can. That is a Book bathed in blood. It has traveled the hills with the circuit riders and has “sailed through bloody seas” with missionaries. It has won more battles than any general you care to name. There is a lingering odor of gunpowder surround that book and one can almost see the scars and burn marks from the battles it has won. No other translation can make such a claim. What battles has the NIV won? What great missionary movements has the NASV sparked? How many souls were won with the RSV? What great revivals were kindled by the preaching of a Good News For Modern Man? And the ESV is simply too young to be given any trust.

We must be as our Pilgrim when it comes to our maps. It is simply too late in church history to switch Bibles now. We must go with the Bible that got us here, that sparked great revival and missionary movements, and that was used to lead uncounted millions to Christ. That King James Bible virtually created our modern English language. There is simply no good reason to abandon the Bible that got us here and to take up with something else. Since 1881 the advocates of modern versions have been trying to talk Christian Pilgrims into changing their road maps for their pilgrimage to “new”, “better”, “improved”, “more accurate” and “easier to read” Bible versions. But since the King James has never steered any pilgrim wrong, why change?

The “Plymouth” Brethren- A Remnant Christian Group

One way to get a grasp on what Remnant Christianity is would be to study the distinctives of some groups that could be classified as Remnant groups. There are many through church history. One are the “Brethren” groups, often mis-labeled “Plymouth” Brethren. I am not going to go through a full dissertation as to their history and distinctives, but simply point out that they belong in such a classification as “Remnant”.

I have read quite a lot of materials by John Nelson Darby, C. H. Macintosh and William Kelly, among other Brethren writers. One of my favorite Bibles is the Newberry Reference Bible, edited by a Brethren, Thomas Newberry. One of my favorite bookstores is the Bible Treasury in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, a Brethren store. While I do not endorse everything they wrote and did, I am still impressed by their desire to withdraw from apostate churches and to re-establish a simpler, more Scriptural for of church government and practice. What Remnant Saint couldn’t sympathize with that? Their scholarship is impressive and the volume of their writings in voluminous. The debt of the entire church to these men cannot be calculated. Because of them, to a large degree, we have a better understanding of the Bible truth of the pre-millennial coming of Christ. I still am having some trouble getting a handle of their dispensational teachings, as some of it doesn’t exactly line up with our modern understandings of it. But their pioneering work in these doctrines is something every saint of God should be thankful for- if you are dispensational and pre-millennial!

Their heart and burden are definitely worthy of consideration by Remnant Churches. I would hope that more fellowship with such groups, that possess the right kind of heart and spirit, might be established as we will need all the fellowship that we can muster in the days ahead.