An anonymous reader left the following challenging comment on my February 25, 2006, article entitled, "Do We Have God's Word?" It's too good to leave it buried there, so here it is for your perusal:
"I'm always amazed how people tend to shun or steer clear of the controversy that surrounds this topic, especially Christians and ascribe it to "personal preference" or the "flesh". Aren't we are clearly commanded to rightfully divide the WORD OF TRUTH, not some corruped or revised version of the Word of Truth or any old version which claims to be the Word of Truth?Christians should never avoid controversy, but rather face it head on. Wasn't it C.R. Stam that wrote a book/article about controversy and stated that we should stand up for what we believe is right, no matter how painful it is?
Anyway, here's the "acid test": NIV: THE NIV CHALLENGE"
Try Answering These From Your NIV
By Rex L. Cobb
INSTRUCTIONS:Using the New International Version Bible, answer the following questions.Do not rely on your memory. As the Bible is the final authority, you must take the answer from the Bible verse (not from footnotes but from the text).
1. Fill in the missing words in Matthew 5:44. “Love your enemies,__________ them that curse you, ______________ to them that hate you, and pray for them that __________ and persecute you.”
2. According to Matthew 17:21, what two things are required to cast out this type of demon? According to Matthew 18:11, why did Jesus come to earth?
3. According to Matthew 27:2, what was Pilate’s first name?
4. In Matthew 27:35, when the wicked soldiers parted His garments, they were fulfilling the words of the prophet. Copy what the prophet said in Matthew 27:35 from the NIV.
5. In Mark 3:15, Jesus gave the apostles power to cast out demons and to: ____________
6. According to Mark 7:16, what does a man need to be able to hear?
7. According to Luke 7:28, what was John? (teacher, prophet, carpenter, etc.). What is his title or last name?
8. In Luke 9:55, what did the disciples not know?
9. In Luke 9:56, what did the Son of man not come to do? According to this verse, what did He come to do?
10. In Luke 22:14, how many apostles were with Jesus?
11. According to Luke 23:38, in what three languages was the superscription written?
12. In Luke 24:42, what did they give Jesus to eat with His fish?
13. John 3:13 is a very important verse, proving the deity of Christ. According to this verse (as Jesus spoke), where is the Son of man?
14. What happened each year as told in John 5:4?
15. In John 7:50, what time of day did Nicodemus come to Jesus?
16. In Acts 8:37, what is the one requirement for baptism?
17. What did Saul ask Jesus in Acts 9:6?
18. Write the name of the man mentioned in Acts 15:34.
19. Study Acts 24:6-8. What would the Jew have done with Paul? What was the chief captain’s name? What did the chief captain command?
20. Copy Romans 16:24 word for word from the NIV.
21. First Timothy 3:16 is perhaps the greatest verse in the New Testament concerning the deity of Christ. In this verse, who was manifested in the flesh?
22. In the second part of First Peter 4:14, how do [they] speak of Christ? And, what do we Christians do?
23. Who are the three Persons of the Trinity in First John 5:7?24. Revelation 1:11 is another very important verse that proves the deity of Christ. In the first part of this verse Jesus said, “I am the A______________ and O___________, the _________ and the _______:”
Conclusion: Little space is provided for your answers, but it’s much more than needed. If you followed the instructions above, you not only failed the test, you receive a big goose egg.(Ed. These are all missing in the NIV.) So now what do you think of your “accurate, easy to understand, up to date Bible”?
If you would like to improve your score, and in fact score 100%, you can take this test using the Authorized (King James) Bible.
“Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” Gal. 4:16
