The following article is a review of the most recent edition of "God's Word" translation of the Bible. This article will give the reader some insight into the struggles of producing a translation of the Bible that correctly presents the saving faith of Jesus Christ. Just a simple change from being "justified by faith" instead of being "justified because of faith" is the difference between heaven and hell. It was Doctor Robert Preus who put on enough pressure to make the changes in the most recent edition.

You may want to keep this for your records. We also recommend that you share it with your pastor." Christians News (573-237-3110) is publishing the other documents mentioned in this review. The review was written at the request of Rev. Herman Often. You are welcome to respond to and discuss this review by looking for the subject title "God's Word" Translation on Jusification on the Luther Quest Discussion Group.

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"God's Word" Bible Revised on Justification By Faith

After nearly 13 years, beginning when it was first called "God's Word to the Nations" and then called "The New Evangelical Translation" and then called "God's Word" a full revised translation is now in print.

Having worked closely with the translation process from 1985-90, I was shocked to see how the 1995 edition of "God's Word" had distorted the passages dealing with justification by faith.

I visited Dr. Robert Preus at his home in Minnesota and showed him the problem when we were alone in his study.

Doctor Preus was never given to emotion; at least not in the years I had worked for him and known him. He looked at the passages in "God's Word" that mistranslated justification "by" and "through" faith and burst into uncontrolled weeping.

After he composed himself, he promised he would write a letter and correct all of this. A copy of that letter written to Dr. Harold Buls, Dr. Wilhelm Peterson, and Rev. Lawrence Burgdorf on May 9, 1995 is in my files. There is a second letter written to Rev. Hackbardt, the Executive Director of "God 's Word to the Nations Bible Society."

I'm delighted to report that many of the passages that Preus complained about were corrected in the latest printing of "God's Word" which will now be described as "God's Word Revised" edition.

In the first edition of the "God's Word" translation the phrases "by faith" or "through faith" were translated "because of faith."

Not even the "Living Bible" makes such a distortion of justification by faith. For instance, the "Living Bible" translates Romans 3:28 "So it is that we are saved by faith in Christ and not by the good things we do." The first edition of "God's Word" translates the same verse "We conclude that a person has God's approval because of faith, not because of his own efforts."

Without any notification on the front cover or title, the new revised edition of "God's Word" in Romans 3:28 has corrected the error and now reads, "We conclude that a person has God's approval by faith, not by his own efforts."

The philosophy of the Church Growth Movement is that positive things happen to attendance and finances "because of" what we do.

The first edition of "God's Word" retranslated all the passages in the New Testament that should say "by faith" or "through faith" into "because of faith," thus making our faith, instead of Christ, the cause of our salvation. Faith is not a human work or cause but it receives Christ's work.

In this critics opinion, the first edition of "God's Word" and the new revised edition continue to obscure the doctrine of justification by replacing the translation of all of the different Greek words behind "justify," "righteousness," "reckoned," "imputed," "accredited," and "propitiation" with one catch-all word, "approval."

We understand the philosophy of making a translation easier to read. However, this has also led to a translation that is anything but a "study Bible." Couldn't they find six news words to consistently replace "justify," "righteousness," "reckoned," "imputed," "accredited," and "propitiation?" Must all be translated as "approval?"

The first edition had blatantly taught false doctrine about "faith."

The following article appears in Volume II, page 437 of Pieper's "Christian Dogmatics. " Pieper explains why the correct translation is justification "by faith" or "through faith" and not "because of faith."

"5 The Function of Faith in Justification" "In the preceding characterization of faith we have stated again and again that justifying faith must be viewed merely as the instrument, or the receptive organ (medium lepticon), for apprehending the forgiveness of sins offered in the Gospel. But the many errors which have arisen in the Church on this point call for a special section in which the instrumental character of faith is more fully set forth.

On this score, especially the clear teaching of Scripture has been rendered obscure. The Biblical terms 'by faith' and 'through faith' have been given an entirely unscriptural content. It must be stressed that no intrinsic value dares be ascribed to justifying faith in addition to the grace of God in Christ. This is precisely the meaning of the statement that faith is merely the instrument of receiving the grace of God; and that is exactly what Scripture teaches. In treating of justification Scripture places faith in opposition to all works and all goodness in man. 'By faith, without the deeds of the Law' (Rom. 4:5). The Lutheran Confessions declare again and again: 'The sole office and property of faith is that it is the means or instrument by and through which God's grace and the merit of Christ in the promise of the Gospel are received, apprehended, accepted, applied to us, and appropriated' (Trigl. 929, F. C., Sol. Decl., III, 38). 'Faith justifies and saves, not on the ground that it is a work in itself worthy, but only because it receives the promised mercy' (Apol., Art. IV [II], 56; 147, ibid., 86; Trigl. 919, F. C., Sol. Decl., III, 13). That is also the meaning of the Lutheran axioms: 'Faith justifies not in the category of quality, but in the category of relation'; 'Faith justifies not as an act by itself, but because of the object which it grasps'; 'Faith justifies not as a work, but as an instrument.'"

Pieper is adamant in saying that faith receives God's grace, it is not the cause of His grace. In the same way we receive water by pipes or through pipes, not because of pipes.

Pipes do not quench our thirst. Water quenches our thirst. Pipes are just instruments. So faith saves because of Christ, not because of faith. Notice at the beginning of his article Pieper even argues against those who try to make "by faith" and "through faith" a cause of salvation instead of God's instruments of salvation.

The King James and the nearly all other translations translate "ek" "by faith," never "because of faith."

The revised edition of God's word has corrected the following verses it first translated as "because of faith" to "by faith" Rom. 1:17, 3:28, 30, 5:1, Gal. 2:16, 3:11, 25, and Heb. 10:38.

The revised edition continues to translate James 2:24 as "because of faith" instead of "by faith."

The revised edition continues to translate "of faith" or "through faith," as "who have faith," and "who believe," in Gal. 3:7 and 3:8.

The revised edition continues to translate "by faith" or "of faith" as "based on faith" or "on faith" Rom. 4:16, 9:30, 32, 10:6, and Gal. 3:22.

If the translators original supposition was to view faith as the "cause" of salvation instead of the medium through which saving faith comes, it is clearly reflected in their choice of translation in the following verses.

The revised edition continues to translate "by faith" or "of faith" as "based on faith" or "on faith" Rom. 4:16, 9:30, 32, 10:6, and Gal. 3:22.

Again, Galatians 5:5 was originally translated as "faith causes," and remains as "faith causes" in the revised edition. Nearly every other translation uses the phrase "by faith" in this verse.

Again the revised edition continues to translate "by faith" and "in faith" as "because of faith" in Roman 4:20 in 11:20.

The phrase "by faith" appears numerous times in Hebrews chapter 11. The new revised translation of "God's Word" continues to view faith as "causal" instead of the means of God's gifts and power such by translating "through faith," to "faith convinces" Heb. 11:3, "by faith" to "faith led," Heb 11:4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, 27, 31, and "by faith" and "through faith" to "faith enabled," Heb 11:5, 11.

Finally, the last two examples are translated "faith caused," instead of "by faith" in Heb.11: 29 and 30.

One can see that the use of "because" appeared in the first edition of "God' s Word" almost without reason wherever and whenever the translator chose. There is now more consistency in the "God's Word Revised." But, just look at Heb. 11:29 and Heb. 11:30. If "caused" is interchangeable with "led" then the translator assumes that "led" must also be understood as causal and not instrumental.

"God's Word" translates Jude 1:20 with a gem of Church Growth doctrine. "Dear friends, use your most holy faith to grow. Pray with the Holy Spirit' s help."

The original NET 1988 translation used to read "But you, dear friends, while you build up yourselves in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit,..."

Lenski literally translates this verse "But you on your part, beloved, by building up yourselves by means of your most holy faith in connection with the Holy Spirit, while praying,..."

According to GW, what is supposed to grow?

The jacket cover for GW first edition used to read "Today's Bible translation that says what it means. (front) Brand new...literally accurate...exceptionally readable. Clear, trustworthy, personal communication from God himself--to you--today!" (back)

The "God's Word" revised edition now reads on the front jacket, "Today's Bible Translation that says what it means."

We commend "God's Word" for making some necessary corrections in its latest revision' so that the reader gains the proper understand of salvation "by faith" instead of "because of faith." However, there are more changes that need to be made.