Question: In the KJV Acts 6:8 describes Stephen as being "full of faith and power" while modern Bible translations describe him as being "full of grace and power." KJV Onlyist insist that modern translations are wrong and some extremist even go as far as saying that modern translation translate it this way because they support the perpetual virginity of Mary as modern translations uses "full of grace" in describing Stephen in the same way as Mary is being described as "full of grace" Roman Catholics. In this particular text, Acts 6:8, the Majority Texts which is the basis of the KJV, uses "pisteos" (faith), whereas several older manuscripts, the underlying Greek text used by most modern translations employs "charitos" (which means conveying grace or favor). image from youth.rcdow.org.uk (Acts 6:5) And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and … [Read more...]
Contending for the faith: Apologetics studies online at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) Academy
Apologetics is the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of information. I had always been interested in apologetics and my training as a lawyer and my being a pastor has greatly spurred my interest in the subject. It easy to loose one’s one faith especially now that information on almost anything is widely available in the Internet. Attacks on the supremacy of Scripture and on Christianity in general are prevalent and frankly speaking churches seems to be loosing the battle. According to the site gotquestions.org, in a survey conducted by the Barna Group it was found out that less than 1 percent of the young adult population in the United States has a biblical worldview. Even more startling, the data shows that less than one half of one percent of Christians between the ages of 18 and 23 has a biblical worldview. Additionally, two studies conducted by both the Barna Group and USA Today, found that nearly 75 percent of Christian young … [Read more...]