Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace be with you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
As a pastor, it is my sacred duty to care for your souls, to teach the truth of God’s Word, and to warn you against any teaching that leads away from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. Today, I write to you with a heavy heart, burdened by the rise of certain teachings in the wider church that claim to be from God, but in fact do not align with the truth of the Holy Spirit. Specifically, I want to address dangerous doctrines such as Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) and KJV-onlyism, which some claim to be essential for the Christian faith.
While it is important to honor the Word of God and be thankful for faithful translations, we must also be discerning. These teachings often exalt one version of the Bible—such as the King James Version—as the only pure and preserved Word of God, to the exclusion of all others. Some go further to suggest that the KJV itself is perfect and infallible, and that all other versions are corrupt or demonic. This is not biblical truth. This is adding to Scripture what God Himself has not said (Proverbs 30:6).
Let us listen carefully to the words of 1 John 4:1-3:
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist..."
A person may appear godly, speak with authority, and quote many Scriptures—yet still be influenced by a spirit that is not from God. A teacher who insists that salvation, sanctification, or fellowship with God depends on accepting only one translation, or who causes division by condemning others who read faithful versions like the ESV, NASB, NIV, or the Chinese Union Version (CUV), is not walking in the Spirit of truth. He may be influenced by the spirit of pride, division, or even the spirit of the antichrist—which denies the freedom of the gospel and replaces Christ’s finished work with man-made doctrines.
The apostle Paul warned of such dangers in 2 Timothy 4:3-4:
“For the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, they will gather around them teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away their ears from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
Dear church, we are living in such a time. We must not follow every loud voice, nor be swayed by every so-called “defender of truth.” Not every teacher is from God. False prophets are not always easy to recognize—they may come with a Bible in their hand and the name of Jesus on their lips, yet they distort the truth and lead the sheep astray.
Jesus said clearly in Matthew 7:15-16:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.”
And what are the fruits of such teachers? Pride, condemnation, division, quarreling over words, and a spirit of elitism. But the true Spirit of God produces humility, unity in the body, and Christ-centered teaching that builds up the church (Ephesians 4:11-16).
Beloved, I urge you, do not be deceived by those who elevate a translation over the truth of Christ. The Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. No single translation—whether English, Chinese, or otherwise—is perfect. We thank God for faithful translations, but we worship Christ, not a version of the Bible. When someone teaches otherwise, he has made an idol out of the text, and has lost sight of the living Word—Jesus Christ.
Let us cling to Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Let us test all teaching by the Scriptures, not by traditions or sectarian opinions. Let us walk in love, truth, and humility.
If anyone among us is following these teachings or has been influenced by them, I urge you to repent and return to the true gospel. Let us pray for discernment, for unity, and for the courage to stand firm against error.
In the love and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Pastor So So
Key Bible References
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1 John 4:1-6 – Test the spirits
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Matthew 7:15-20 – False prophets known by their fruits
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2 Timothy 4:3-4 – Turning away from sound doctrine
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Proverbs 30:6 – Do not add to God’s Word
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Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ is unchanging
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Ephesians 4:11-16 – Unity and maturity in the body of Christ
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