The Reality of Textual Variants

The Reality of Textual Variants: A Reappraisal of Divine Preservation and the Doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation

Abstract

This thesis surveys major New Testament textual variants, presents manuscript evidence, and reassesses claims that divine preservation requires a single perfect manuscript tradition (commonly advanced as Verbal Plenary Preservation, VPP). While God has indeed preserved His Word providentially, the manuscript tradition demonstrates real, explainable variants. These variants undermine any doctrine that absolutizes one printed edition or manuscript family as the unique locus of divine preservation.

Chapter 1: Introduction

The doctrine of Scripture’s inspiration and preservation is central to Christian theology. Traditional orthodoxy affirms the verbal, plenary inspiration of the autographs (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21). However, in some modern movements, the claim of Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) insists that every word has been preserved perfectly in one manuscript tradition, often tied to the Textus Receptus (TR) or the King James Version (KJV).

This thesis examines textual variants in the New Testament manuscript tradition to evaluate whether VPP is sustainable. Primary case studies include John 1:18, the Pericope Adulterae, the ending of Mark, the Comma Johanneum, and other significant textual divergences.

Chapter 2: Preservation in Biblical and Historical Perspective

2.1 Biblical Witness to Preservation

Scripture teaches that God’s Word endures forever (Ps. 119:89; Isa. 40:8; Matt. 24:35). These texts affirm the abiding authority of God’s revelation but do not specify that preservation occurs in one manuscript or printed edition.

2.2 Historical Transmission of the Text

From the earliest papyri (2nd–3rd centuries) through uncials, minuscules, and lectionaries, the New Testament text exists in thousands of witnesses. The sheer abundance attests to preservation by multiplication and transmission, not to uniformity.

Chapter 3: Case Studies of Significant Textual Variants

3.1 John 1:18 — “Only-begotten Son” vs. “Only-begotten God”

• Variant: μονογενὴς υἱός (only-begotten Son) vs. μονογενὴς θεός (only-begotten God).

• Manuscript evidence: Alexandrian witnesses (Codex Sinaiticus [ℵ], Codex Vaticanus [B]) support θεός, while the Byzantine majority and TR favor υἱός.

• Significance: Demonstrates divergence in early textual tradition with Christological implications.

3.2 The Pericope Adulterae (John 7:53–8:11)

• Absent from early papyri (P66, P75) and Codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus.

• Present in later manuscripts, sometimes placed in alternative locations.

• Implication: Its uneven transmission history shows textual fluidity.

3.3 The Ending of Mark (Mark 16:9–20)

• Omitted in Codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus.

• Present in the majority Byzantine tradition.

• Implication: Early divergence regarding Gospel endings.

3.4 The Comma Johanneum (1 John 5:7–8)

• Absent from nearly all early Greek manuscripts; first appears in late Latin tradition.

• Incorporated into late Greek manuscripts under Latin influence.

• Implication: Demonstrates how later theological glosses entered transmission.

3.5 Other Variants

• Romans 8:1: Additional qualifying phrase in some manuscripts.

• 1 Timothy 3:16: “God was manifest in the flesh” vs. “He who was manifest.”

Chapter 4: Evaluating the Doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation

4.1 What the Evidence Shows

The manuscript tradition contains thousands of variants. Most are minor (orthographic), but some are theologically significant. This reality undermines claims that one perfect textual line exists.

4.2 Biblical Preservation Reconsidered

Preservation is providential: God ensured His Word was never lost, but not without human scribal variation. The enduring message of Scripture is secure, though no single edition is error-free.

4.3 Problems with VPP and Perfect TR Claims

• VPP overstates the case by demanding a perfect extant edition.

• Perfect TR is untenable given the TR’s multiple differing editions.

• KJV-Onlyism confuses inspiration with translation tradition.

Chapter 5: Pastoral and Theological Implications

• Confidence in Scripture: The core message of redemption in Christ is securely preserved.

• Humility in Textual Criticism: Variants invite careful scholarship, not alarm.

• Unity of the Church: Doctrines like VPP should not divide believers, since they lack biblical warrant.

Chapter 6: Conclusion

The manuscript evidence confirms both the preservation and the variation of Scripture’s text. Divine preservation is real, but not in the mechanical sense claimed by VPP. Instead, God has preserved His Word faithfully across diverse manuscripts, ensuring the gospel’s message remains trustworthy. Therefore, VPP, Perfect TR, and KJV-Onlyism should be rejected as unsustainable theories that distort the doctrine of preservation.

Bibliography

Aland, Kurt, and Barbara Aland. The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989.

Metzger, Bruce M., and Bart D. Ehrman. The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration. 4th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.

Wallace, Daniel B. “The Gospel of John and the Pericope Adulterae.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 41, no. 2 (1998): 201–216.

Epp, Eldon J., and Gordon D. Fee. Studies in the Theory and Method of New Testament Textual Criticism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993.

Parker, D. C. An Introduction to the New Testament Manuscripts and Their Texts. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Comfort, Philip W., and David P. Barrett. The Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts. Wheaton: Tyndale House, 2001.

Doctrinal Statement on Verbal Plenary Preservation, Perfect TR, and KJV-Onlyism

 

Doctrinal Statement on Verbal Plenary Preservation, Perfect TR, and KJV-Onlyism

Preamble

We, as the church of Jesus Christ, affirm the authority, inspiration, and sufficiency of Holy Scripture, given by God through the prophets and apostles, and faithfully preserved for His people throughout history. We reject any human invention that adds to or distorts the biblical doctrine of inspiration and preservation.

Article I — Verbal Plenary Inspiration

We confess that the Scriptures, in their original manuscripts, are verbally and plenarily inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16–17; 2 Pet. 1:21). Every word of Scripture is God-breathed, true, and authoritative.

Article II — Preservation of Scripture

We affirm that God, in His providence, has faithfully preserved His Word in all ages (Ps. 119:89; Isa. 40:8; Matt. 24:35). This preservation is seen through the abundance of manuscripts, translations, and faithful copies available to the church. However, the Bible nowhere teaches that such preservation is tied to one single manuscript tradition, printed edition, or translation.

Article III — Rejection of False Doctrines

1. Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP)

   • We reject the teaching that God has preserved His Word perfectly in one particular text family or edition, as this claim lacks biblical warrant and misapplies the doctrine of inspiration.

2. Perfect Textus Receptus (Perfect TR)

   • We reject the teaching that any one edition of the Textus Receptus is the “perfect” Greek text of the New Testament. The TR itself exists in multiple differing editions and cannot be absolutized without human speculation.

3. KJV-Onlyism

   • We reject the teaching that the King James Version is the only inspired or preserved English Bible. While we honor the KJV for its historic role and accuracy, the elevation of any single translation to the level of divine authority is without biblical foundation.

Article IV — Theological and Pastoral Concern

We affirm that these doctrines—VPP, Perfect TR, and KJV-Onlyism—are personal preferences and human ideas, not biblical truth. They are without spiritual value for salvation, sanctification, or the mission of the church. Moreover, when made a test of orthodoxy or fellowship, they become false teachings that cause division within the body of Christ (Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 1:10).

Article V — Exhortation to the Church

We exhort the universal church to:

• Warn against these errors (Acts 20:29–30).

• Reject them as grounds of fellowship or doctrinal test (Titus 3:9–11).

• Stand united on the true essentials of the faith: salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Eph. 2:8–9), the authority of the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27), and the mission of making disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18–20).

Conclusion

We declare that the true foundation of Christian unity is found not in a particular manuscript tradition or translation, but in the living Word of God, Jesus Christ, who is revealed through the whole of Scripture. Therefore, these man-made doctrines must not divide the church, but rather be warned against and rejected, for the glory of God and the good of His people.

Doctrine Deviation

The Westminster Divines were aware of textual variants. Renowned scholars like Brian Walton, who was working on a polyglot Bible with textual notes, were members of the Westminster Assembly. Their statement that the text was "kept pure" was a statement of theological conviction about the reliability and authority of the text they possessed, not a claim that every jot and tittle had been perfectly transmitted without any human copying errors.

Therefore, to claim that perfect preservation is of the same fundamental nature as inspiration and that it is exclusively found in one textual tradition (VPP) is to add a requirement that the Confession itself does not make. It shifts the basis of authority from God's providence in preserving a reliable text to a scholarly (or pseudo-scholarly) argument about one specific textual stream.

For this reason, most confessional Presbyterian and Reformed denominations (e.g., PCA, OPC, URCNA) and theologians reject VPP as an extra-confessional innovation that goes beyond the principles of the Westminster Standards. They uphold the Confession's view of a providentially preserved, pure, and sufficient text without adopting the stricter, more theoretical claims of VPP.

The Main Debate

The debate is not whether the Westminster Confession affirms a form of preservation—it clearly does—but rather the nature and extent of that preservation. Opponents of VPP argue that the WCF's statement about being "kept pure in all ages" refers to a general providential preservation of the core message and doctrines of the Bible, not a perfect, "jot and tittle" preservation of every word in existing copies. They point to the thousands of minor textual variants in surviving biblical manuscripts as evidence that a perfect, uncorrupted text has not been passed down.

However, VPP advocates maintain that the WCF's language of "singular care and providence" is not a general or common providence but a special, supernatural one, which ensures that God's inspired words are perfectly preserved in specific manuscripts that underlie Reformation-era Bibles. They see VPP as the only logical conclusion for a church that claims to have an infallible and inerrant Bible as its final authority today.

The VPP doctrine is a deviation from the principles contained within the Westminster Confession

The VPP doctrine (Verbal Plenary Preservation)—as it is taught by some institutions (e.g., Far Eastern Bible College and others that uphold a "Perfect Text" view, usually equating it with the Textus Receptus or KJV-onlyism)—is a deviation from the principles of the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF). Here’s why:

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1. What the WCF teaches

• WCF 1.8 says that the Old Testament in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek were "immediately inspired by God, and, by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages."

• The Confession emphasizes the preservation of Scripture in the original languages, not in any one printed edition, translation, or text family.

• It also recognizes the need for translation so that the Word may be accessible to all nations.

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2. What VPP teaches

• VPP asserts that not only were the words inspired, but that God has perfectly preserved every jot and tittle in a specific printed text (often the Textus Receptus, and by extension the KJV).

• This leads to claims of a singular perfect text/form of the Bible today, in contrast to the historical reality of multiple manuscript traditions and textual variants.

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3. The Deviation

• The WCF affirms preservation but not in the sense of one perfect edition without variant readings.

• Historically, the Westminster divines worked with the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts available to them, recognizing the need for careful textual comparison.

• To claim absolute perfection in one printed text goes beyond the Westminster teaching and imposes a standard the Confession never stated.

• Thus, VPP represents a narrower, more rigid view than the Reformed confessional stance, and is considered a deviation or innovation.

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Conclusion:
The VPP doctrine deviates from the Westminster Confession, because the WCF affirms God’s providential preservation of Scripture but does not teach the existence of a perfectly preserved edition (TR/KJV). Instead, it allows for the recognition of textual variants and the ongoing scholarly work of establishing the best original text.

What should one do to be “in Christ”?

1. What does it mean to be “in Christ”?

Union with Christ – To be “in Christ” means being joined to Him spiritually, like branches to the vine (John 15:4–5). Paul uses this phrase to describe believers’ new identity, where Christ’s life, death, and resurrection are applied to them.

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor 5:17).

Justification and Righteousness – Being “in Christ” means God counts us righteous, not by our works, but through faith in Him.

“The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe” (Rom 3:22).

“Not having a righteousness of my own… but that which comes through faith in Christ” (Phil 3:9).

Freedom and Life – In Christ we are delivered from sin, death, and condemnation.

“No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1).

“The law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:2).

“As in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor 15:22).

Adoption and Belonging – In Christ we become sons and daughters of God, members of His body, and sharers of His promises.

“In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith” (Gal 3:26).

“We, though many, are one body in Christ” (Rom 12:5).

“Gentiles are fellow heirs… in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Eph 3:6).

Grace and Blessings – Every spiritual blessing, grace, strength, and hope are given to us “in Christ.”

“Blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing” (Eph 1:3).

“Be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 2:1).

Perseverance and Glory – To be “in Christ” means that nothing can separate us from God’s love, and our eternal glory is secure.

“Nothing… will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:39).

“The God of all grace… has called you to his eternal glory in Christ” (1 Pet 5:10).

2. How does one become “in Christ”?

By Faith in Christ – Over and over again Paul emphasizes that it is faith, not works, that unites us with Christ.

“Justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law” (Gal 2:16).

“The promise by faith in Jesus Christ [is] given to those who believe” (Gal 3:22).

By God’s Grace – It is God who places us “in Christ,” not our effort.

“You are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God” (1 Cor 1:30).

“Saved… not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 1:9).

By the Holy Spirit – The Spirit baptizes us into union with Christ and His body.

“By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Cor 12:13, explains the same truth).

3. What should one do to be “in Christ”?

Believe in Jesus Christ – Trust Him as Lord and Savior (Acts 24:24; Rom 3:22).

Receive His Grace – Acknowledge that salvation is God’s gift in Christ, not earned by works (Rom 3:24; Eph 2:8–10).

Repent and Live a New Life – Consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ (Rom 6:11).

Walk by Faith and Love – Continue to live in Him, strengthened by His grace (Gal 5:6; Phil 2:1–5; Eph 4:32).

Remain in Him to the End – Hold fast your confidence in Christ and endure, knowing your eternal inheritance is secure (Heb 3:14; 2 Tim 2:10).

In summary:

To be in Christ means to be united with Him by faith through the Spirit, so that His death, resurrection, righteousness, and life all belong to us. It changes our identity (a new creation), our standing before God (justified, forgiven, adopted), our community (one body), our present walk (freedom, grace, good works), and our future (eternal glory).

We become “in Christ” by faith — trusting Him, receiving His grace, turning from sin to new life, and walking daily in union with Him.

WHY I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST

 WHY I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST

Introduction.—There is nothing more important for a man for the life that now is and for the life that is to come, than a faith in Jesus Christ that is intelligent, clear and firm.

I.    Believe in Jesus Christ first of all because of the remarkable Fulfillment of His Prophecies.

Jesus Christ was a prophet. He made some astounding predictions regarding the future. Predictions that seemed incredible and in some cases absurd, but which history has fulfilled to the letter. Take for example His prediction of a world-wide conquest by His disciples. (In Matt. 28:18–20.); Matt. 24:1, 2, 5, 7, 10, 16, 26, 28; Luke 19:41–44; 21:20–24.

II.   I believe in Jesus Christ, in the second place, because of His Fulfilled Promises.

Jesus Christ was not only a prophet but a promiser. He made promises of a most extraordinary character, but promises the truth of which any man could test for himself, and all who have tested the promises have found them true. E. g., Matt. 11:28; Acts 1:8; John 7:17.

III.  I believe in Jesus Christ, in the third place, because of the Wholesome Character of His Laws.

IV.  I believe in Christ again because of the Way He Fits into and Fulfills all O.T. Types and Prophecies.

V.   I believe in Jesus Christ because of the Fact of His Resurrection.

VI.  I believe in Jesus Christ because of the Uniqueness of His Claims and the Way in which He Substantiates Them.

VII. I believe in Jesus Christ because of His Demonstrated Power to Save.

I believe that Jesus can save because He does save. I believe that Jesus can save because I have seen Him do it.^[1] 

“Why I Believe in Jesus Christ” to Refute VPP, Perfect TR, and KJV-Onlyism

I. Fulfillment of Christ’s Prophecies

• Jesus foretold the spread of the gospel (Matt. 28:18–20) and the fall of Jerusalem (Luke 21:20–24), both perfectly fulfilled in history.

• The truth of Christianity rests on the fulfillment of Christ’s words, not on the perfection of one printed Greek text or one English translation.

• VPP and KJV-Onlyism make it seem as if the reliability of our faith depends on textual perfection. But prophecy shows us it depends on the living Christ who speaks and acts in history.

II. Fulfillment of Christ’s Promises

• Christ promised rest to the weary (Matt. 11:28), the Spirit’s power (Acts 1:8), and the reality of knowing God’s will (John 7:17).

• Millions across centuries and languages have tested His promises and found them true—without needing the KJV or TR to experience them.

• His promises hold true in Chinese, Malay, Tamil, Swahili, or Spanish Bibles. This proves that salvation is not bound to one translation but to the Person of Christ who keeps His word.

III. Wholesome Character of His Laws

• The Sermon on the Mount, the call to love God and neighbor, and the command to forgive are pure and life-giving in any faithful translation.

• VPP and KJV-Onlyism distract from the holiness of Christ’s commands by making loyalty to a version more important than obedience to His teaching.

IV. Christ Fulfills All OT Types and Prophecies

• The center of the Bible is not a perfect edition of the text but the Christ to whom all Scripture points (Luke 24:27).

• The OT types and prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus, not in the “perfect preservation” of manuscripts.

• To make textual theories central is to replace Christ with a paper idol.

V. The Fact of His Resurrection

• Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:17), not on the perfection of a textual tradition.

• The apostles preached the risen Christ using manuscripts that were hand-copied with variations. Yet the gospel was effective, because its power rests in the risen Lord, not in textual uniformity.

VI. The Uniqueness of His Claims

• Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, the Bread of Life, the Resurrection and the Life. He substantiated these claims by His miracles, His cross, and His empty tomb.

• Nowhere did He claim that eternal life would depend on the preservation of one “perfect” Bible text.

• To make the KJV or TR the touchstone of truth is to deny the uniqueness of Christ’s claims and to replace His authority with human tradition.

VII. His Demonstrated Power to Save

• The greatest proof is that Jesus still saves sinners today—transforming lives across the globe through the gospel.

• The Word of God in multiple translations has brought millions to Christ. That alone proves salvation is not chained to one English Bible.

• VPP and KJV-Onlyism ignore this living proof and cling to theory, while Christ’s saving power proves that His gospel transcends any single version.

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Conclusion

Every reason we believe in Jesus Christ points us away from man’s theories of “perfect preservation” and back to the living Savior:

• His fulfilled prophecies, promises, and resurrection are independent of any one manuscript.

• His laws and claims call us to follow Him, not a text tradition.

• His saving power demonstrates that His Word is alive and effective in every faithful translation.

Therefore, the true Christian confession is not “I believe in the KJV,” nor “I believe in the TR,” but “I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

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^[1] R. A. Torrey, How to Work for Christ a Compendium of Effective Methods. (Chicago; New York: James Nisbet & Company, 1901), 464–465.

Four Christian Truths

 Four Christian truths

First, man’s greatest need is justification, or acceptance with God. In comparison with this, all other human needs pale into insignificance. How can we be put right with God, so that we spend time and eternity in His favour and service?

Secondly, justification is not by works of the law, but through faith in Christ. Luther expresses it succinctly: ‘I must hearken to the Gospel, which teacheth me, not what I ought to do (for that is the proper office of the Law), but what Jesus Christ the Son of God hath done for me: to wit, that he suffered and died to deliver me from sin and death.’¹

Thirdly, not to trust in Jesus Christ, because of self-trust, is an insult both to the grace of God and to the cross of Christ, for it declares both to be unnecessary.

Fourthly, to trust in Jesus Christ, and thus to become united to Him, is to begin an altogether new life. If we are ‘in Christ’, we are more than justified; we find that we have actually died and risen with Him. So we are able to say with Paul: I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (verse 20).^[1]

These four Christian truths are a strong gospel foundation, and when we hold them up against Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP), Perfect TR, and KJV-Onlyism, the error becomes clear. Let me structure the refutation directly on those four truths:

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Refuting VPP, Perfect TR, and KJV-Onlyism with Four Christian Truths

1. Man’s greatest need is justification, not a perfect manuscript.

• The heart of the gospel is our acceptance with God through Christ. Compared with this, whether one holds the “right text” or “correct translation” is insignificant.

• VPP and KJV-Onlyism wrongly elevate textual theories above justification by faith. They make it seem as if true standing before God requires possession of a flawless Bible edition.

• Scripture, however, proclaims: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). Justification comes through Christ, not through a perfect TR or KJV.

2. Justification is not by law, nor by works—including textual works.

• Luther rightly said: the gospel teaches not what I must do, but what Christ has done for me.

• VPP and KJV-Onlyism, however, add a new “law”: you must believe in one perfect edition or translation to have the pure Word of God. This becomes a human work added to faith.

• Paul is clear: “By works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight” (Rom. 3:20). Trusting in Christ alone—not Christ plus a perfect text—is the only gospel.

3. To trust in anything other than Christ is an insult to grace and the cross.

• If we place our confidence in the KJV or TR as the only preserved Word, we shift our trust away from Jesus Himself. That is a subtle but real insult to His cross, for it suggests that His work is insufficient unless coupled with textual perfection.

• Paul rebuked the Galatians for such distortions: “If righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose” (Gal. 2:21). Likewise, if truth depends on a “perfect Bible version,” then Christ’s cross is sidelined.

4. To be in Christ is to begin a new life, not to join a sect around a translation.

• True salvation is union with Christ, so that we can say, “I have been crucified with Christ… it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).

• This new life is lived by faith in the Son of God, not by allegiance to one text family.

• VPP and KJV-Onlyism foster division in the body of Christ by making a translation or manuscript the mark of true spirituality. But the real mark of life in Christ is the Spirit’s transforming work, not textual loyalty.

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Conclusion

The four great truths of justification, faith, grace, and union with Christ completely dismantle the claims of Verbal Plenary Preservation, Perfect TR, and KJV-Onlyism. These teachings shift the focus from Christ to a man-made idol of textual perfection.

The gospel says:

• Our greatest need is to be justified in Christ, not to defend a version.

• Our justification is through faith in Christ, not through textual theories.

• To mistrust Christ by trusting a “perfect TR” insults the cross.

• To trust in Christ means new life in Him, not sectarian loyalty to a translation.

Therefore, the gospel itself refutes these false teachings: Christ alone is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).

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^[1] John R. W. Stott, The Message of Galatians: Only One Way, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1986), 66–67.

Union with Christ

When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, then we are in Christ. This is a work of God: But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made to us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30 MKJV). This scripture is a key truth. As believers, our position before God is that God sees us in Christ. Jesus is our righteousness and our sanctification. This means that we are perfect before God. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3 ISV).

The redemptive work of Jesus Christ has made this possible, and it is faith that makes this a personal fulfillment. To be in Christ is the same as being a child of God, being saved, and being a believer. One is then a new creation. This is no improvement of the old man or a modification of him. No, the old man is crucified, dead, and buried, and everything has become new.^[1]

Union with Christ

1. Our Perfection Is in Christ, Not in a Perfect Manuscript

   • 1 Corinthians 1:30 and Colossians 3:3 teach that God has placed us in Christ—He Himself is our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

   • That means our standing before God does not depend on access to a “perfect TR” or a single translation (like the KJV).

   • To insist that salvation or sanctification requires a flawless edition of Scripture diminishes Christ’s finished work and shifts faith away from the Savior to a humanly constructed text theory.

2. The Old Man Is Dead—No Need for a New “Perfect Text” to Save Him

   • When Scripture says the old man is crucified and we are a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 6:6), it highlights that redemption is a matter of spiritual transformation, not textual perfection.

   • VPP and KJV-Onlyism confuse the gospel by suggesting that spiritual life depends on possessing a particular printed Bible, rather than on the redemptive work of Christ applied through the Spirit.

3. Faith Unites Us to Christ, Not to a Version of the Bible

   • The statement is clear: “The redemptive work of Jesus Christ has made this possible, and it is faith that makes this a personal fulfillment.”

   • That faith is in Jesus, not in the “perfect preservation” of manuscripts or one translation. Paul never taught Timothy to cling to a “perfect text,” but to cling to Christ and the Scriptures he had, which were already sufficient (2 Tim. 3:15–17).

4. New Creation vs. Sectarian Division

   • In Christ, we are new creations, reconciled into one body (Eph. 2:15–16).

   • KJV-Onlyism and VPP tear apart the unity of the body of Christ by exalting textual theories as tests of orthodoxy, dividing churches over secondary issues.

   • The gospel makes us one in Christ, not one under the KJV or the TR.

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Conclusion

The heart of the gospel is that we are in Christ, made perfect before God by His righteousness, hidden with Him in God, and made new by His Spirit. The false doctrines of VPP, Perfect TR, and KJV-Onlyism redirect believers away from Christ to an idol of textual perfection. They substitute union with Christ with union with a text, undermining the very truth Paul proclaimed.

Our faith is not in the KJV, nor in the TR, nor in a theory of preservation. Our faith is in Jesus Christ crucified and risen, who alone is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

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^[1] Frank E. Åbyholm, The Voice of God: Experience a Life Changing Relationship with the Lord (Greenville, SC; Belfast, Northern Ireland: Ambassador International, 2011), 57.

Refuting Verbal Plenary Preservation, Perfect TR, and KJV-Onlyism

By faith in Jesus Christ for eternal life believers are placed in union with Christ, making up His body, which is the Church. Believers have both blessings and responsibilities.^[1]

This truth strikes at the root of the false teachings of Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP), Perfect TR, and KJV-Onlyism in several ways:

1. Union with Christ, not with a Manuscript or Translation

   • Scripture teaches that salvation and eternal life come through faith in Jesus Christ, not through allegiance to a particular version of the Bible (John 3:16; Gal. 2:16).

   • To insist that only the “perfect TR” or the “only KJV” grants access to the pure Word of God shifts the focus from Christ Himself to a human product of textual history.

   • Believers are united to Christ the Living Word (John 1:14), not bound to a single printed text of the written word.

2. The Church is Christ’s Body, Not a Sect Around a Translation

   • The statement emphasizes that believers together make up the Church, the body of Christ.

   • VPP and KJV-Onlyism fracture the unity of that body, creating elitist divisions where some claim to have the “real Bible” while others supposedly do not.

   • This spirit contradicts Paul’s teaching that in Christ there is no division, but all are one (1 Cor. 12:12–13; Eph. 4:4–6).

3. Blessings and Responsibilities Flow from Christ, Not from a Perfect Edition

   • Our blessings (Eph. 1:3) and responsibilities (Rom. 12:1–2) are given in union with Christ, not through subscribing to one preserved edition of Scripture.

   • The responsibility of believers is to live out the gospel, to love one another, and to proclaim Christ to the nations (Matt. 28:19–20).

   • Making preservation theories or KJV loyalty the measure of faithfulness distracts from the true responsibility of the Church.

4. Historical and Biblical Reality

   • Nowhere in the New Testament do the apostles teach that a perfect edition of Scripture would be preserved in one text family or translation.

   • Instead, Paul reminded Timothy that the “sacred writings” he had were sufficient to make him “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15), even though Timothy’s copies were not “perfect TR.”

   • The sufficiency of Scripture is grounded in God’s inspiration and the Spirit’s work (2 Tim. 3:16–17), not in an unbroken chain of “perfect” textual preservation.

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Conclusion:
VPP, Perfect TR, and KJV-Onlyism exalt a particular text or translation above the reality that believers are united to Christ by faith. The true mark of the Church is not which edition of the Bible it holds, but that it abides in Christ, lives out His mission, and loves one another. Our security is in Jesus, not in a man-made claim of textual perfection.

[1] J. B. Bond, “The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians,” in The Grace New Testament Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2010), 861.