It won’t be long before a new Bible translation comes out: Idatha ye-GEB. The GEB Bible will fit perfectly in Today’s world. You are probably wondering what GEB stands for… Hhayi-ke, GEB stands for the Gum Eraser Bible. Yebo, you read it correctly a Gum Eraser Bible. When you buy this new Bible, you’ll also get a super big gum eraser. This Gum Eraser Bible is written in an easier language. So that everyone can understand it. But that’s not all! The main purpose of this Bible is, that you can erase Bible verses that you find too hard or don’t fit into your life(style). This way you’ll only keep the words and Scriptures you like and fit into your lifestyle. Maybe you think that this is some kind of a joke, but it isn’t. This Gum Eraser Bible will be the new Bible of the future.
Why do we need a new Bible translation?
Ngeshwa, we have arrived at an age where many people don’t understand the Bible anymore. They find the Bible too difficult to read, let alone to study and understand the Bible. A new Bible translation is not out yet or another new Bible translation is already in the making.
Ngokusho komhlaba, people become smarter and more intelligent every day. Therefore you would think, that the Bible should become easier to understand. But unfortunately, that’s not the case.
The wisdom of the world increases, but the spiritual wisdom decreases.
Most Christians are carnal and try to understand the Bible from their own intellect; their carnal mind. Therefore they don’t understand the Bible.
But the Bible is a spiritual Book that can’t be understood from a carnal mind. It has nothing in common with the wisdom and knowledge of this world.
If you are not azalwe kabusha, you will not be able to understand and comprehend the Bible and the things of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Because many Christians stay carnal and walk after the flesh, they don’t read the Bible in the right manner and are taking the words out of their context. They pick and choose the words they like and want to hear, which fit into their lifestyle, and justify the works of their flesh. So that they can keep walking after their flesh, living like the world. And they also pick out specific Scriptures, they can use in discussions.
Love for the world
Many Christians don’t want to die in Christ and give up their lives for Jesus. But they want to live like the world. The only thing they want from God is His blessings, which they think are the riches of the world.
The ‘Prosperity Scriptures’ are underlined and highlighted in many Bibles. The highlighted Scriptures are the only Bible verses that most people meditate upon and apply to their everyday lives. These highlighted Scriptures are mainly Scriptures about (financial) prosperity, success, and the enrichment of themselves (wealth).
People focus on themselves and pray according to their will and desires. They pray for more material blessings, more money, better jobs, promotions, njll. The ‘self’ has become the center of life.
Therefore people adjust the Word of God to their lives; to their will, needs, izinkanuko, and desires.
The Lord provides, there’s no doubt about that. Because God is a Provider, but money must not become the focus and the center of someone’s life. And it certainly must not be the reason to serve Jesus (Funda futhi: When money becomes your god).
Jesus must always be the center and our focus in every Christian’s life instead of money. Christians should focus on the spiritual things instead of the things of this world. When Christians are focused on money, then money will be an idol in our lives, and that is not the will of God.
Money may never become an indicator of someone’s walk with Jesus Christ, and his/her relationship with Jesus. Because many carnal Christians believe, that when you are prosperous you walk in the will of God, and when you are not prosperous and endure hardships, then you don’t walk in the will of God. But that’s a false picture that is created by carnal preachers. It is not what the Word says (Funda futhi: I will give you the riches of the world).
Scriptures are taken out of their context so that people can keep walking in sin
The Word reveals sin and testifies of sin. But when Bible verses are twisted, changed, and taken out of its context, then the words of God are turned into a lie. The result will be that the words won’t convict the world of sin anymore and people keep walking after the lusts and desires of the flesh in sin and iniquity, without feeling guilty. And that’s exactly what carnal people want. They don’t want to be corrected and disciplined by the Word of God. They don’t want to lay down their own lives. Cha, it’s the other way around.
People adjust the Word of God to their own will, izinkanuko, and desires, so that:
- They can keep living after their own will, instead of living after the will of God, uJesu, and the Holy Spirit
- Stay carnal and live after their own lusts and desires, instead of laying it down, and keeping His commandments.
- They can keep living after their flesh, instead of living after the Spirit.
- They won’t have to die to ‘self’, for the sake of the Word; UJesu Kristu
But Jesus said, If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yebo, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple (Luka 14:26-27)
If you are not willing and prepared to give up your old life and daily take up your cross, then you cannot be a disciple of Jesus Christ. These are not my words, but these are the words of Jesus, your Saviour and Lord.
Jesus is very clear about this matter. If your love for the world and for yourself is bigger than your love for Jesus Christ, then you’re not capable of following Jesus.
God has given you His Word
God has given you His Word. Ukuze, you can have a relationship with Him, get to know Him, and grow up in the image of Him. He has not given you His Word, so that you can change His words in the Bible and erase His words in the Bible, so that the Word fits into your lifestyle, and justifies your carnal walk.
When you read His Word, you will get to know Him, and get to know His will. When you get to know His will, you will be able to walk in obedience to God according to Intando yakhe.
Let us, therefore, keep the holy Word of God as it is, and be careful with new Bible translations or new Bible concepts. Let’s fear the Lord. Let us prevent this Gum Eraser Bible from coming.
We don’t need another translation to make the Bible easier to understand. All we need is to become born again in the spirit, so that we become spiritual and be able to understand His Word and His Kingdom.
Let us lay down and change our lives to the Word, instead of changing His Word to our life(style). Let us be sanctified and purified by the Word and the Holy Spirit, with the holy fire. So that we will endure the Great Judgment and not be judged by the Word and cast in the eternal lake of fire but receive eternal life in Heaven with Him.
“Yiba usawoti womhlaba”
