Amen

Last Sunday, a Methodist pastor turned politician said he was “honored” to deliver the opening prayer for the 117th Congress. Sadly, Emanuel Cleaver dishonored the true living God. While he did recite the Priestly Blessing in Numbers 6:24-26, Cleaver closed his prayer “…in the name of the monotheistic God, Brahma, and the god of many other faiths. Amen and A-woman.” Didn’t he learn in seminary “amen” has nothing to do with gender?

Amen is a word of Hebrew origin that means, “so be it” or “let it be.” It’s something many Christians say when they agree with what a preacher says. “Amen” is sung at the end of some traditional hymns. It’s also a word found at the end of every book in the New Testament except for Acts, James, and 3 John. Some ministers preach that “amen” is not the closing word in the Book of Acts because God wants His people to continue ministering like the early apostles.

I learned from a Christian software program of other significant uses of “amen.” In Deuteronomy 27:15-26, “amen” appears twelve times after each statement of a curse directed toward those who disobey God. Similarly, “amen” is used as a response after statements of promise (Jeremiah 11:5) or praise and thanksgiving (1 Chronicles 16:36), and as a conclusion to the first four of the five “books” of Psalms (Psalms 41:13; 72:19; 89:52; 106:48). The only exceptions in the Old Testament are two occurrences in Isaiah 65:16. The phrase “the God of amen” (or “the God of truth”) stresses that God is the one who is “firm”; that is, He is trustworthy and faithfully fulfills his promises.

The use of “amen” as a response to a preceding statement continues in the New Testament. It appears after doxologies (Ephesians 3:21), benedictions (Galatians 6:18), the giving of thanks (1 Corinthians 14:16), prophecy (Revelation 1:7), and statements of praise (Revelation 7:12).

One time I ministered to three boys playing near a school. After I led them all to the Lord, one of the boys asked if it was necessary to say “amen” at the end of every prayer. I told him I didn’t think so but advised him to always pray to the Father in Jesus’ name. I hope Emanuel Cleaver remembers that if he’s called to lead another congressional prayer. Praying to false gods violates the First Commandment: “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”

So be it.

“Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” - 1 John 5:21

Satanic Verses?

Two days ago I visited a fellow street evangelist in Ashland, Virginia who I hadn’t seen in over a year. This man previously blessed me with numerous gospel tracts including the “million dollar bills” I enjoy handing out. Since I was running low on those money tracts, I hoped he had extra so I wouldn’t have to place a special order for them. To my surprise (and disappointment), my friend revealed he burned all his tracts except those that quoted from the King James Version of the Bible. 

I’ve dealt with “King James Only” advocates before but don’t remember knowing someone who suddenly became one. During our meeting, my friend repeatedly claimed the New International Version was satanically inspired. That prompted me to look up a few evangelistic verses from the NIV…

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” - John 3:3

“You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’” - John 3:7

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” - John 3:16

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6

“Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:11-12

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” - Acts 16:31

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9

Do any of these Scriptures look satanically inspired? Would the devil influence someone to translate a verse that would help lead people to salvation? I doubt it.

King James Only advocates even claim that people open doors to the devil if they read and quote bible verses from other translations. If Jesus walked our streets today, I don’t believe He would speak Elizabethan English except maybe at a Shakespearean festival or an old-fashioned church. I picture the Lord reaching out to the homies by speaking the vernacular of today. (“You know what I’m sayin'?”) The Apostle Paul encourages us to “become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22)

Although my friend got a little pushy about his opinion, he still valued our friendship and asked to pray with me before I left his place. He specifically asked the Lord to reveal the truth to whoever was wrong about this issue. While I personally don’t use the New International Version that much (I prefer the New King James Version), I still consider it a viable translation.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

- 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)