Four days ago the Trinitarian Bible Society launched this video, called, “Upholding the Word of God.”

I appreciate their stand on scripture.  What they present is what, I believe, many Christians across the world say they believe.  What the above video explains is also why they believe it.

Scriptural Presuppositions

The Trinitarian Bible Society starts with scriptural presuppositions.  Their practice of Bible publication arises from their biblical beliefs about the Bible.  This is how it should be.  It’s also what we do not see with those on the critical text side.  They do not emphasize or most often even teach at all what is the scriptural basis of their position.   Their position does not have a biblical mooring.

Someone who appears and speaks often in the above video is Jonathan Arnold, who is also pastor of the Westminster Baptist Church in London.  My wife and I visited that church twice on trips to England.  I appreciate this younger man’s stand on the Word of God in a time of much attack on the doctrine of scripture.  He is now the General Director of the Trinitarian Bible Society.

Many pastors across the world use the Greek New Testament, textus receptus, printed by the Trinitarian Bible Society.  They also print an entire original language Bible in the received text of the Old (Hebrew) and New (Greek) Testaments.

Separatist Heritage

The Trinitarian Bible Society is by history and, therefore, by definition a separatist organization.  It started from a split from the British and Foreign Bible Society over spreading Unitarianism, hence, Trinitarian, and over scripture, therefore, Bible.  As an indication of how significant people thought that was, two thousand gathered for the first meeting at Exeter Hall in London in 1831.  Could they get that many to gather for that separatist purpose today?

The British and Foreign Bible Society allowed a Unitarian as an officer.  Unitarian at the time became the doctrinal position du jour.  It’s a familiar theological term now, unitarian, but it really does encapsulate almost every major theology error in the history of heresy.  It was essentially Socinianism, which taught works salvation and anti-Trinitarianism.  Unitarians denied not only the deity of Christ but also the miracles of the Bible.  They did away of the authority of scripture.

For a long period of time, we would call Socinianism or Unitarianism theological liberalism.  Most liberal churches in whatever denomination are Socinians or Unitarians.  In many ways, we would say they don’t believe anything.  They are drawn together by their denial of scriptural and historical doctrine, which is to say, they deny the truth.

Overall

I have attended many churches affiliated with the Trinitarian Bible Society (TBS) in England.  Some strong churches exist who would not fellowship with the Trinitarian Bible Society, but very few.  A majority of the strongest churches in England, where the best representation of New Testament Christianity exists, associate themselves with the TBS.  This says much about the outcome or consequences of the received text of the original languages of scripture and the King James Version, which these churches support and propagate.

I differ from most of these Trinitarian Bible Society affiliated institutions in ecclesiology, eschatology, and dispensationalism versus covenant theology.  That saddens me, but it does not take away the joy I have for what they do believe.  I rejoice in that.  I have more in common with these churches than I do most other Baptist churches today.

The churches affiliated with the Trinitarian Bible Society believe an orthodox, true position on the Trinity and about the Lord Jesus Christ.  They preach a true gospel, including repentance and Lordship.  TBS type churches utilize reverent worship.  They are active in their evangelism of the lost.  Their churches are not worldly churches.  Their preaching of scripture is dense and thorough.  They rely on scripture for their success.  I am not saying these doctrines and practices are all that matter, but they do distinguish the Trinitarian Bible Society affiliated churches.