Question:
I heard you on your radio show concerning the NIV and Acts 8:37. Do you not see any problems with that verse? May you can answer the following for me concerning the phrase “with all mine heart.” When will I know that I have believed with “all mine heart” if my heart is wicked above all things? How can I ever know? Is this verse saying that if I believe, let us say, half of my heart then will I still go to hell? What if I believe 99.99% of all my heart, will I go to hell for just that .01%? Is this phrase found any where else in the Bible? I think not. Do you not see a problem with this verse? There is a good reason why the NIV does not have this verse in it. As a “free grace’ believer and a Bible student I have problems with this verse. Do you really believe that we have degrees of believing?
Answer:
The real issue is can we tolerate what is happening to the Word of God in these new so-called translations when they take liberty to dump verses or words. Jesus said, “Beware of the scribes’ and they are the publishers today. You have heard the discussion and must realize the importance of Acts 8:37. It’s in the original text and it’s not going away because it’s not in the NIV. The NIV is flawed… very flawed. Numerous verses or words are dropped. But more to your question, just as the verses says (and it’s right on) you must believe with all your heart! You must believe (trust)! It’s much like being pregnant… either you are or you’re not. A person knows if they TRUST OR NOT. You haven’t trusted a rope to support you until you hang from it. You haven’t trusted an airplane until you have flown in it. If trust in something else at the point of salvation, then you simply aren’t trusting with all your heart. Only you know what you believe, or don’t believe, but if you want to go to heaven, it’s not a debate. It’s not 99.99%. You must believe, and that’s 100%. You can’t only be 99.99% pregnant. Acts 8:37 is from the mouth of God and He will settle for no less; Believe (trust) with ALL your heart! After you are saved you can go up and down with the percent because you are saved. You are sealed until the day of redemption. By the way, we don’t believe with our heart. It is talking about the center of your thought processes. The heart is a pumping organ.