In many of the debates I have had with friends and family I have found that the one argument that consistently rises to the top about the Bible is whether or not it is accurate and inerrant. How can the Bible have been interpreted correctly from one translation to another is the question that I hear over and over. How could the Bible be inspired by God when it was man who wrote it down is another question I hear over and over. In this essay I would like to address the questions of inerrancy and inspiration.
Biblical authority must begin with God himself. God will reveal Himself to His people through revelation. In doing so, God can declare His authority. Jesus himself had to submit to the authority of God the Father. God the Father sets the authoritative standard if you will. Jesus said in John 14 that He only does what the Father tells Him to do and says what the Father tells Him to say. Knowing that God the Father is both true and truthful, (John 8:26, Romans 15:8), we take God at His word. The word truth describes both God and the Word of God. Therefore, if the Word of God and God are the same which is truth we can then say that it is reliable and therefore authoritative.
The word inspiration comes from the Greek word theopneustos. This word is found in the book of 2 Timothy 3:16. The two words God and Spirit make up the word inspiration. So when you say that the writers of Scripture were inspired you could say that the writings were God breathed. The Word of God was actually formed by the breath of God. There are many Scriptures that say what the Word of God is. For example, The Gospel of John says that the
Word became flesh and dwelt among us, referring to Jesus. Hebrews 4 says that the Word is living and active dividing body soul and spirit. The Word is not only inspired but alive through
the person of Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit. God actually breathed His Spirit into Adam and gave him life. The inspired Word of God gives life.
Inerrancy is the view that when all facts become known they will demonstrate that the Bible is true in its original form or autographs (Elwell pg 156). 2 Timothy 3:16 says that all Scripture is inspired by God. My view is the Biblical argument. If the Bible says that it is inspired by God then it is reliable and true. Although, because tradition says through the Historical argument that the Bible is inerrant we can also conclude the Scriptures are reliable. I think that the Biblical argument has a better foundation because it is straight from God the Father. . The Epistemological argument says that you have no foundation if you deny inerrancy. Slippery Slope argument says that you can give up on inerrancy and eventually allow your faith to become crushed and fall away from the faith. The Epistemological argument is very evident today along with the Slippery Slope argument and I have found that many people today fall into these two arguments. I have seen several of my friends fall away from the faith and/or slide on the slippery slope because they reject or doubt the reliability of the Scriptures.
Knowing that Gods Word is inerrant is to know that it is authoritative. To say that it is inerrant is also to say that the Word is inspired. Therefore, we can say that “inerrancy states that what is inspired is authoritative” (Towns pg 65). Knowing that the Word of God is inerrant is a key to my walk with God. Knowing that the Scriptures are authoritative gives me confidence.
Knowing that all Scripture is inspired by God is life giving. When I go to the Word of God I want to know that what I am reading is “truth”, aletheia, reliable. I see in the Word that it says what it is and what it is good for. Hebrews 4:12 says that the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edge sword, it even penetrates dividing, soul, and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that the word of God is good for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be equipped for every good work. The word is also seed to scattered (Matt 13). I have confidence that when I go to the inerrant, inspired Word of God I will find the revelation of how to have a relationship with my Creator and love those around me.
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