Unbelievers generally see the Bible as just another book that has been written by men. They may view it as a book with great literary value. Still, it is just another book to them. Yet, even among Christians, there are significant differences in how the Scriptures are regarded. Many see the Bible as containing truth, but also errant -- as containing errors. Some see it as written by men whose personality, style of writing, and bias have influenced their writing, and these must be considered when seeking to understand God's Word. Some may concede that parts of it were inspired, but they see it also as containing myths, handed-down traditions, and folklore. Some subscribe to a philosophy called "higher criticism" that seeks the truth from sources external to the Scriptures. These may label themselves as liberals, or adherents to a so called "higher criticism" approach.

Then, there are those who may label themselves as conservatives or fundamentalists. They may believe that the Bible is entirely inspired. Yet, they may not agree that it is without error, at least in its translated form.

Then there is a minority that regards the Scriptures, even in its translated form, as without error. Many view this as arbitrary or being unrealistically dogmatic or naive. For the sake of argument let's agree that semantically at least, the Scriptures do contain discrepancies or "errors."

However, this immediately introduces a major problem. An inerrant authority must then be found by which it can be determined what is true and what is not. Where can we find an authority that is -- in itself -- inerrant?

Most of us reserve the right to decide this for ourselves. We become that authority. Yet, Scripture says we do not have that right.

 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. [2 Peter 1:20-21]   (NIV)

Do we seek confirmation for our position by referring to those with whom we can agree? Do we give authority to human sources by virtue of their academic credentials, their popularity, their reputation, or their secular title?

The greatest risk of error may be in our own private interpretation.

It is estimated that there are about two thousand denominations in the world today. This should show the inconsistency in human theology. The Scriptures point to this fallacy:

 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (II Peter 1:19-21)   (NKJ)

Perhaps, it would be well to ask ourselves why we might prefer to believe that their are errors in the Bible. In a world in which there are fewer and fewer moral absolutes, is it because we do not want to be confronted with the moral absolutes of God's Word?

We may agree -- in principle at least -- that God's truth is absolute, but are we willing to be faced with the specifics? Do we not want a gospel according to "I"? We may say of even a very clear passage of Scripture, "This is not my interpretation." This gives us a loophole. Inerrancy closes the loopholes. We may agree we cannot entirely trust the theologians. But can we trust ourselves?

Consider the following:

God is practical. On what basis could we believe otherwise?

God wants to speak to us. That is why the Bible exists.

It is self-evident that God provided language -- both oral and written -- as the principal means of human communication.

Surely, if God commissioned the Church to reach the entire world with the gospel He had to realize that the original Scriptures would need to be copied and recopied many times and eventually be translated into thousands of other languages.

 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14)   (NKJ)

( And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15)   (NKJ)

 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth -- to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people--
(Revelation 14:6)   (NKJ)

If the Scriptures could become ineffectively corrupted through copying and translation, God's purpose would be frustrated. This would be as true of the spoken Word as it would be of the written Word. We would then have to conclude that God is very impractical.

Anyhow, thank God, He always provides the solution. If we believe the Scriptures were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we need seek no higher authority than the One that God has already sent. And that is the Holy Spirit Himself. God has sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. He is our Helper; He is our Counselor; He is our Teacher. And He is our Interpreter! The Bible writers can be said to have had a Ghost Writer -- the Holy Ghost!

 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."  (John 14:26)    (NKJ)

It is through this same Holy Spirit, by whom the Scriptures were dictated, that they can be understood. And since He indwells us as our Teacher, His interpretation will always be tailored to our level of understanding and our needs at the time. Therefore, it seems undeniable that the Scriptures are inerrant when interpreted by the author -- the Holy Spirit.

Does not the Holy Spirit, we may ask, speak to us through pastors, teachers, prophets, apostles, and evangelists? The Scriptures say He does.

 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. ( Ephesians 4:11)    (NKJ)

 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.  (I Corinthians 12:28). (NIV) 

Then, it may be asked, "How do we know who are to be trusted, and who are not?" We are to be fruit inspectors!

 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. "Therefore by their fruits you will know them.  (Matthew 7:15-20)   (NKJ)

There are two sources: The worldly, and those called of God. The worldly resort -- sometimes with pride -- to their academic achievements, the reputation of the institutions they attended, or their title, to establish that their teaching is true. But do they also witness to the power of the Holy Spirit to inspire and reveal? Do they acknowledge that they have sought the truth in prayer? Do they encourage the reader, or listener, also to seek confirmation in both the Scriptures and by the witness of the Holy Spirit to their spirit?

 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11)   (NKJ)

 Test all things; hold fast what is good. (I Thessalonians 5:21) (NKJ)

 Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours.  
 (Corinthians 3:18-21)   (NIV)

 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
 (II Timothy 4:3-4)  (NIV)

 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them -- bringing swift destruction on themselves. (II Peter 2:1) (NIV)

Consider what the apostle Paul claimed as the basis for his teaching -- the power of the Holy Spirit.

 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (I Corinthians 2:1-14) (NKJ)

On the other hand, God raises up those who, by virtue of being called of God, can be trustworthy sources of confirmation and enlightenment for others. These should not seek glory for themselves. They only should seek to glorify Jesus. They should be willing to submit to the strict judgment God has reserved for those who presume to be teachers called of God but are not.

 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1)  (NIV)

 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (II Peter 1:20-21)  (NIV)

What, then, is the "bottom line?" For me, simplistically stated, "God said it; I believe it; and that settles it." That which is practical for God is practical for me. Once we depart from the absoluteness of Scripture, we step onto a slippery slope of leaning on our own understanding.

 Trust in the LORD  with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)  (NAS)

John Wesley said, "if there is one error in Scripture, there may as well be five thousand."

Jesus often quoted the Scriptures. I find no account where he ever suggested that their accuracy was in question because there might be copying errors. Surely, he must have quoted from manuscripts that were copies of copies of copies and not the original scrolls. Are the differences in the ancient scrolls that may have been due to copying errors a basis for regarding the Scriptures as fallible and therefore requiring academic judgment to provide us with the truth? If there are any errors in Scriptures we can trust the Holy Spirit to point them out to us, if we have an open mind.

Finally, are we consciously -- or unconsciously -- looking for errors to bring into question the total credibility of the Bible? If we can satisfy ourselves that there are errors, cannot we then decide what is true and what is false? And then do we not remain in control of our own theological position? And finally, do we not risk becoming our own God?

In truth, if we know the Author -- the Holy Spirit -- any possible errors don't really matter.

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