Bible Inerrancy Poll #2

My vote is based solely on my opinion which is rarely (but sometimes - accidentally) right!

§ue

 

It's amusing two people voted #5, because the TR only comprises the NT. It's nice to know some are certain 1/5 of the Bible is inerrant! HAHAHAHA!

Yours,

Bluefalcon

 

Maybe those two are closet members of the International Church of Christ cult--they don't use the OT.

 

Did not see how to vote on this post. I think I will like it here though -- I vote for inerrant in original autographs! And preserved very well in copies and translations, allowing for mss. comparison (hesitated to say textual criticism, that would have brought major flames on some other dbs). My first post here, kinda checking the water just a little. Been pretty scorched by KJVO's on a few other sites.

 

A lot of people hold unorthodox views on the inerrancy of the Scripture.

 

Mr. Edwards, do you agree with this statement by Josh McDowell in his 1999 book entitled The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict?

"Inerrancy is not taught in the Bible" is the claim by those opposed to inerrancy. They say that the Bible does not teach its own inerrancy, but only teaches that it is inspired.

This claim is as incorrect as saying the Bible does not teach the doctrine of the Trinity. True, nowhere does the Bible say in so many words, "there are three persons in one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." But despite this fact, the doctrine of the Trinity is clearly and emphatically taught in Scripture. How does one arrive at this? By a logical deduction from two principles that are clearly taught in Scripture: (1) There are three persons who are called God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and (2) there is only one God. Simple logic demands that from these two truths only one conclusion follows, a conclusion that no orthodox Christian fails to draw: There are three persons in one God.

Now, by this same logic the Bible also teaches its own inerrancy. Like the doctrine of the Trinity, nowhere do the Scriptures explicitly say, "The Bible is inerrant in all that it affirms." Nevertheless, the Bible does clearly and emphatically teach two truths from which this conclusion is inevitable: First, the very words of Scripture, all of them, are the revelation of God. Paul wrote, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Tim. 3:16). The word "scripture" means "writings." Over and over the biblical prophets were commanded to record the very "words" of God (Ex. 24:4; Rev 22:19). David confessed on his deathbed, "the Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue" (2 Sam. 23:2). Jeremiah was told "Do not diminish a word" of God's prophecy (Jer. 26:2). The apostle Paul claimed to teach "words...which the Holy Spirit teaches" (1 Cor. 2:13).

Second, the Bible emphatically teaches that everything that God utters is true and completely without error. Jesus said to the Father, "Your word is truth" (John 17:17). The psalmist declared, "Your word is truth" (Ps. 119:160). The writer of Hebrews stated emphatically, "It is impossible for God to lie" (Heb 6:18). Paul told Titus that "God...cannot lie" (1:2). Proverbs assures us that "every word of God proves true" (30:5 RSV). In short, the very character of God as true demands that when He speaks He must speak the truth. At the same time, the Scriptures are the very utterance of God. Hence, from these two clearly taught truths of Scripture one and only one conclusion logically follows: Everything the Bible teaches is the unerring truth of God.

Thus it is that inerrancy follows logically from inspiration. If the Bible is God's Word, then it must be without error. Christians have often summarized the doctrine of inerrancy this way: "What the Bible says, God says." Indeed the words "God" and "Scripture" are often used interchangeably in this regard. For example, Hebrews 3:7 declares "the Holy Spirit says" with a reference to the Old Testament Scripture (Ps. 95:7). This pattern is repeated elsewhere (see Acts 2:17; Gal. 3:8; Heb. 9:8).

The Bible does indeed claim its own inerrancy as surely as it teaches that God is a Trinity.

 

Yes, I bought the Holman Christian Standard Bible when the recent annual meeting of the SBC was here in Indianapolis last June. I like it.

By the way, McDowell quotes Augustine as saying, "I have teamed to yield this respect and honor only to the canonical books of Scripture. Of these alone do I most firmly believe that the authors were completely free from error."

McDowell also quotes Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Wesley as saying that the Bible is inerrant.

 

Just call me cmg. I believe that The Holy Bible is perfect. So I think that I believe what you believe on this question, Mr. Edwards.

 

May I ask a serious question.

Is it possible for the Bible to be sufficient without being inerrant?

Put another way. Is it possible for the Bible to show us a perfect God, and not be a perfect book?

Dave

 

How about "the Bible is inerrant in the best of the Greek and Hebrew"?