The Smallest Letter

Matthew 5:18

Introduction

Biblical inerrancy is a topic that has been on my mind for several months.

I have had some sincere questions from members here and from some other Christians about how inspiration works and some of those questions have revealed some misunderstandings.

I have had other conversations outside of this group but with Christians who not only reveal a false view but maintain it in the face of challenge.

Finally, as I read various literature about the Bible from the religious world (both conservative and liberal) I find very few who maintain Biblical inerrancy. Commentaries on the book of Job have been especially egregious in this regard.

So…let us have some clarity.

Separate Issues

We believe in the perfect will of God revealed in scripture (2 Tim. 3:16).

But the book in your hand is not what inspired writers wrote.

It isn’t the original.

It isn’t even in the original language.

It isn’t even translated from the original.

We are in no different boat here than Jesus and His followers were (Matt. 5:18).

The law had been copied and even translated down through the ages with all of the same difficulties (and maybe a few more) that we have today.

Yet Jesus maintained that the law remained intact to the smallest degree.

But this is a separate question from the initial step of inspiration.

The Inspired Words

Whatever inspiration means, it applies to all scripture (2 Tim. 3:16).

If you come up with a reason to exclude any portion from your definition, you have opened the door to exclusion of every portion.

Even the sections that include personal address cannot be excluded (2 Tim. 4:13).

The authors were understanding participants (Eph. 3:4).

We aren’t referring to some trancelike state.

We see the personalities and even personal words coming through.

There is no room for error introduced by personal interpretation (2 Pet. 1:17).

This means that however God is conveying His message to the authors, He maintains control over the final product.

I don’t say that God literally gave every word, but I am certain He approved of every word.

The inspiration does go down to the word level in some way (Matt. 5:18; 22:32).

The Consequences

It elevates the importance of every word.

We take the narrators as divinely accurate.

Conversation about David and the Gibeonites (2 Sam. 21).

There is no room for developing theology.

You can’t set James aside as early drafts.

Nor can you put Paul’s letters in order with your favorite as the final draft.

We not only accept, but rejoice in every word revealed.

I don’t want to give a moment’s hint that I am in the least way embarrassed by a single word written here.

If someone wonders about some passage that has the evangelical world wringing their hands, my answer is that I hope one day to have a hymn with those words so that I can sing them.

Conclusion

I know it is likely that everyone here believes in the complete and inerrant inspiration of God’s word.

But there are ways that many who claim such a belief surrender it when challenged.

We are going to be challenged. We will be challenged even by those who we thought we were on the same page with about some things.

You may here people charge you with Bibliolatry, or the worship of the Bible over and above the worship of God.

Know this, such a charge is only meant as a means of dismissing and downgrading some portion of God’s word and it has nothing to do with honoring its author.

We do give great honor and reverence to these words. They are God’s words. We have no other.

Have you submitted to the Word, by means of the words He revealed.