Preserving Sound Doctrine

Have you ever had the nagging feeling that, after leaving home, you left behind something very important? It happened to me on my way to the airport in Phoenix to catch a flight on my way to teach in Nigeria, Africa. About 30 minutes down the road, I had this sinking feeling. I had forgotten to bring my passport. Without this vital credential, I would not be allowed to pass the security gates and board the plane. Gratefully, I was able to retrieve the passport and get to the gate before the plane took off…barely.

As anxiety producing as that mishap was, I would like to suggest that it is more unsettling for those who have left behind their confidence in God’s words, found in the Bible, and doubt the reliability of the credentials of Scripture, a spiritual crash landing could possibly be in their future. “Some people have wandered from the faith…and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10).

Over the years, the Bible has had its share of critics and naysayers. Nonetheless, I am convinced that there are ample reasons and substantial evidence for acknowledging and appreciating the veracity of God’s written and revealed word. Charles Colson assessed that, “Christian faith is not an irrational leap. Examined objectively, the claims of the Bible are rational propositions well supported by reason and evidence.” ¹

In the following pages, we will explore the reasons and evidence supporting the reliability of the Bible. To do so, we will consider five questions connected to this pertinent topic:

• Why can we have confidence in the Bible’s reliability and why is it that important?
• What are the reasons and evidence for the Bible’s reliability?
• What is the meaning and significance of the Bible’s Inspiration and Inerrancy?
• What are the objections and claims of Bible critics?
• What are the implications of the Bible’s reliability?

Why Can we Have Confidence in the Bible’s Reliability?

I want to begin by underscoring that a foundational reason for having confidence in the Bible is simply because of what Scripture says about itself. In the charts below, one can’t help but notice the assurance and positive attitude that King David had towards God’s word found in the Scriptures. In the chart to follow is a listing of various selected passages from Psalm 119 which provide good insight concerning what the Bible has to say about itself.

Bible Passages	Statements from the Bible about the Bible
Psalm 119:74-75	“I have put my hope in your word. I know, LORD, that your laws are righteous…your law is my delight.”
Psalms 119:86	“ALL your commands are trustworthy”
Psalms 119:89	“Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”
Psalms 119:138	“The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.”
Psalms 119:140	Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.”
Psalms 119:160	ALL your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.”

This celebrated Psalm reveals King David’s passionate descriptions of God’s word and the multiple reasons why he had complete confidence in, and total commitment to, the Holy (righteous) Scriptures. We can easily observe a pattern in David’s recognition of the truthfulness, the trustworthiness, the righteousness and the eternalness of God’s word. David’s devotion to the Scriptures and his recognition of its personal benefits is seen also a corollary Psalm he wrote taken from Psalm 119:7-11:

• “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.
• The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
• The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
• The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
• The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
• The decrees of the Lord are firm, and ALL of them are righteous.
• They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;
• They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
• By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

There is no doubt that David was fully assured of the reliability and value of Scripture. David gives a fitting benediction to adoration for God’s words to him, as it should be for us all. “Lord, and I follow your commands. I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly. I obey your precepts and your statutes” (Psalms 119:166-167P.

King David was not alone in his conviction that the Scriptures are God-given and are, therefore, completely reliable and trustworthy.  King Solomon, David’s son, along with some of the Gospel writers, the Apostle Paul and the author of the book of Hebrews, all echoed the same conviction of an unwavering confidence in God’s word, noted in the chart below:

Bible Passages	Comments from writers of the Bible about the Bible
Proverbs 30:5	“Every word of God is flawless…” Compare this passage with David’s words in Psalm 18:30
Matthew 24:35	“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away”
John 17:17	“Sanctify them by the truth, your word is truth”
2 Timothy 3:14-15	“The Holy Scriptures are able to make you wise…All Scripture is God–breathed and is useful for teaching and correcting….
Hebrews 4:12	“For the word of God is alive and active…it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit…it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

There are those who argue that using the Bible to validate the Bible simply equates to circular reasoning. However, others believe that it is absolutely proper to do so, as do I. Wayne Grudem, respected Bible scholar and author, concurs with this position. He states, “If God claims that the words of Scripture are his own, then there is ultimately no higher authority one can appeal to for proof of this claim than scripture itself. For what authority could be higher than God? So, Scripture ultimately gains its authority from itself.” ²

Why is it Important to have Confidence in the Bible’s Reliability?

I need to underscore the importance of believers having confidence in the reliability and trustworthiness of God’s word. Why is it so crucial? It is because one’s perception of the Bible will eventually impact one’s faith, either for good or naught. Lee Strobel, popular author and apologist, confessed, “For me, having lived much of my life as an atheist, the last thing I want is a naïve faith built on a paper-thin foundation of wishful thinking or make believe. I need a faith that’s consistent with reason, not contradictory to it; I want beliefs that are grounded in reality, not detached from it.” ³

Harboring doubt about the Bible’s reliability will begin to erode one’s overall trust and conviction of the truths in God’s word. This, in turn, can diminish one’s motivation to share the Bible’s message with others. Having confidence in the reliability of Scripture comprises the very foundation and building blocks of the Judeo-Christian faith. Without them, other theological constructs are liable to come tumbling down like a game of wooden stacking blocks. In the game, the problem of poor planning, pressure of making a mistake and influence of gravity, these blocks typically begin to waver and eventually collapse. A grave reality is that doubt can allow cracks to result in our theological foundation. The Apostle Paul warned Timothy, his young protégé and missionary companion, “Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in doing so, have departed from the faith” (1 Timothy 6:20-21).

As I reflect on the importance of one’s spiritual well-being, I’m reminded of a scene in The Princess Bride movie. After Wesley’s true love has been whisked away by the Prince’s guards, and with no means to protect himself, he is sarcastically told by the six-fingered Captain to, “Take care of yourself. If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.” I would venture to say that the same principle can apply to our spiritual health. If our confidence in the Bible has galloped away, then it follows that we can become vulnerable to the lies and attacks of the enemy. Even worse, potentially becoming prone to a “pit of despair.” That is why the Apostle Paul gave the following command and warning to the believers in Ephesus, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil schemes…Stand firm then…Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:10-11, 14, 17

If the Bible is no longer viewed as trustworthy, and thus its message suspect, it can open a pandora’s box of doubts about an endless number of theological beliefs. For instance, if we someone is unsure of the Bible’s reliability, like a cascade of falling wooden blocks, it can eventually lead to questions about the Bible’s authenticity, accuracy, credibility and general truthfulness. Such uncertainty can’t help but impact one’s view about the many important teachings, promises, events, miracles and truths shared in Scripture, including the resurrection of Christ. Paul spoke to this potential theological downfall. He speculated, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith…And if your faith is futile, you are still in your sins.…If only for this life, we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17-19).

Fortunately, this is not the road we need to go down. For, just as Paul announced, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead” (15:20). Paul has also proclaimed that “Everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people…and showing them how to live” (2 Tim. 3:16 CEV). Indeed, the Bible is reliable because it is inspired by God. The Inspiration and Inerrancy of Scripture, which further validates the Bible’s veracity, will be discussed in depth later in the chapter.  There is good reason for having full confidence in the reliability of the Bible, including its teachings, events, promises and miracles found in both testaments. Timothy Keller, in his stimulating book The Reason for God – Belief in an Age of Skepticism, wisely and gently addresses the conundrum of belief and disbelief pertaining issues about the Bible and Christianity. He aptly states, “I’ve examined the beliefs beneath the biggest objections or doubts people in our culture have about the Christian faith. I respect much of the reasoning behind them, but in the end, I don’t believe any of them make the truth or Christianity impossible, or even improbable. We have another journey to take, however. It is one thing to argue that there are no sufficient reasons for disbelieving Christianity. It is another to argue that there are sufficient reasons for believing it.” ⁴

Even though doubt and disbelief about all things Christian appears to be on the rise today, it is not a reason for despair. A story in the Bible that invariably moves me emotionally is about a man who is desperate to have his deaf and mute son healed. When Jesus appears on the scene, his disciples had already failed to heal the boy. Turning to Jesus, the man hesitantly pleads for his healing assistance. It’s at this point we pick up the story.  “Jesus asked his father, How long has this been happening to him? And he said, from childhood…if you are able to do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Then Jesus said to him, If you are able? All things are possible for the one who believes. Immediately the father of the boy cried out and said, I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:21-24 NET). A different translation stated, “I believe. Help me with my doubts” (MSG).

It is interesting to note that the words believe, unbelief and doubt are closely related. The Greek word for believe is “pistis” with synonyms faith, trust, conviction, and firm persuasion. The Greek word for unbelief of doubt is “apistia” and rather than being the exact opposite of belief, it refers to a lack of confidence or trust yet wanting to believe or needing help knowing why one can believe. For me, one of the big takeaways from this relatable and true story is that there is a significant difference between a person who wants to believe but needs some confirmation and, in stark contrast, a person who arrogantly refuses to believe in spite of available reasons to believe. Such was the case with the Jewish religious leaders who willfully opposed Jesus and blatantly rejected his claims. Jesus avowed, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:39-40).

Keller’s book is full of stories of those who were struggling with their faith and were in need of viable reasons to believe in the existence of God and his personal concern for them. Where do we go with our doubts, fears and uncertainties? It’s to the same place where Peter went, the one who angrily denied Christ three times. It’s also the same place where Thomas went, with his prideful doubts and shame. They both went to and humbly fell at the feet of Jesus. It’s also the same place where we can go with our doubts and questions. Peter, lived out the words he wrote, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. So, humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:5-7 NLT).

What are the Reasons and Evidence for the Bible’s Reliability?

All the above information has helped to lay the foundation for building the framework (reasons) to affirm the reliability and authenticity of the Scriptures. These are viable reasons for us to believe this to be true. Ponder some of the reasons provided below.

Reason 1. Scripture is Historically accurate! Jewish Historian, Josephus Flavius, who lived during the time that the Gospels were composed, wrote the following about Jesus Christ, “At this time there was a wise man called Jesus. His conduct was good and he was known to be virtuous. Many people among the Jews, and the other nations, became disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and die. But those who were his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after the crucifixion and that he was alive. Accordingly, he was perhaps the Messiah, concerning who the Prophets had reported wonders…the tribe of Christians so named, have not disappeared to this day.” ⁵

There were also other historians, such as Eusebius of Caesarea, the first major historian of the early church. He confirmed various historical facts about important biblical figures such as John the Baptist, apostolic leaders (James and Peter), King Herod and, most significantly, Jesus Christ. Eusebius covered historical information starting as early as AD 30 and is considered one of the best sources for identifying the people and events of the Christian church during the 2^nd and 3^rd Centuries. ⁶

A noteworthy reason to accept the historicity of the Bible, particularly the Gospel accounts, is because of the multitude of individuals who witnessed the events being described by the Gospel writers. The Apostle Paul boasted that over 500 people at one time were actual eyewitnesses of Christ’s resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-6). Paul referenced and affirmed the authenticity of the Gospels by stating twice the phrase, “Just as the Scriptures said.”

Renowned apologetical scholar, Tim Keller, reinforced the authenticity of the Scripture. He explains, “The Gospels themselves showed that the gospel writers named their eyewitness sources within the text to assure readers of their accounts’ authenticity…there really were surviving eyewitnesses, whose testimony agreed, and who could confirm what the author said. All this decisively refutes the idea that the Gospels were anonymous, collective, evolving oral traditions. Instead, they were oral histories taken from the mouths of the living eyewitnesses who preserved the words and deeds of Jesus in great detail.”

Reason 2. Scripture is supported by Archeological findings!

I experienced this truth firsthand. Early in our marriage, my wife and I went on a 11-day guided tour in Israel. I had just finished my first year teaching a class on The Life of Christ at a Christian High School. I relished the opportunity to “walk in the footsteps” of Christ and visiting a significant number of biblically relevant sites was truly spiritually invigorating. One of the sites we visited was in the region of Caesarea along the Mediterranean coast. The guide explained that for many years, historians would not accept that Pontius Pilate was a true historical figure even though he is mentioned in all four Gospels and identified as a Roman Governor (John 18:28). Their argument was that no archeological evidence existed to prove Pontious Pilate ad ever lived. In 1961, their faulty claim was exposed. New archeological digs at the time uncovered a large stone marker that prominently displayed a carved inscription of Pilate’s full name and title. After this undeniable archeological discovery, the humbled historians had to “back pedal” and admit their error and that Pilate was an actual historical person. My wife and I were pleased to be able to observe this archeological evidence verifying the historical accuracy of the Bible.

One of the most celebrated archeological discoveries was that of the Dead Sea Scrolls found in the Qumran caves of Southern Israel. This full archeological excavation occurred over a ten-year period, from 1945-1955. It revealed a large number of ancient biblical manuscripts which had been preserved in large jars. The scrolls dated back to the 3^rd Century, BC and contained scrolls during the time of the early church in the 1^st Century, AD. They are some of the oldest surviving manuscripts, providing complete copies of the Book of Isaiah (written 740-680 BC), the Gospel of Mark (53 AD), Acts (63 AD), Romans (55-56 AD), 1 Timothy (62 AD), James (45 AD) and 2 Peter (67 AD). When compared to modern day translations, the scrolls revealed that the Scribes responsible for maintaining content integrity, showed a high degree of skill in transcribing the originals on to parchments copies for safe keeping and preserving for future generations. The Dead Sea Scrolls add incredible credibility to the historical reliability of the Scriptures.

A more recent archaeological discovery involved unearthing the ruins of ancient Babylon. Its existence was detailed by the Prophet Jeremiah. Information about the total destruction of the Babylonian nation can be found in Jeremiah, chapters 50-52. Once again, Historians dismissed its existence due to no archaeological evidence to “support” the teachings of Scripture. It’s not surprising that ancient Babylon was difficult to discover. The Prophet Jeremiah, who had lived through the predicted destruction of Judah and the Babylonian captivity, declared, “So, Babylonia will be plundered… She will be the least of nations – a wilderness, a dry land, a desert. Because of the Lord’s anger she will not be inhabited but will be completely desolate” (Jeremiah 50:12-13). This unexpected archeological discovery confirmed the sad story of the proud nation of Babylonia’s meteoric rise and fall.

This propensity of historians to deny the historical information in the Bible and to, unjustly accuse its contents of providing only “myths” rather than factual information. Apparently, in their minds. The Bible was declared guilty until proven otherwise. Such a fallacious and skewed perspective reminds me of the reports of a foolish Russian Cosmonaut. Upon his trip around the moon and back to earth, he arrogantly and ignorantly declared that since he had not encountered any evidence of God during his trip in space, God must not exist! This seems to be another case of “the blind leading the blind.”

Note: Please refer to Chapter 3 in the APPENDIX for additional archeological findings which have only served to further strengthen the historical reliability of the Bible:

Reason 3. Scripture stands up to Literary criticism!

Not only does the Bible demonstrate reliable consistency of its contents over a lengthy period of time, due to the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the bible demonstrates that it can stand up to literary criticism. One telling reason is the Bible’s abundance of manuscript copies made from the original. The number of reputable copies available is a major criterion in determining the literary reliability of a written piece. For example, there exists only 10 viable manuscript copies about Genghis Kahn. Comparatively, there are 50 recognized manuscript copies pertaining to Alexander the Great and 250 copies describing the life of Julius Caesar. It is interesting to note that the historicity of these well-known military leaders has never been questioned, even with limited manuscriptal evidence.

In contrast, the Iliad written by Homer boasts 643 manuscript copies. However, the impressive volume of copies of Homer’s work pales in comparison to the number of credible copies detailing Jesus Christ’s life and ministry. There are over 15,000 verifiable manuscript copies substantiating Jesus’ historical existence in the Scriptures. Sadly, the Bible’s reliability continues to be debated, as evidenced by the rise of biblical criticism showcased by the Jesus Seminar (1985 – 2006). This seminar boasts 100 clergymen and 50 laity gathered together for the purpose of detecting the “historical Jesus” and to demythologize the message of the Gospels. Most seminar attendees had already predetermined that much of the Bible’s accounts of Jesus’s teachings any miraculous events were questionable, at best, and most-likely mythical. Not surprisingly, their research and conclusions were skewed by a built-in bias that discounted anything of Christ’s teachings and actions viewed through a supernatural lens. Rather, using a natural or scientific lens was considered preferable and exponentially more accurate. Subsequently, their conclusions effectively eliminated any of Christ’s supernatural events such as his prophecies, miracles healings, and most notably, his own resurrection Such a slanted approach to literary criticism, rather than objectively seeking out truth, deemed it necessary to reinterpret much of Christ’s teachings, dismiss his miracles and undermine the true meaning of his words.

Norman Geisler, in his intriguing book, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, remarked “Most other ancient works survive on fewer than a dozen manuscripts, yet few historians question the historicity of the events those works describe. Not only does the New Testament enjoy abundant manuscript support, but it also has manuscripts that were written soon after the originals.” ⁷

For another important criterion associated with accurate literary criticism, please refer to Chapter 3 in the APPENDIX. It involves observing the amount of time that transpired between the date the original manuscript was written and the date the first copies of the original were made available.

Reason 4. Scripture predicts and records many fulfilled Prophecies!

There are a large number Messianic prophecies (300+) connected to the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Most of these prophecies have already been fulfilled (e.g. Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53) or will be fulfilled at the time of Christ’s heavenly or earthly return (e.g. 1 Thes. 4:3-18; Rev. 19:11-16). Amazingly, there were over 30 prophecies fulfilled on the day Christ’s crucifixion alone. For example, Psalm 22 was written over 1,000 years before Jesus Christ was even born. Yet, King David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, provided a lengthy list of predictions about the Messiah’s gruesome punishment and death. Scattered throughout verses 1-18 of Psalm 22, David wrote these prophetic words and historical truths concerning the Anointed one’s gruesome death on the cross:

• “I am a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people…”
• “All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. He trusts in the LORD, they say, let the LORD rescue him…since he delights in him…”
• “A pack of villains incircle me; they pierced my hands and my feet…”
• “All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me…”
• “They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment…”
• “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me…”
• “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint…”
• “My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. My mouth is dried up…my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
• “You lay me in the dust of death.”

When Psalm 22 is compared with the other gospel accounts of Jesus’s crucifixion, there is an astonishing correlation of events and phrases that were predicted by David many years before. For an amazing comparison of words and events, look up the following descriptions in the four Gospels: Matthew 27:32-44; Mark 15:22-34; Luke 23:26-43 and John 19:17-30.

One of Christ’s least expected prophetic statements took place during his last week in Jerusalem. Each day he spent time preaching at the Temple site (Luke 21:37). On this particular occasion, the disciples pointed out to Jesus the awesome majesty and beauty of the Temple and its surrounding buildings. Indeed, the Temple rebuilt under King Herod was seen as the very soul and pride of the Jewish Nation. His startling prediction is described in the Gospels, “As Jesus was leaving the Temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings! Jesus replied, ‘Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (Mark 13:1–2). His disciples must have been aghast at the thought of the Temple’s total destruction, their most treasured place of worship. In spite of all the people’s hopes that the Messiah would do away with the Roman control of their beloved nation, their expectations were soon to be dashed. In Christ’s first coming, he came as a suffering servant, not as a reigning King, which so many expected and longed for. As predicted, less than 40 years later, in 70 A D, the Roman army squelched a Jewish revolt. Jerusalem was burned down and destroyed, including the Temple area. The fire loosened the magnificent stones which caused them to be easily toppled. The predictions of David, the Prophets and Christ only add to the reality of the Scriptures reliability.

“Throughout the Old Testament, God made numerous covenants with the patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, promising them land, descendants, and blessings. The fulfillment of these promises is a testament to God’s unchanging nature and reliability. This assurance of God’s faithfulness is echoed in the New Testament.” Resource used: bible.hub.com

Reason 5. Scripture is consistent with the facts of Science!

Many of the world’s greatest scientists down through the centuries have been avid believers in the Bible and its teachings. Such scientists included Galileo, Copernicus, Newton and others. Many modern-day scientists are also strong proponents of the Bible’s reliability. A great example is the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) near San Diego, CA. It was founded by Dr. Henry M. Morris, the author of The Twilight of Evolution. He states, “A number of scientists and theologians realize that Scripture could be fully trusted, even these epic stories of creation, fall, and flood. Furthermore, these scientists realize that the best interpretation of scientific data is that which adheres to the true history of our planet, as revealed in Scripture.” ⁸  

Other ICR Scientists and authors included Dr. John Whitcomb, who co-authored with Dr. henry Morris the widely read book The Genesis Flood. It is a logical defense of the Bible in general and, in particular, the Book of Genesis. Dr. Henry Morris and Dr. Duane T. Gish, a renowned Geologist, often would debate evolutionists on the fallacies and incompleteness of the fossil records. In the mid-1970’s, I had the privilege of observing Dr. Gish effectively debate an evolutionist at my church in Van Nuys, CA. I remember coming away from the debate with a renewed sense of the Bible’s reliability, even as it relates to various fields of Science. If you are inclined to learn more from these renounced and respected Christian scientists, I highly recommend any book by the ICR sci The book I most favor is The Twilight of Evolution by Dr. Henry Morris. The following is another poignant quote from this book. “The case for creation has grown even stronger with a great ground swell of belief, even among scientists. Many scientists have grown weary of retelling the ‘just so’ stories of evolution and have asserted their freedom to point how glaring weaknesses in evolution thinking. The intricate design in living things, the catastrophic nature of geological strata, a lack of transitional forms in the fossil record, the laws of science, which forbid evolution – all precipitated a crisis and evolution’s credibility.”

Dr. Morris’ book helped me to successfully endure and counter the supposed “scientific” forays by the professor of the Earth, History and Evolution class I signed up for since I was short graduating credits. On the first week of class, the professor exclaimed, “Evolution is not a theory…It is a fact!” I almost had to pick myself up off the floor because I had read in our textbook just the night that the theory of evolution was based on the findings of the carbon-dating system which itself was based on 12 different assumptions and had an error range of over 50,000 years. I immediately raised my hand and asked the professor how evolution could be a fact in light of the texts declaration. I then wisely or unwisely shared a quote with the class from Morris’ book. To say the least, the professor was not delighted by my question nor the quote I shared. Remarkably, Later in the semester, I had the privilege of having lunch on campus with Dr. Morris, my College Pastor, and most importantly, the Evolution class professor. The lunch was pleasant and afterwards, I had the honor of arranging Dr. Morris to speak to our class. I imagined my professor must have feared that Dr. Morris would give a scathing sermon of “Fire and Brimstone.” Instead, Dr. Morris, with the precision of a brain surgeon, laid out an impeccable explanation of how both the Evolutionary model and the Creation model basically use the same scientific data but with distinct differences in how the data should be interpreted; most decidedly the variant conclusions were based on the scientist’s predetermined views and beliefs. Dr. Morris’ riveting point was that both Evolution and Creation, even with contrasting world views, are supported by similar scientific data. This simply means that both Evolution and Creation are theories with neither can be proven by the Scientific Method. Therefore, both views require a leap of faith. I left the class ecstatic and renewed in my confidence of the veracity of the Bible and my Christian faith. If you are familiar with the true story behind the movie God is Not Dead!, I certainly could relate to the dilemma and boldness of the student who stood up in his Philosophy class and was willing to speak up and stand firm in his beliefs.

Tim Keller provides this revealing statistic, “In 1916, The American psychologist James Leuba conducted the first service of scientist, ask them if they believed in a God who actively communicates with humanity, at least through prayer. 40% said they did, 40% said they did not, and 20%. We’re not sure. In 1997, Edward Larson and Larry Witham repeated the survey, asking the very same question of scientists. They reported in the scientific journal Nature that they found that the numbers had not changed significantly in 80 years.”

On one of my trips to teach at a Christian University in Uganda, Africa, I took the opportunity to visit with my son, Matt, and his family which includes his wife Crystal and our four grandkids. Matt and crystal served as a missionaries in Uganda for almost 10 years. On one of the weekends there, Matt invited me to join him on an evangelistic outreach he was doing in a remote village several hours away from his home. After Matt had completed the evangelistic rally in the village Square, we headed up a windy dirt road and ascended to the top of a local mountain. At the very top of mountain was a small church where I was to preach the next morning. During the night, I went outside of matt’s van where we had been sleeping since there was only a brick church with no windows and curtains for doors. Once I stepped out of the van, I became completely awestruck. Because there was no electricity in the surrounding area, except for a small light at a house about two miles away. Remarkably, there was no ambient light around to interfere with nature’s majestic light show. I looked up into the night with sheer amazement. For the first time, I understood why our galaxy is called The Milky Way. It appeared to me as if God had accidentally poured milk across the enormous expanse of the heavens. I was viewing billions of stars with one simple glance and tried to comprehend the immensity of our universe. I couldn’t help but stand in awe and wonder and glorify our Almighty God, Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ for all he had made (Colossians 1:15-17).

When ponder on the majesty and the magnificence of our astounding universe , I find myself thinking of David’s appropriate response in Psalm 8:3-5, 9; He marveled, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon, and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.…LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the Earth!”

Yes, I am fully convinced that the Bible describes and provides a large body scientific and factual information connected to the fields of Astronomy, Botany, Geology, Physics, Human Anatomy, Physiology and other scientific genres. I am not alone. Many scientists today believe in the Intelligent Design of our Universe revealed by its orderly design, immensity and complexity. Even the Apostle Paul strongly inferred a belief in intelligent design of the universe and an intelligent designer behind it all.  Paul declared, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). I heartily concur with Paul’s conviction.

Reason 6. Scripture is Inspired by God!

In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul declares, “All Scripture is God-breathed (inspired) and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

In Psalm 119, King David alluded to God’s inspired word by using personal pronouns. These personal pronouns serve to remind us that, ultimately, it is God who authors the Holy Scriptures even while delivering it through his selected servants. David recognized it was not just his skills as a writer, but rather it is God’s “word…delivered (by Him)…it is your word…LORD” (Psalm 119:9, 49, 88).

The classic biblical phrase, “Thus Saith the LORD” is not some passing comment echoed by Moses at the time he revealed the Ten Commandments to the Jewish people. This phrase, and one like it, is proclaimed more than 3,800 times in Scripture. The similar phrases include “The LORD said” or “The word of the LORD.” Each of these phrases illustrate the Bible’s divine authority and, thus, its weight and superiority (e.g. Exodus 4:21-22; Ezra 1:1; Hebrews 4:12). In modern language, Moses’ declarative statement might be read as: “You had better listen up, this is not just anyone talking.” Hopefully, God’s point was duly received!

Wayne Grudem, Bible scholar, author and theologian exclaims, “If God claims that the words of scripture are his own, then there is ultimately no higher authority one can appeal to for proof of this claim, than Scripture itself. For what authority could be higher than God? So, Scripture ultimately gains its authority from itself.”

Each of the reasons shared above should serve to further enhance one’s confidence in the reliability of God’s word because of its authenticity, accuracy, integrity and authority. Keller concluded, “If Jesus is the son of God, then we have to take his teaching seriously, including his confidence in the authority of the whole Bible. If he is not who he says he is, why should we care what the Bible says about anything else?”

Scripture commands authority because it is the inspired words of God. This truism still provokes another predictable question. What is really meant when we are told that the Bible is both Inspired and Inerrant? This two-fold question will, because of its importance, be explored at further lengths in the upcoming section.

What is the Meaning and Significance of the Bible’s Inspiration and Inerrancy?

First the Inspiration of Scripture will be explored, followed by a discussion on the Inerrancy of Scripture. When it comes to fully grasping the meaning and implications of the Bible’s claim to be inspired, it can seem a bit confusing or even overwhelming. I must admit, as a neophyte seminary student, the inspiration of Scripture was much more complex than I could have ever imagined, and it is a topic which has been hotly debated in different theological circles for decades. Perhaps you can relate to my previous confusion. To expand our knowledge, I have enlisted the help of some respected Bible scholars to share us with their definition of biblical inspiration:

• “By inspiration of Scripture we mean that supernatural influence of the Holy Spiriton the Scripture writers which rendered their writings an accurate record of the revelation…actually being the Word of God.” M. Erickson, Christian Theology
• Inspiration is “that inexplicable power which thedivine Spiritput forth… on the authors of Holy Scriptures, in order to (provide them with) their guidance even in the employment of the words they used.” L. Glaussen, Systematic Theology
• “Inspiration has to do with the divine method of revelation…it includes the superintending work of the Holy Spirit…so that in its thoughts and words it is fully and verbally inspired.”  Merril Tenney, Encyclopedia of the Bible

It should be noted that each of the above definitions reveals the presence and working of the Holy Spirit. It would be wise to thoughtfully consider the credible words of the well-respected Bible scholar and commentator, Carl Henry. “The Bible is the capstone of revelation. It alone is the unique, written revelation of God, a permanent, meaningful, and authoritative self-expression by God of his nature and will…The Holy Spirit’s act of super-attendance was decisive in the writing of Scripture and is the reason the Bible possesses unique status as revelation…Through inspiration, the Holy Spirit aided those who wrote the Bible. The Spirit then guided the church in identifying inspired works and collecting them as the canon. This supervision renders Scripture uniquely authoritative for Christian believers.” ⁹

Different Views of Inspiration

Bible scholars have long discussed and debated over the theological construct of biblical inspiration. A few readily recognized views of inspiration are the Illumination view, the Dynamic view and the Dictation view. However, the most accepted view, among the majority of conservative Bible scholars, is the Verbal-plenaryview. This view suggests that God’s Spirit directed the minds and spirits of the writers so that they, while using their own writing style and expressing their unique personalities, wrote down their thoughts, ideas and words while being sensitive to the leading of God’s Spirit who brought to remembrance what he wanted them to know (John 14:25-26). To see a chart and an additional explanations of all four views, please go to Chapter 3 in the APPENDIX.

Most conservative Bible scholars today and in the recent past support and hold to the Verbal-Plenary view of the Inspiration of Scripture. M. Erickson stated it well. “It is our contention here that inspiration involved God directing the thoughts of the writers, so that they were precisely the thoughts that he wished expressed…At times these thoughts were very specific; at other times they were more general…We have concluded that inspiration was verbal, extending even to the choice of words…So a Scripture writer, given the circumstances we have described, could without dictation write God’s message just as God wanted it recorded.”

Thomas Aquinas, the early church Fathers, plus many Bible scholars today supported this view of inspiration. Lingering questions are, “Just how intensive was the inspiration provided by the Holy Spirit to the writers of Scripture? Was it an indirect influence, only giving hints and generalized thoughts or was it so pervasive that even the very choice of words accurately reflected God’s will and intentions?” M. Erickson, in his book Christian Theology, offers his perspective, “It is our contention that inspiration involved God directing the thoughts of the writers, so that they were precisely the thoughts that he wished expressed…At times these thoughts were very specific; at other times they were more general…Even so, no man is infallible and it is possible that minor differences occurred in Scripture, but these do not detract from the authenticity and reliability of the original manuscripts. Neither does it deny the diversity of writing styles among the authors of Scripture.” For additional study in comparing the unique writing styles of Gospel writers, I recommend reading the story of Jesus Christ healing a man with leprosy recorded by the synoptic Gospel writers (Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16).

It is significant to recognize that Jesus Christ held an elevated view of the reliability of Scripture. He announced:

• “Scripture cannot be set aside.” John 10:35
• “Sanctify them by the truth. Your word is truth.” John 17:17
• “He explained…all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Luke 24:27
• “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Matt. 24:35

In his book Christ’s View of Scripture, J. Wenham noted, “We see that Christ held the Old Testament to be historically true, completely authoritative, and divinely inspired…To Him, the God of the Old Testament was the living God, and the teaching of the Old Testament was the teaching of the living God…To Him, what Scripture said, God said.” In 1 Corinthians 14:36, Paul asked his critics this rhetorical question, “Did the word of God originate with you? Interestingly enough, it was the Apostle Peter who answered Paul’s question quite clearly, “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 human will, but the prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20). Again, God’s Spirit is present and active in Scripture’s creation.

What is Meant by the Inerrancy of Scripture?

According to M. Erickson, the Doctrine of Inerrancy can be explained in the following way:

• “Inerrancy is the doctrine that the Bible is fully truthful in all of its teachings.
• “Inerrancy means the Bible teaches the truth without any affirmation of error.”
• “Inerrancy, in a very real sense, is a part of the larger issue of infallibility which means that Scripture…adequately expresses God’s commands.

Erickson also makes an important distinction about the inerrancy of Scripture. He states, “The doctrine of inerrancy applies in the strict sense only to the originals…it did not extend to copyists and translators…Nonetheless, we must reaffirm that the copies and the translations are also the Word of God, to the degree that they preserve the original message.” ¹⁰

It is important to recall how Scripture describes itself. Proverbs. 30:5 declares, “Every word of God is flawless.” The Hebrew word “flawless” refers to that which is refined, tested, and proven true. Although, the Bible does not use the word inerrancy to describe itself, it displays all the qualities which are consistent with the Doctrine of Inerrancy. Notable Bible scholars have added, “Inspiration is inextricably linked to authority and inerrancy.” C. Hodge “The importance of the doctrine of inerrancy cannot be overstated…for a number of biblical and theological scholars…inspiration was synonymous with inerrancy.” P. Feinberg

Misconceptions About Inerrancy

As a first-year seminary student, I recalled feeling like I had been, theologically speaking, thrown into a den of lions! My most challenging class was Theology 1 taught by Dr. Robert Saucy, distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology at Talbot School of Theology. Initially, I felt overwhelmed and theologically, out of my league. I had to interface with older students, some experienced pastors and church leaders. Even so, I found Dr. Saucy’s teaching style enjoyable, for he successfully sought to make his classes challenging and interesting. This equated to a good amount of research, reading, discussing and debating various theological concepts, including the Inerrancy of Scripture.

Certainly, there has been a significant amount of confusion and misconceptions associated with inerrancy, it’s meaning and requirements. As a naïve seminarian, I would have greatly benefited from gleaning the helpful insights from esteemed Bible scholar P. Feinberg. In his section on The Meaning of Inerrancy, he discussed what inerrancy means and, most importantly, what it does not mean. Below are 10 of the most common misconceptions:

1. Inerrancy does not demand strict adherence to the rules of grammar. Using perfect grammar is notof vital importance. Example: Paul’s use of run-on sentences in his letters. See: Ephesians 1:18-23
2.  Inerrancy does not exclude the use either of figures of speech (like hyperbole or personification) or of a given literary genre. Example: David, who writes in the genres of poetry, history and prophecy in the Psalms, often used hyperbole and personification to make his point. See: Psalm 32:3-5
3. Inerrancy does not demand historical or semantic precision (exact dates, times, or wordings). Example: Moses’ age listed as being 3 months when he was placed in the Nile River. See: Genesis 2:1-2
4. Inerrancy does not demand the technical language of modern science. Example: David’s use of simple descriptions about the stars and heavens. See: Psalm 19:5-6
5. Inerrancy does not require verbal exactness in the citation of Old Testament passages quoted in the New Testament (translating from Hebrew to Greek can add to more difficult).Example: Paul does not use exact wordings in his letters. See: Gal. 4:27 compared to Isaiah 54:1
6. Inerrancy does not demand that the sayings of Jesus contain the exact words throughout each of the Gospel accounts. Example: Matthew’s account of the Lord’s prayer differs from Luke’s account in words and content covered, but not in substance and intent.See: Matthew 6:9-13 & Luke 11:2-4
7. Inerrancy does not guarantee the exhaustive comprehensive coverage of any single account or of combined accounts. Example: Mark’s accounts of Jesus baptism and temptation is much briefer and concise than that of the other Gospel writers. See: Mark 1:9-13 compared with Luke 4:1-13
8. Inerrancy does not demand the infallibility or inerrancy of non-inspired sources used by biblical writers. Example: Paul warning Titus to avoid the false and harsh teachings of some who were seeking to mislead the flock of believers. See: Titus 1:10-14
9. Inerrancy does not distinguish between the authoritative Word of God and the fallible opinions of its human authors. Example: Paul sharing his personal opinions on getting married or staying single. See: 1 Corinthians 7:12, 25, 39-40
10.  Inerrancy does not demand total recall of any given conversation or event but only that what is stated is true. Example: Paul admitting he’d forgotten some of the names of the people he had baptized. See: 1 Corinthians 1:14-17

Because of the Bible’s inherent qualities of inspiration and inerrancy, it makes perfect sense to believe in the infallibility of Scripture. It would seem plausible to think that most serious students of the Bible whom, after having reviewed the evidence, would come away with a positive verdict concerning the Bible’s reliability. Yet, in the court of theological justice, there still remains some who are unconvinced. Therefore, it is imperative that their objections be adequately addressed. For the sake of seeking to provide a more balanced approach to the issue, one more predictable question needs to be answered.

What are the Objections and Claims of Bible Critics?

As noted earlier, there will always be staunch critics of the Bible who claim the Bible has too many mythical stories and repeated mistakes to be inspired by God and inerrant. Not too surprisingly, these critics also cast doubt on the Bible’s historical legitimacy, scientific relevance and overall trustworthiness. Undoubtedly, these are important allegations that need to be addressed and countered.

Thus far, I have sought to present reasons and evidence demonstrating the Bible’s inherent reliability intended to help address and assuage some of the questions, doubts and claims that one might encounter or even still struggle with personally. Now is the time to specifically address some of the claims that arise from Bible criticism. Proponents of Higher Criticism have made some strong claims against the Bible which are discussed below. In spite of any claims or accusations made against the Bible’s reliability, I believe there is good reason to stand resolute in one’s convictions. I, for one, unapologetically affirm the Bible is the best God-given source for truth, wisdom, comfort and hope. Again, I am not alone.

Gleason Archer, in his book, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties makes this statement, “We must conclude that any events or facts related to Scripture – whether it pertains to doctrine, science, or history…is to be accepted by the Christian as totally reliable and trustworthy, no matter what modern scientists or philosophers may think of it.” ¹¹

It is incumbent upon Christians to know how to respond to the claims and questions proposed by Bible critics. First, the claim will be presented, along with examples, then a reasonable and rational response will be shared to offset each claim:

Claim #1. The Bible contains Scientific errors – The design of the universe and creation of man is called into question considering modern views of astronomy, evolution, and the geological fossil record. Example: Copernicus discovered that the earth revolves around the sun rather than the sun revolving around the earth, as implied using the terms “sunrise” and “sunset” in the Bible.

Response: P. Fienberg asserts, “One should not expect the writers of Scripture to use language of modern scientific empiricism…it was not their intention to provide scientific explanations for all things…for example, we often use the phrases, ‘the sun rises’ and ‘the sun sets.’ This is no way entails a theory of solar evolution…If there is a sense in which the “Scientific” language of Scripture is true, then the doctrine of inerrancy is not threatened.”

Example: The earth is described in the Bible as a “circle” or “sphere” (Isaiah 40:32), rather than being flat as some early scientists believed. The Hebrew word used in the verse is Khug and means sphericity or roundness. All these terms are scientifically correct.

Claim #2. The Bible contains Historical errors – There are discrepancies in the Bible concerning its recording of historical events leading to speculation that the Bible’s historical accounts are inaccurate. Example: Hezekiah’s reign as king is listed as occurring “In the third year of Hoshea” (2 Kings 18:1) even though Hezekiah’s father, Ahaz, was on the throne during that time, in 728 BC.

Response: “The third year of Hoshea was no later than 728 BC.  Apparently, Hezekiah was installed as Viceroy (co-regent) at the time, this was a frequent custom in Judah and his father Ahaz lived on until 725 BC, when Hezekiah became sole king.” G. Archer

Claim #3. The Bible contains Moral errors – The immoral acts of mankind are paraded throughout the Bible. Example: Numerous examples include Noah’s drunkenness, Lot’s incest, Tamar’s rape, Abraham’s lies, David’s adultery, Solomon’s polygamy, Jacob’s deceptions, and Samson’s prideful spirit and acts of revenge. All these moral failures calls into the question the ethics of the Bible and its basis for determining morality.

Response: Henry Thiessen, author of Lectures in Systematic Theology argues, “Practically all of the so-called errors in morals and religion are found in the Old Testament. But all difficulties along these lines disappear if we bear in mind the following: The sinful acts of men may be recorded but they are never sanctioned…Some evil acts appear to be sanctioned, but it is really the good intention or accompanying virtue that it is recognized, and not the evil act itself.” ¹²

Example: It is Rahab’s faith, not her lies  to her countrymen or Samson’s repentance, not his arrogance that should be emphasized. Unfortunately, in ancient biblical times, some things like divorce and polygamy were permitted and considered culturally acceptable. However, that all changed once Christ came into the world, for he did not hesitate to call sin for what it truly was, including the sins of lust, adultery, pride, and unfaithfulness. Jesus reminded his followers of God’s original plan and design for marriage (Matthew 19:3-9).

Claim # 4. The Bible contains Numerical or Grammatical errors – The Gospel writers and the Apostle Paul’s use of numbers are not consistent with the Old Testament reference cited. Example: Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10:8, states that 23,000 Jews died in the wilderness due to their sexual immorality. Yet, Numbers 25:9 indicates that the number was actually closer to 24,000 Jews who died that day.

Response: The use of numerical approximations in Bible passages was expected and accepted because it was a common practice during ancient Jewish times and cultures; as it is even in our culture today. For example, I have often given approximations to supporters of my short-term mission trips to Africa and South America. I would often give them an approximate amount of money still needing to be raised for the trip. Also, I would round off the number of days I would be away. Usually, these trips lasted 3-4 weeks when actually the trips could be as short as 17 days or as long as 25 days. Was I intentionally trying to confuse or mislead them? Of course not! Haven’t we all done the same when describing how long the fish was or how far the fairway drive went, or how much the dinner out cost?!? In similar fashion, Scripture often uses approximations rather than exact numbers. There is no actual conflict when the writers don’t provide exact numbers. Case in point, while there appears to be a disparity in the recorded number of Jews who died in the wilderness, it makes sense to use approximations, especially because both accounts employ totals rounded off to the thousandths. W. LaSor, in his article The Battle for the Bible remarks, “The alleged inaccuracies of the biblical text in regard to names, numbers, genealogies, and episodical details are of minor importance and hardly worth arguing about…I wonder what Jesus thinks of our battle over the lesser matters of Scripture.”

Finally, it should be noted that there is a huge distinction between questioning the validity of the original manuscripts and questioning the efficacy of the scribes who transcribed the original writings on to other parchment copies over the course of many years. Bible critics argue there is a problem with stating that only the original manuscripts are inerrant, since they no longer exist. Therefore, they suggest that it becomes impossible to verify if the original writings were without error as claimed. However, neither can it be verified that the original manuscripts contained errors. Below are responses by three well-respected Bible scholars responding to this supposed problem:

“To be sure, the concept that only the originals are inerrant can be seen as an evasion. (However) One might suggest that all seeming errors are merely coping errors; they were not present in the originals but crept in subsequently.” M. Erickson

“The seeming imperfection, errors, and contradictions usually disappear when we take into account the non-technical style of the writers.”  H. Thiessen

“Theories are man-made. Facts are of God. The Bible never contradicts facts, but it does contradict men’s theories…When interpretation conflicts with established facts then interpretation must yield…The Bible has stood this test, and it will stand through all ages with its claims unshaken and its teachings unimpaired.” M. Tenney

What are the Implications of the Bible’s Reliability

The implications of the Bible’s reliability should lead to us to ask some telling questions. “What difference does the Bible’s reliability make in my faith? How could it affect my way of thinking about God and Christ? Will it change the way I interact with unbelievers, doubters and seekers? Each question is worthy of personal reflection. Certainly, our degree of confidence or lack of it could have a positive or negative impact on one’s faith and one’s Christian walk. Below are three practical implications of believing in the Bible’s reliability:

• Take the words of Scripture seriously (Acts 17:11).
• Seek to correctly understand and interpret the teachings of Scripture (2 Tim. 2:15).
• Allow God’s Spirit to guide us in applying his word to our life (James 1:22-25).

Naturally, with God’s Word being inspired it is intended to be an Inspiration to us too! Tim Keller offers this admonition, “If you don’t trust the Bible enough to let it challenge and correct your thinking, how could you ever have a personal relationship with God? In any true relationship, the other person has to be able to contradict you…if not, they won’t have an intimate relationship.”

We have seen how Jesus Christ, the Old Testament Prophets, the Gospel writers and the early church Apostles were committed to the transforming power of God’s word. Each of them held a high view of Scripture and had full confidence in the words being spoken by God. In Paul’s farewell greetings to the Ephesian church leaders, he communicated to them the incredible value of God’s written word. Notice the passion and urgency of Paul’s comments to these faithful men, “For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God…Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Acts 20:27-28, 32

The Godly men were willing to stake their reputations and lives on the truthfulness and reliability of the Scriptures. Are we willing to make a stand for the Bible’s reliability even if it may mean facing ridicule and strong opposition? Hopefully, the Bible’s reliability demonstrated by its historical authenticity, it’s scientific veracity, its unique inspiration and inerrancy will enable a potential doubter to set aside perceived objections and to motivate all of us to stand firm in our faith. The Apostle Paul gave this strong word of caution and hope, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13).

I believe that M. Erickson offers a fitting conclusion to the truth of the Bible’s reliability and its implications for each of our lives. He declares, “In a world in which there are so many erroneous concepts and so many opinions, the Bible is a sure source of guidance…it can be fully relied upon in all it teaches. It is a sure, dependable, and trustworthy authority.”

It is my heart-felt desire and prayer that this chapter has served its intended purpose to increase our confidence in the Bible as a reliable source for ourselves with all its teachings and promises and will also enable us to boldly live out our faith in a way that we become beacons of light shining in our dark and lost world in desperate need of truth and guidance.

Bibliography of Resources: (in the order presented)

1. How Now Shall We Live? (1999). Charles Colsen, Tyndale House, Wheaton, IL

2. The Case for Faith (2000). Lee Strobel, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI

3. Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know (2005). Wayne Grudem, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI

4. The Reason for God (2008). Timothy Keller, Riverhead Books, New York,

5. Josephus, The Essential Writings (1988) Paul Mailer – Translator, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI

6. Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity (2014). Angelo Di Berardino Editor, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL

7. I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (2004). Norman L. Geisler, Crossway Books, Wheaton, IL

8. The Twilight of Evolution (1998). Henry M. Morris, ICR Publishing, El Cajon, CA

9. God, Revelation and Authority (1999). Carl F. H. Henry, Crossway Books, Wheaton, IL

10. Christian Theology (2013). Millard Erickson, Baker Books

11. Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties (2001). Gleason Archer, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI

12. Lectures in Systematic Theology (2006). Henry Thiessen, Eerdman’s Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI

APPENDIX: STANDING FIRM – Choosing Godliness in an Age of Compromise

PART 1. STANDING FIRM – Choosing Sound Doctrine in Our Faith

Chapter 1. Understanding the What, Why and How of Standing Firm

Exhortations for Timothy to Preserve Sound Doctrine

Paul used the term “truth” seven times in his first letter to Timothy. Additional reasons Paul gives to Timothy for teaching sound doctrine:

• Paul tells Timothy to select church leaders who are “able to teach” (3:2) and “keep hold ofthe truths of the faith” (3:9).
• Paul expects the leaders to “believe and…know the truth” (4:3).
• Paul encourages Timothy to seek to “be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truthof faith and the good teaching” provided by Paul (4:6).
• Paul commands Timothy, “train yourself to be godly which has value for…both the present life and the life to come (4:7-8).
• Paul warns Timothy to, “be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them… Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them. Because if you do, you will say both yourself and your hearers” (4:15-16).
• Paul urges Timothy to confront false teachers. “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instructionof our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching…I charge you to…guard what has been entrusted to your care…some have departed from the faith” (6:13-14, 21).

Exhortations for Titus to Preserve Sound Doctrine

Paul gives Titus further instructions as to how and why he needs to make sure the church leaders are preserving sound doctrine. He reminds them to…

• “hold firmly to the trustworthy message…encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it…rebellious people, full of deception” (1:8-10).
• “rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to…those who reject the truth” (1:13-14).
• “teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine…sound in the faith” (2:1-2).
• “show in your teaching integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech” (2:7-8).
• “make the teaching about God attractive…that you can be fully trusted…” (2:10)
• “be eager to do what is good….you are to teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority” (2:14-15).
• “stress these things so that those who have trusted God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good” (3:8).

Differences in the Inductive and Deductive Research Methods:

As one might deduce, the Inductive reasoning method aims to make specific observations (in this setting from the biblical passage) and then moves toward making broad generalizations. Biblically speaking, these broad generalizations refer to potential interpretations of the passage which, in turn, need to be tested against the “whole counsel” or teachings of Scripture as well as being affirmed by other scholarly sources, before drawing personal life applications. Deductive reasoning takes the opposite approach by beginning with an accepted and existing theory or belief then collect and analyze data to prove the hypothesis, which is quite similar to the scientific method. When interpreting Scripture, we don’t want to assume we already know the “correct” answer but go through the proper steps to confirm an accurate and reasonable conclusion.

Steps of the Inductive Bible Study Method

Kay Arthur’s book, How to Study the Bible – The Lasting Rewards of the Inductive Method is an excellent book and definitely a good source for someone seeking to know more about the Inductive Bible Study Method. Again, her book offers a helpful three-step approach to effective and accurate Bible study. The three steps are:

1. Observation – Discovering what the passage is saying!

2. Interpretation – Discovering what the passage actually means!

3. Application – Discovering how the passage applies to us personally!

Arthur does a good job in her book of detailing out these steps. However, to give you an overview of the Inductive Bible Study method, I have provided below a brief explanation of the three steps to this Method:

Step 1. Observation focuses on looking intently at the Bible passage you are studying or teaching. This involves reading and re-reading the passage several times in order to note repeated words, connecting themes and underlying principles. Popular Bible teacher and Pastor, John MacArthur would read the passage over 20 times before giving a sermon on it. I suggest that you not only read and re-read the passage but also its surrounding context (chapter before and after) in order to see the bigger picture.

Step 2. Interpretation focuses on searching out the true meaning and actual intent of the author in writing the passage. It involves using a number of biblical resources before drawing any conclusions, principles, moral lessons and applications. This step requires taking ample time and effort to arrive at an accurate interpretation of the passage at hand. To follow, after an explanation of the third step, Application, is a list of 8 strategic principles for effectively interpretating the Bible.

Step 3. Application focuses on personalizing the Bible study or sermon by seeking to provide practical applications and implications of God’s Word for our lives. This can be accomplished by presenting biblical principles, moral lessons and personal anecdotes drawn from and connected to the passage of Scripture being taught. One needs to ask themselves, “What is God wanting to teach me from this passage? What would it look like for me to actively implement these truths into my life?

The point is that sound doctrine needs to be lived out.We must also take to heart the words of Jesus in the parable of two houses. Jesus predicted, “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock…But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down…and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:24–27). Just prior to his parable, in verse 21, Jesus said these sobering words, “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father, who is in Heaven.”     

Correctly Interpreting Scripture

In his thought-provoking book, Conquering Bible Interpretation, Dade Ronan has a chapter entitled, General Principles of Interpretation. This chapter identifies eight basic principles to assist the serious Bible student in arriving at more accurate interpretations of the Bible’s enduring truths and message. The principles are…

• Principle 1. Interpret the Bible from the assumption that the Bible is authoritative. Why is the Bible the authority? Quite simply, because the Bible is God’s divine book. 2 Peter 1:19–20
• Principal 2. Interpret the Bible with the Bible itself; Scripture best explains Scripture. Matthew 13:18–19; 2 Peter 1:20-21
• Principal 3. Interpret personal experience in light of Scripture and not Scripture in light of personal experience. 2 Corinthians 11:14; 2 Peter 1:16-19
• Principal 4. Interpret the Bible as its primary purpose to change lives, not to just increase knowledge. Hebrews 4:12; 2 Tim. 3:15-16
• Principal 5. Interpret the Bible with each Christian having the right and responsibility to investigate and interpret the word of God. Acts 17:11; 2 Tim. 2:15
• Principal 6. Interpret the Bible in the customary (literary) usage of the biblical language. Rev. 20:6
• Principal 7. Interpret the Bible passage as having only one primary meaning. Mark 4:30-33
• Principal 8. Interpret the Bible when there is something to interpret. When Scripture is silent, we too should be silent. Mark 13:32-33

Avoiding Common Hermeneutical Errors

Regrettably, it is not uncommon to have Bible teachers guilty of making hermeneutical errors when it comes to the interpretation of Scripture. These errors are being made by both the novice Bible student and the more seasoned, experienced Pastor. Errors can be due to a variety taking ample time to properly study the passage, relying on the teachings of others, or assuming one’s own interpretation is the correct one. To help avoid these unfortunate errors in biblical interpretation, I have put together several mistakes to be aware of and avoid.

1. Taking a Bible verse or passage out of its surrounding context.

For example: Some have mistakenly drawn the conclusion that the phrase “by his wounds we are healed” found in Isaiah 53:6 is referring to, and promising, physical healing. In actuality, this passage is referring to one’s spiritual healing through Christ’s death on the cross. When considering the immediate context before and after verse 6, a different meaning becomes abundantly clear. By observing the surrounding verses, it becomes quite evident that they are referring to spiritual, not physical, sickness. Key phrases appear such as: “He took up our infirmities” (v. 4), “He was pierced for our transgressions…He was crushed for our iniquities…the punishment that brought us peace” (v. 5), “each has gone astray…turned to his own way…the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (v. 6) and “for the transgression of my people he was stricken” (v. 8). There is no mention here of God healing one’s limbs, body parts, or internal organs. Instead, he heals our crippled spirit.

Kay Arthur gives this warning, “Never take a Scripture out of its context to make it say something that is contrary to the text. Even if what you might say would be considered a blessing to that person; always handle the word objectively…Blessings will be based on truth, not error. Discover what the author is saying – remembering that the ultimate author is God – and do not add to his meaning. When you know, God’s Word thoroughly, you will not accept a teaching simply because someone has used one or two isolated versus to support that teaching. Those verses could have been taken out of context, or other important passages might have been overlooked or ignored – passages that might have led to a different understanding.”

2. Presuming to know the meaning and original intent of the author.

For example: 1 Corinthians 7:9 declares, “But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry than to burn.” Some mistakenly think this passage is saying they will burn “in hell.” Rather, the verse indicates that a person may “burn” with passion, lust or desire. A simple observation of the context of the passage and/or an examination of the meaning of the word would easily prove otherwise.

3. Assuming that one’s own ideas or the teachings of others are correct.

For example: A student leader of a college Bible study group I attended, promised that if we prayed for a loved one or a friend’s salvation, God would answer that prayer. The student leader used two passages to support his contention. He mentioned 1 John 5:14 which states, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything, according to his will, he hears us.”  He then incorrectly used 1 Timothy 2:4 as a proof-text for his view implying that since it is God’s will for everyone to be saved, God is obliged to answer those prayers. However, the word “will” used in his KJV translation is actually translated as “desires, wants, wishes or longs for” in other translations. In fact, there are distinctly different Greek words being used in the two passages. In 1 John 5:14 the word is thelema which refers to God’s decree, choice or determination. While the word in 1 Timothy 2:4 is boulomai which refers to God’s kind disposition, willingness or desired intent. Yes, God does desire that everyone would come to him in saving faith because he is loving, gracious and merciful. But this desire does not mean that God has decreed or predetermined that all people will be saved.

4. Not considering the diverse meanings of words in the original languages.

For example: In the Old Testament the word “fear” in Hebrew is yare which can have two very different meanings. The word fear can refer to “an anticipation of harm, danger or sense of dread.” This usage of the word is found in Deuteronomy 2:25, “This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear (yare) of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble and be in anguish.” However, the same word can have a positive meaning such as to “be in awe, to revere and worship” God.  This usage of the word is found in Proverbs 1:7 which states, “The fear (yare) of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” Obviously, the meaning and interpretation of the same word for fear used in these passages are diametrically opposed and, therefore, should be determined by considering the context of the passage in which the word is used.

In the New Testament there are several Greek words used to represent the idea of love compared to only one word for love in the English language. The Greek language describes love by using the word agape (God’s unconditional love), Phileo (love among friends), eros (a sensual love or passion) and storge (love for family members). Certainly, the varied Greek words for love can indelibly impact the meaning and significance of its usage in a passage. A perfect example of two different Greek words being used for love within the same verse is found in John 21:17. In this verse, Jesus asks Peter a third time, “Do you agape me? Peter replied, “Lord, you know all things. You know that I phileo you.” Wow! What a contrast and important delineation to note when seeking to understand the true and accurate meaning of this verse. How wonderful it is to know that, even if all we have to offer to God is a phileo (friendly) type of love, he still loves us with an agape type of love that is unconditional, fully devoted, always loyal and unchanging.

Chapter 2. Obstacles to Standing Firm (Part 1) Overcoming False Views of Truth

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Chapter 3. Obstacles to Standing Firm (Part 2) Questioning the Reliability of the Bible

Additional Support: Reason 2. Scripture is supported by Archeological findings!

Below are additional archeological findings which serve to further strengthen the historical reliability of the Bible:

• The Pool of Siloam (John 9:6) was where Jesus sent a blind man to wash and left seeing. The exact location of the pool was discovered around 2004.
• The Inscription of Erastus (Romans 16:13) who was the City Director in Corinth. In 1929, his signature was found near the city’s theater. It read, “Erastus laid (this pavement) at his own expense.”
• The Nazareth Inscription (Matthew 27:36) is also known as the edict of Caesar, during the reign of Claudias (41-54 AD). It was discovered in 1878 but not published until 1930. The inscription warned, “It imposes a death penalty in Israel for anyone caught moving bodies from sealed tombs, such as the one Jesus was buried in.” Resource used: biblearcheology.org and bibleplaces.com websites

Additional Support: Reason 3. Scripture stands up to Literary criticism!

For another important criterion associated with accurate literary criticism, please refer to Chapter 3 in the APPENDIX. It involves observing the amount of time that transpired between the date of the original manuscript and the date when the first copies became available. The point being, the shorter the time gap between the original manuscript and its first known copies, the better its legitimacy, less time equates to less chance of additions, detractions or any other scribal interference. Consider the various manuscripts in the chart below:

Original Manuscript Type and Date(s) written	Years between Original manuscript and first copy	Numerical comparison of the Bible with other writings
Manuscript of Homer’s Iliad  (800 – 750 BC)	First copies found about 500 years later	First copies appeared 400 years earlier than Homer’s
Manuscripts of Plato’s works (397 BC – 347 BC)	First copies found about 900 years later	First copies appeared 800 years earlier than Plato’s
Manuscript of Caesar’s Gallic wars (58 – 50 BC)	First copies found about 1,000 years later	First copies appeared 850 years earlier than Caesar’s
Manuscripts of the Gospels (50 – 60 AD)	First copies found in Egypt about 90-100 years later	Gospels written only 20-40 years after Christ’s death

Not only is there an obvious discrepancy in the number of copies of biblical manuscripts available, but also the much shorter time gap between the original manuscripts of the first known copies. Remarkably, the much larger time gap between the original manuscripts and the first copies indicating a lower degree of literary credibility for the other historical figures noted, apparently doesn’t seem to matter. One would think that literary critics, for the sake of honesty and professionalism, while using their own accepted criteria, would give the Bible its due literary reliability as has been clearly shown in the chart above.