Page 318 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

INSPIRATION

accurate, the editor of Foundation magazine makes the church historically’ (Schaeffer, The Great Evangelical
following important comments: Disaster, p. 56). The use of these words will, no doubt,
“It is absolutely unbelievable that so many ‘evangelical’ save the jobs of many SBC seminary professors. A recent
scholars can claim to believe in the infallibility of the article in SBC Today describes at least six different
Bible but reject its inerrancy. But, that is exactly what current usages of the word inerrancy: critical inerrancy,
is happening and God’s people need to be alerted. It limited inerrancy, qualified inerrancy, nuanced
used to be that when a person said they believed the inerrancy, functional inerrancy, and absolute inerrancy.
Scriptures were infallible, it was not necessary to add Only the last one is the orthodox view, but liberals often
the word ‘inerrant’ since ‘infallibility’ was taken to do not explain their own use of the word (Beale, “The
imply ‘inerrancy.’ Today’s evangelical ‘scholars’ have Southern Baptist Convention’s Ongoing Battle,” The
already given us several new Bibles. Are they now
going to rewrite our English dictionaries? We decided Baptist Bulletin, Sept. 1986).
to examine the dictionary meaning of the words Friends, beware of this type of deception. It is being
‘infallible’ and ‘inerrant.’ This is what we discovered. practiced widely in Christian circles. Do not be deceived
According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, Second by the “good words and fair speeches” of heretics (Ro.
College Edition, inerrant means ‘not wandering, fixed, 16:17-18). Contrast man’s thinking about Bible
not erring; making no mistakes; infallible.’ Please note inspiration with the following study of what the Bible
that one of the definitions given for ‘inerrant’ is itself claims as to its inspiration:
‘infallible.’ The word infallible is defined as follows: ‘1.
incapable of error; never wrong; 2. not liable to fail, go The Claim of Inspiration
wrong, make a mistake, etc.; dependable; reliable; Thousands of times in Scripture we find the claim
sure.’ Actually, then, ‘infallible’ (incapable of error) is that God is the author. Phrases such as “thus saith the
an even stronger word than ‘inerrant.’ It is clear that Lord” and “the word of God” permeate the Bible. By my
many scholars are trying to cover up their unbelief by own count, these phrases are used 1787 times in the
ignoring the clear meaning of words—especially words Old Testament exclusive of the Psalms. Consider Exodus
involved in major Christian doctrines. These men need 34:27; 2 Samuel 23:2; Isaiah 1:2; Jeremiah 1:7, 9;
to be exposed. For our part, we are happy to say that
we believe in both the inerrancy and infallibility of Ezekiel 2:7; Matthew 12:36; Luke 1:70; Acts 3:21.
God’s Holy Word, the Bible!” (Foundation, Nov.-Dec. If the Bible is not the Word of God, it is the greatest
1980, p. 19). lie that has ever been perpetrated upon humanity.
Dr. David O. Beale, in writing of the doctrinal battles The Extent of Inspiration
which are raging in the Southern Baptist Convention, 2 Timothy 3:13-17 — Note that these verses were
speaks of the deceptiveness of those who use the term written by the apostle Paul. He was chosen by God to
“infallible Bible” apart from a historical definition of reveal divine truths (Ep. 3; Ga. 1). If we cannot trust
such: this man’s writings, we can trust no man’s. Personally, I
The doctrinal guideline for the [Southern Baptist] had much rather trust Paul’s testimony than that of
Peace Committee is the Baptist Faith and Message, a some modern, critical-thinking, miracle-denying liberal,
statement of faith adopted by the SBC in 1925 and or some compromising liberally-influenced evangelical.
revised in 1963. Article one of the statement says that Paul was utterly dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ and
the Bible HAS truth, without any mixture of error.’ suffered constant persecution and hardship because of
Fundamentalists, to the contrary, have always his faith. He was personally called by Christ to be an
maintained that the Bible IS ‘truth, without any mixture Apostle and he had the signs of an Apostle (2 Co.
of error.’ One can readily see that the Baptist Faith and 12:12). Let us see what the Apostle Paul testified
Message is actually a protector of liberals, who would of concerning the nature of the Bible:
course agree that truth has no mixture of error. That is a Consider some lessons from this passage: (1) The
far cry from asserting the Bible is totally and absolutely Bible is “holy.” This means “set apart, different.” The
inerrant. Much more significant, however, is the fact Bible is different from other books. (2) The Bible is from
that liberals are being acknowledged as conservatives, God (v. 16). Though written by men, the Bible is a
simply because they use the word ‘inerrant’ to describe product of God. It is “God breathed.” (3) The Bible is
the Bible. Actually, they are using what Francis A. from God in its entirety (v. 16). All of the Scripture is
Schaeffer called ‘a new loophole.’ They readily use the said to have come from God. The word for Scripture
word inerrancy, but they do not define the word in its here, graphe, is a word meaning “writing” or “book.”
historic, orthodox sense. Says Schaeffer, ‘There are those This is referred to as “plenary inspiration.” Plenary
within evangelicalism who are quite happy to use the means full, complete, entire. (4) The Bible is from God
words “infallibility,” “inerrancy,” and “without error,” but in its smallest detail (v. 15). The word for Scripture here
upon careful analysis they really mean something quite is gramma, referring to a letter. This teaches that even
different from what these words have meant to the

318 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity