DEFENSE OF BIBLICAL INERRANCY

AN

ASSIGNMENT

BY

SAMUEL GIDEON STEPHEN

MATRIC NO.: 07892

SUBMITTED

TO
REV. AMODU A.M.

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE:

THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION

COURSE CODE: MDT 511

ECWA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, IGBAJA

OCTOBER, 2017

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 Table of Contents

Introduction

The Concept of Inerrancy

Inerrancy and the Bibles Testimony to Itself: The Bible Doesnt Contain Err

Inerrancy and Original Manuscripts

Conclusion

Bibliography

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Introduction

The truthfulness of the Bible has come into question from many even those who call
themselves Christians. We believe the Bible is completely truth in everything it teaches. It
accomplishes its purpose without failure, it does so without communicating erroneously. If the
belief in the inerrancy of Scripture is in anyway denied or limited, then the necessary result is a
damage to the authority of God and His Word. Some literalist or conservative Christians teach
that the Bible lacks error in every way in all matters: chronology, history, biology, sociology,
psychology, politics, physics, math, art, and so on.1 Other Christians believe that the scriptures
are always right (do not err) only in fulfilling their primary purpose: revealing God, God's vision,
God's purposes, and God's good news to humanity.2 This paper presentation is a panacea to
remedy the misbelieve that some Christians and non-Christians have on the inerrancy of the
scripture.

The Concept of Inerrancy

The word inerrancy is formed from the word inerrant, from the Latin inerrntem. It is
defined as "That which does not err; free from error; unerring." By the term inerrancy we mean
that God superintended the human authors of the Bible so that using their own individual
personalities, they composed and recorded without error His revelation to man in the words of
the original manuscripts.3 Biblical inerrancy, as formulated in the "Chicago Statement on
Biblical Inerrancy", is the doctrine that the Protestant Bible "is without error or fault in all its
teaching";4 that "Scripture does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact".5

1
Norman Geisler, A General Introduction to the Bible (Chicago: Moody Press, 1986), 5.
2
Robinson B.A., Inerrancy: Is the Bible free of error? (Ontario: Ontario Consultant, 2008).
3
Richard Bube, The Encounter Between Christianity and Science (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 1968).
4
Geisler N.L. Defending Inerrancy: Affirming the Accuracy of Scripture for a New Generation (Baker
Books, 2012).
5
McCann, Vincent. The Bible: Inerrant and Infallible? (Spotlight Ministries, 2001).

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 Inerrancy is the view that when all the facts become known, they will demonstrate that
the Bible is entirely true and never false in all it affirms, whether that relates to doctrine
or ethics or to the social, physical, or life sciences.6

Inerrancy and the Bibles Testimony to Itself: The Bible Doesnt Contain Err

The first point to be made is that the Bible consistently and relentlessly claims to be
nothing less than the perfect Word of the perfect God who breathed its very words (2 Tim. 3:16).
The Bible specifically claims to be the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). As Gods Word, the
Scripture carries divine authority. It is called the Word of God because it proceeds from Gods
mouth (Matthew 4:4), meaning He is the Originator of the words. If God cannot err and if the
Bible is Gods Word, then the Bible cannot contain errors. Jesus specifically states that, your
word is truth. (John 17:17, NIV). Lying is a product of man, not God (Romans 3:4). If anything
God says is in error then He is either not completely holy or not completely knowledgeable.
Peter makes this assertion clear: Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture
came about by prophets own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the
human will, but prophets, through human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the
Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21, NIV).

Inerrancy and Original Manuscripts

There are some arguments/assertions that inerrancy only applies to the original
manuscripts.7 At this point, readers will perceive a major problem. Evangelical theologians
readily admit that none of the original autographs still exist. Therefore, if inerrancy applies only
to the originals, it is a doctrine of no practical consequence. Since the originals have long been
lost and since inerrancy only applies to the autographs, we no longer possess an inerrant copy of
Gods inspired word. Before proceeding any further, it is important to firmly establish the nearly
universal agreement amongst evangelical scholars on this issue. Carson recognizes that many
view the doctrines of inerrancy and inspiration as of only theoretical consequence if they only

6
Walter A. Elwell, Inerrancy in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology 2nd Edition, (Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Books, 2001), 156-157.
7
Klein Ralph S., Textual Criticism of the Old Testament: The Septuagint after Qumran. Guides to Biblical
Scholarship Old Testament Series 4. (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1974).

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apply to the original autographs. He struggles to defend the importance of these doctrines, given
their application only to items that no longer exist:

Since we do not possess any original manuscripts of the Bible, and since inerrancy is
related to those originals only, the doctrine of inerrancy is only a theoretical one and
therefore nonessential.8
If the Bible is the Word of God but is not completely true, it must be either because God
was deliberately lying or because He was ignorant of the facts. Neither of these alternatives is
acceptable to the Christian. Deceit and ignorance are not characteristics of God. To associate
such attributes with His Word would be equally devastating. Thus Archer states:

The original manuscripts of the Biblical books must have been free from all mistakes, or
else they could not have been truly inspired by the God of truth in whom is no darkness at
all. God could never have inspired a human author of Scripture to write anything
erroneous or false.9
Pinnock correctly observes that the very existence of revealed truth calls for the creation
of an infallible Scripture to preserve and conserve it. It is inspiration assures us that the truth we
possess is valid, having been effectively communicated to us by God.10 In the brief words of
Packer, "If the words were not wholly Gods, then their teaching would not be wholly God's."11

Conclusion

Some Christians have devalued the truthfulness of the Bible because they believe that it is
not essential to the commission to preach the gospel of Christ. If you lose this fundamental
doctrine, you place all other doctrines in jeopardy. God can allow error, but He cannot produce
error. Since God inspired the Bible, it cannot contain error. If Christ can be human and without
flaw, then the Bible can be human and without flaw. It is possible for men to communicate
truthfully. God worked through man to communicate His inspired truth in the Bible without
error.

8
Carson D. A., Scripture and Truth (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983).
9
Gleason L. Archer, A Survey of Old Testament Introduction (Chicago, illinois: Moody Press, 1964), 17.
10
Clark H. Pinnock, A Defense of Biblical Infallibility. (Philadelphia, Pa.: Presbyterian & Reformed
Publishing Co., 1967), p. 17.
11
J. 1. Packe, Fundamentalism and the Word of God (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William Publishing Co.,
1958). 105.

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Bibliography

Archer, Gleason L. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, Chicago, illinois: Moody Press,
1964.

B.A., Robinson Inerrancy: Is the Bible free of error? Ontario: Ontario Consultant, 2008.

Bube, Richard The Encounter Between Christianity and Science, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans
Publishing Co., 1968.

Carson D. A., Scripture and Truth. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983.

Geisler N.L. Defending Inerrancy: Affirming the Accuracy of Scripture for a New Generation,
Baker Books, 2012

McCann, Vincent. The Bible: Inerrant and Infallible? Spotlight Ministries, 2001.

Norman Geisler, A General Introduction to the Bible, Chicago: Moody Press, 1986.

Packe, J. 1. Fundamentalism and the Word of God, Grand Rapids, Michigan: William Publishing
Co., 1958.

Pinnock, Clark H. A Defense of Biblical Infallibility, Philadelphia, Pa.: Presbyterian & Reformed
Publishing Co., 1967.

S., Klein Ralph Textual Criticism of the Old Testament: The Septuagint after Qumran. Guides to
Biblical Scholarship Old Testament Series 4, Philadelphia: Fortress, 1974.

Walter A. Elwell, Inerrancy in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology 2nd Edition, Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker Books, 2001.