Biblical Inerrancy : The Evidence -  Part 2
by Dr John Ankerberg and Dr. John Weldon

In this important section we will briefly show the following:

a. the inspired Old Testament teaches inerrancy,

b. Jesus Himself, God’s own Son, teaches inerrancy in the Gospels,

c. the rest of the inspired New Testament teaches inerrancy, and

d. in confirmation we will observe that the Church recognized this biblical attestation and taught inerrancy for eighteen centuries until the rise of rationalism and higher criticism corrupted the church from within.

The burden of proof is upon those who assert the Bible does not teach inerrancy to prove their thesis. This they have not done.

Clark Pinnock observes that, "In every defense of biblical inerrancy it is maintained that the notion is scriptural, that is, a concept taught by Jesus and the apostles...[but] we are forced to ask whether it is really scriptural or simply an inference drawn by godly minds."²  The answer to this question should be decided by every believer on the basis of Scripture and nothing else. God, of course, not man, is the most competent authority on His own revelation. In brief fashion we will cite relevant Scriptures (NASB) under specific categories to show that the Bible does indeed teach inerrancy. The declarations of each category directly or indirectly imply or teach inerrancy. The implications of such a conclusion virtually force us to adopt a belief in inerrancy. For example, if God’s Word is errant and eternal, then it is eternally in error.

1. Isa. 40:8—The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.

2. Ps. 119:89—Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.

3. Ps. 138:2—I will bow down toward Thy holy temple, and give thanks to Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth; For Thou has magnified Thy word according to all Thy name.

1. Prov. 30:5, 6—Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar.

2. Ps. 12:6—The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.

3. Ps. 18:30—As for God, His way is blameless; the word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

4. Ps. 19:7, 9—The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul… The judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether.

1. Ps. 119:43, 142, 151, 160—The word of truth… Thy law is truth… all Thy commandments are truth… the sum of Thy word is truth and every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting.

1. Ps. 105:42—For He remembered His holy word with Abraham His servant.

2. Ps. 119:123—My eyes fail with longing for Thy salvation and for Thy righteous word.

3. Ps. 119:140—Thy word is very pure, therefore Thy servant loves it.

1. Jer. 33:14—…I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken….

1. Isa. 59:21—"And as for Me, this is My covenant with them," says the Lord. "My Spirit which is upon you and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring" says the Lord, "from now and forever."

1. Matt. 24:35—Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away.

1. Matt. 5:18—For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished.

2. John 5:47—But if you do not believe his [Moses] writings, how will you believe My words?

3. John 10:35—…the Scripture cannot be broken….

4. John 12:49-50—For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me commandment, what to say, and what to speak. And I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.

5. John 17:8—…the words which Thou gavest Me, I have given them….

6. Luke 16:17—But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.

1. John 17:17—Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is Truth.

1. John 7:16—My teaching is not Mine but His who sent Me. (cf. 12:49-50)

1. Matt 4:4—But he answered and said, "It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

1. 1 Pet. 1:25—But the Word of the Lord abides forever and this is the word which was preached to you.

1. 2 Tim. 3:16-17—All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.³

2. 2 Peter 1:21—…no prophecy [of Scripture] was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

3. 2 Peter 3:2; 15-16—I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles…. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. [This shows the inspiration of the New Testament.]

1. Heb. 4:12—…for the word of God is living and active… (cf. Acts 7:38)

2. 1 Peter 1:23—…for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.

1. 2 Tim. 2:15—Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.

1. 1 Thess. 2:13—And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

2. 1 Thess. 4:8—…he who rejects this [instruction] is not rejecting man, but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

1. Tim. 3:15—…from childhood you have known the sacred writings...

1. Rev. 22:18-19—I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book; if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the prophecy of this book, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city which are written in this book.

2. 1 Cor. 2:12-13—Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God,... in those [words] taught by the Spirit (See v. 14)

3. Rom. 3:2—…they have been entrusted with the very words (Gk: logia) of God. (Rom. 3:2 NIV)

Collectively taken, we think the above verses teach the doctrine of inerrancy. In fact, we can’t see the possibility of any other conclusion.

Although a great deal could be said about each of the above listed Scriptures (and there are scores of others), let us simply ask some plain questions of them. Is it proper to call errant writings "holy"? How is inspiration divine if it merely guarantees the presence of truth and error—is it not then human, and, like every other book, to be treated like every other book? If we answer "no" by appealing to its unique theological content, how do we know such content is true? If God’s Word is eternal, are we content with a certain amount of eternal error? What did God mean when He called His word "perfect," "true," "righteous," "good," "trustworthy," and "pure?" Is perfection really imperfection or truth really error or good really the not good or the trustworthy in fact the doubtful or the pure actually impure? E. J. Young observes:

(to be continued)