Friday, November 09, 2007
For many the idea of the inerrancy of Scripture is either unimportant, or is language that is man-made and outside of Biblical warrant. The contention is that because the Bible never says explicitly that it is without error is to place on it a man made burden that was not intended.
Those who are Baptist often say that we have traditionally held to the belief that Scripture is "sacred and authoritative", but not inerrant. Anymore than that is to try to force our own ideology and perform an isogetical set of hoops to use to judge others by.
But let's see if this is something that is a recent belief, or is it a historical baptist view of Scripture?
Here is part of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 as it pertains to Scripture. And ask if this is a high view of it or not.
Paragraph 4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, depends not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the author thereof; therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God.7 7 2 Pet. 1:19-21; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 John 5:9
Paragraph 5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church of God to a high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it does abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.8 8 John 16:13,14; 1 Cor. 2:10-12; 1 John 2:20,27
(emphasis mine)http://www.1689.com/Confession/confession.html
Here is our question. Did the authors of the LBCF 1689, believe that the Scripture was "inerrant"? I would say, Yes. Why? It is obivious in reading in the entirety that they knew that the author of the Scripture to be God. It is His revelation, specifically, to man that He chose to write down. If it belongs to God, written by God, preserved by God, then to say that it contained an error would be tantamount to saying God was either unable to communicate through His instrument, or that He was unaware of the mistake and thereby not all knowing...and could not be God.
Let's look at the Baptist Faith and Message of 1925.
1. THE SCRIPTURES We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us; and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and religious opinion should be tried. (emphasis mine)
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/1925bfam.htm
For brevity, let's look also at the Baptist Faith and Message 1963.
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is the record of God�s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. It reveals the principles by which God judges us; and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ. (emphasis mine) http://www.baptiststart.com/print/1963_baptist_faith_message.html
Now the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.
I. The Scriptures
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
(emphasis mine) http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp
Opponents of inerrancy will say that the terminology of inerrancy is not biblical nor is it used in baptist life prior to the 1980s. However, while the terminology, or word inerrant, may not have been linguistically in our vocabulary, the idea has been. The phrase "without any mixture of error" canotes the same meaning, just said a different way.
Why is this so important? Because if we lose the surity of the Scripture, that God is it's author, and it is the special revelation of Himself, as truth, we lose the assurance that God Himself is who He says He is and that His Son is who He is. In other words, the great "I am" becomes just "another", that is not truth.
If we as Baptist are not careful, we will find ourselves sliding down a slope by disregarding our history. Just look at other denominations for confirmation of that.
Dr. Mohler has an exellent article on one who is dealing with what Texas Baptist could be addressing in it's future if care is not taken.
http://www.albertmohler.com/blog.php
Soli Deo Gloria
Those who are Baptist often say that we have traditionally held to the belief that Scripture is "sacred and authoritative", but not inerrant. Anymore than that is to try to force our own ideology and perform an isogetical set of hoops to use to judge others by.
But let's see if this is something that is a recent belief, or is it a historical baptist view of Scripture?
Here is part of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 as it pertains to Scripture. And ask if this is a high view of it or not.
Paragraph 4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, depends not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the author thereof; therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God.7 7 2 Pet. 1:19-21; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 John 5:9
Paragraph 5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church of God to a high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it does abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.8 8 John 16:13,14; 1 Cor. 2:10-12; 1 John 2:20,27
(emphasis mine)http://www.1689.com/Confession/confession.html
Here is our question. Did the authors of the LBCF 1689, believe that the Scripture was "inerrant"? I would say, Yes. Why? It is obivious in reading in the entirety that they knew that the author of the Scripture to be God. It is His revelation, specifically, to man that He chose to write down. If it belongs to God, written by God, preserved by God, then to say that it contained an error would be tantamount to saying God was either unable to communicate through His instrument, or that He was unaware of the mistake and thereby not all knowing...and could not be God.
Let's look at the Baptist Faith and Message of 1925.
1. THE SCRIPTURES We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us; and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and religious opinion should be tried. (emphasis mine)
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/1925bfam.htm
For brevity, let's look also at the Baptist Faith and Message 1963.
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is the record of God�s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. It reveals the principles by which God judges us; and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ. (emphasis mine) http://www.baptiststart.com/print/1963_baptist_faith_message.html
Now the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.
I. The Scriptures
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
(emphasis mine) http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp
Opponents of inerrancy will say that the terminology of inerrancy is not biblical nor is it used in baptist life prior to the 1980s. However, while the terminology, or word inerrant, may not have been linguistically in our vocabulary, the idea has been. The phrase "without any mixture of error" canotes the same meaning, just said a different way.
Why is this so important? Because if we lose the surity of the Scripture, that God is it's author, and it is the special revelation of Himself, as truth, we lose the assurance that God Himself is who He says He is and that His Son is who He is. In other words, the great "I am" becomes just "another", that is not truth.
If we as Baptist are not careful, we will find ourselves sliding down a slope by disregarding our history. Just look at other denominations for confirmation of that.
Dr. Mohler has an exellent article on one who is dealing with what Texas Baptist could be addressing in it's future if care is not taken.
http://www.albertmohler.com/blog.php
Soli Deo Gloria
I think the problem with the "Doctrine of Inerrancy" has developed as a result of the tendency of some "inerrantists" to place their own interpretations of scripture alongside the doctrine itself, and include those as part of the doctrine itself. That's where Baptists have drawn the line.
Personally, I think the Bible writers own descriptions of the authority and inspiration under which they wrote is more than adequate to define the contents of the Bible as absolute truth. "God-breathed," and "..men wrote as they were carried along by the Spirit," pretty much says it all.
It is unfortunate that, in their use of the doctrine as a political tool to gain control of the SBC, and in attempts to gain control of the BGCT, those who advocated for inerrancy often ignored the clear teachings of scripture in the way they conducted themselves and in some of the things they did. In that, they were just as wrong as those who sidestepped the authority of the scripture to do as they pleased.
I pray that God will bless the ministry of your church.