Writing about Session: 8 The Inerrancy of Scripture, Nathan Smock shares his thoughts about how the Bible is true.
It’s a little ironic how the post modern mindset of unknowable truth is at such odds with the assertion of the inerrancy of scripture. One would think the pessimism and despair, so equated with the post modern, would rather drive them to a desire to embrace the truth of inerrancy with a fervency that would cause envy in the hearts of mature Christians. But such is the depravity of sin.
Similarly, within much of the church, it seems the necessity for inerrancy no longer exists. With the pervasive acceptance of relativism, ultimate truth is no longer the goal, but blind universalism. If the topic of inerrancy is broached it is nervously dismissed as yet another unknowable individualized option to the increasingly vague idea of salvation and the works required to obtain it.
I think at this point I should back up a bit. (Notice I said “think” and not feel.) We should perhaps for the sake of this paper and meaningful one sided discussion, create a working definition for inerrancy. The text from which I am studying, and for which this paper is being written, would define inerrancy as thus:
“Scripture in its original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact.” ~Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology
Grudem will go on to point out this definition does not mean the Bible holds all facts on every subject, but simply what it does say is true. In the light of this definition, we are forced to acknowledge that our opinions and our feelings do not matter, as that which is fact is inseparably tied to that which is reality. Reality is a universal state of existence not dependent upon the individual interpretation of events or data. This is particularly vexing to the post modern who would prefer license to either accept or reject truth as they see fit.
Never mind for the moment the very self defeating logic upon which the rejection of inerrancy stands (remember, inerrancy is the claim of ultimate truth and to the post modernist that’s not allowed), but for those adherents willing to reject Biblical truth on fundamental topics, such as God’s created universe and therefore His corresponding laws, you don’t often see post modernist rejecting physics by jumping off a cliff in their pursuit to fly.
As I close, it should be noted, while the inerrancy of scripture is attested to within the scripture itself, and the failure of that inerrancy would ultimately lead to the demise of scriptural reliability, it is by the grace of God that initial adherence to the concept is not only unnecessary but impossible without the presence of the Holy Spirit for salvation. Moving forward, one need not abandon the intellect that was given by God as a means to draw us to Him. Rather to be embraced, allow it to drive us deeper into the truth found in scripture. As God’s reality becomes more apparent through diligent study and trial, we will be equipped all the more that we might perform the good works He has laid out for us in advance.
Nathan Smock