...Bibliology: Inspiration and Inerrancy of the Bible Dana Peebles THEO 201: THEOLOGY SURVEY 1 Writing Style: APA Professor Gaston July 5, 2014 Well, hello there. I am so glad you asked me why in the world I would be studying the Bible, and how can I possibly consider it to be authoritative. I must say, that when I first started reading it I found that I had more questions than answers and really wasn’t sure of its authenticity myself. However, what I found was that within the pages of the Bible, came forth the very answers I was looking for. For so long, I found scripture confusing and contradictive. But then, I read that “God is not the author of confusion, but a God of peace.” (1 Corinthians 14:33) With that being said, I would love to discuss further with you what it is that I understand the Bible to be. The Bible is an extraordinary book, and it makes some pretty impressive statements. It records details of creation, life, moral laws of God, the history of man’s rebellion against God, and the proclamation of God’s redemption for those who trust and believe in Him. Also, the Bible is God’s revelation to us. If we are feeling lost, it gives us hope for how we should live, why we exist, what happens when we die, and what our meaning and purpose is in life. When you think of the word “authoritative,” it can have several different meanings. The most common one I believe is the fact that we are not in control, and that means we are usually submissive to people...
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...The Arguments For And Against The Inerrancy of The Bible D’Angela Carr Liberty University Professor Long Theology 201 The Arguments For And Against The Inerrancy of The Bible The Bible is a collection of writings which consist of sixty six books. These books are divided into two parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. Testament refers to the covenant between God and his people. 39 of the books are the Old Testament and 27 of them are the New Testament. The Bible also has multiple authors that composed their writings in different time frames. It took over 1500 hundred years to put the final writings together to compose what we know as the finished Bible. The Bible is one of the oldest religious text that date back over 3000 years ago. Around 1450 BC Moses authored the first five books of the Bible, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Leviticus. These first five books are called the Torah or Pentateuch. Around 95 AD, John authored Revelation which is the last book of the Bible. Approximately 1,545 years passed between the first writings and the last. The validity or inerrancy of the Bible is expressed by its ability to withstand the test of time, hold up to extreme scrutiny and ability to predict the future. Test of time Unlike other books or authoritative texts the Bible has multiple authors that wrote in different eras but maintained a continuous theme. Moses and Isaiah both prophesied the coming of the Messiah and were both dead before...
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...Essay on Bibliology: Inspiration and Inerrancy of the Bible I n today’s society many people question the authority and inerrancy of the Bible. They want concrete proof of the inerrancy of the Bible and they question the inspiration and ability of the writers. When we say the Bible has authority, we must also show where the authority comes from. “Authority is the right and power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, determine or judge”. Many people do not understand how much authority a book written thousands of years ago actually commands. The authority comes from God because the Bible is the Word of God. “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” We know God is truth and the Bible is His word. This knowledge leads us to conclude that the Bible is authoritative and true. The Bible is the inspired Word of God given to the writers of the scripture. “The content of the Bible teaches that it was given by the process of inspiration of God so that the words were God’s Word and that they are accurate and reliable, hence they are authoritative”. We read in the Bible how the prophets did not use their words, but were moved by the Spirit to speak God’s Words. We also see that the Spirit led them to write what God wanted to be written. The Bible is inspired, or “God-breathed”. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”. The question of the Bible being the inerrant word of God is...
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...Inerrancy and Inspiration Morgan Sikes Liberty University THEO 201-B18 Inerrancy and Inspiration Although, contrary to some who believe otherwise, the Bible is an all-authoritative book. As Christians we believe, that scripture is God breathed and because it is from God, it is accurate and authoritative. The Bible is directly from God, written through his disciples. Since the authority belongs to God, our command as Christ followers is to follow Jesus’ example of how he lived in the Bible. According to the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, “Authority is the right and power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, determine or judge.” In respect to the Bible, this means that because it is authoritative, we must follow the laws given by its word. This empowerment belongs to God, and to God alone. Matthew 21:23-24 states, that Jesus’ authority came from God his Father, the one who sent him to Earth. The Bible’s authority, comes from God, but was not written by God, or Jesus themselves. The people chosen to write the books of the Bible were chosen specifically by God, and were inspired through the work of the Holy Spirit. Along with authority and inspiration, comes the discussion of inerrancy. Inerrancy is the view that the entire Bible is completely accurate and true. There are four arguments for inerrancy, including The Biblical Argument. This argument states that if God has authority over the Bible, then it has to be inerrant because God is truth. The Bible is...
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...Stephen L. “Biblical Inerrancy.” Chafer Theological Seminary Journal 08, no. 1 (January 2002): 2-21. THEO 525-B04 LUO (fall 2013) Systematic Theology I Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Jennifer C. Wood (ID# L25703677) September 1, 2013 Contents Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………….1 Brief Summary…………………………………………………………………………………….1 Critical Interaction………………………………………………………………………………...2 Conclusion Selected Bibliography Introduction This paper is a critical examination of Stephen Andrew’s “Biblical Inerrancy” as published January of 2002 in the Chafer Theological Seminary Journal. Andrew writes the article as a graduate student at Fuller Theological Seminary pursuing a Master of Arts in Theology. In the exposition he presents a historical overview of the biblical inerrancy debate and reviews arguments concerning inerrancy of the bible as relevant to modern evangelicalism. Due to spatial limitations, Andrew restricts his focus to examining the views in support of and against inerrancy from four major perspectives: the slippery slope, epistemological, historical, and biblical arguments. Brief Summary The article is written as an exhortation for the promotion and defense of the inerrancy doctrine while warning against a universal acceptance of all supporting arguments. Andrew opens by defining inerrancy according to Paul D. Feinberg1, as well as Article XII of the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy2; and “limited inerrancy” using a description...
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...Essay on Inerrancy and Inspiration In 2nd Timothy 3:16 it says “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (KJV). It says all scripture is given by inspiration of GOD. According to the Biblical Argument we should believe in inerrancy because the Bible teaches it own inerrancy. We should accept the Bible’s claim about itself. So the Bible’s authority comes from the inspiration of GOD, because God is the author of the Bible. Biblical Authority must begin with God himself. For in him all authority is located. God is his own authority, for there is nothing outside of Him on which his authority was founded. So the Bible is GOD’s word and if there was nothing before GOD to base the Bible on then GOD is his own authority as well as His word. When it comes to the Bible inspiration is the guidance or influence of the Holy Spirit on human writers of Scripture so that GOD controlled them in such a way that what they wrote was exactly what GOD wanted to say without error. Whatever GOD wanted to say in the scripture, His Holy Spirit inspired the writer of the scripture to write exactly what GOD wanted, how GOD wanted it, and the way GOD wanted it written without error or human flaw. Isaiah 55:8 says “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” This is why the Bible is without error. If we say that there is not inerrancy of the Bible, then we...
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...THEO201_B01 Short Essay # 1 Short Essay on Inerrancy and Inspiration Millions of people worldwide read the Bible and use it for our worship of the Lord, instructions on how to live a moral life, and for guidance. Most people are naturally curious about why the Bible was written and who it was written by. People wonder if we can trust the words of the Bible since God didn’t actually put pen to paper and write the book. The Bible was written by authors who were inspired to write by God. One question that a lot of people ask is how do we know the Bible whether or not the Bible is true and from God. What does it mean to say that the Bible has authority, and from where does the authority of the Bible come from? To put it simply if the Bible is the word of God, then the Bible must be true. So the Bible has authority in all cases because it is the word of God. “For in him all authority is finally located. And he is his own authority for there is nothing outside him on which his authority is founded. Thus, in making his promise to Abraham, he pledged his own name since he had no greater by whom to swear” (Heb. 6:13). There are many different authors and books in the Bible. From the Old Testament to the New Testament there are different stories, lessons, and writing styles that make up the 66 books of the Bible. Sometimes the question of why these books were written may be asked. It is believed that the authors of the Bible were inspired by God to write their testimonies. Biblical...
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...Name: Warren Brooks Writing Style Used: MLA Course and Section Number: THEO 201 D27 Short Essay on Inspiration and Inerrancy It was a routine morning; I woke up to the buzz of my alarm, had breakfast, and was on my way to the park where I have my daily Bible study. However, on this day, my time at the park did not go according to routine as normal. A jogger that regularly runs through the park suddenly approached me. He told me his name, but the next words that came out of his mouth were: “How do you sit there morning after morning and read that Bible. What drives you to do it, and what do Christians find so authoritative about it?” I didn’t respond right away, but after taking a few seconds, I concluded: The term ‘authority,’ when applied to the Bible, also has an application to words spoken or written whose accuracy has been established and whose information can consequently be trusted (McDonald). To say the Bible has authority means that these words have the power and right to command. This authority comes from God and we are meant to give our lives over to this supreme authority. Hence, we worship the God of these words, and not the words themselves. John 5:23 states, “He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” This evidences that Jesus and God are equal. Since Jesus and God are one, this means that Jesus has this authority as well. Biblical inspiration is a super-natural influence of the Holy Spirit upon divinely chosen agents in consequence...
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...Desiree Savath APA THEO 201-B32 Inerrancy through Inspiration That is a very good question, because in society today there are many people questioning inerrancy and authority of the Bible. They want proof that the Bible is inerrant and wonder about the Writer’s inspiration. By saying that the Bible has authority, one needs to show and prove from where it comes. First, “Authority is the right and power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, determined or judge.”(Elwell, Walter A., 2001, p. 153.) Many people may not understand how important authority is for a book that had been written centuries ago. This authority comes through God because He says it is so. “…Thus saith the Lord,” (Isaiah 44:6, KJV) has been written throughout the Old Testament to show His authority and truthfulness. This was also proven in the New Testament of God’s word. “…thy word is truth.” (John 17:17b, KJV). One must know that God is Truth and the Holy Bible is His Word. This sort of knowledge will lead one to arrive at the fact that the Bible is true and authoritative. The Bible is God’s inspired Word given to the scripture’s writers. “The content of the Bible teaches that it was given by the process of inspiration of God so that the words were God’s word and that they are accurate and reliable, hence they are authoritative.” (Towns, Elmer L., 2008, p. 66). We read that in the Bible the prophets were “carried along” by the Holy Spirit to speak the Words of God rather than their own. (2 Peter...
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...writing of the Bible. The word inspiration is derived from the word inspire which in Greek is theopneustos meaning God-breathed. We have Scripture because God spoke the words. The Holy Spirit moved the writers to record the word of God. Inspiration is receiving the word of God. In a supernatural way the Holy Spirit used man to write the words of God. The Bible was the result of these writings. It is a product of the inspiration given to the writers. God inspired the writers leading them speak and write his words. The Bible is error free as the words are God infallible. It is Gods way of communicating his will for his people. The Bible is the authoritative word of God. Erickson states that there are five types of theories of inspiration. Intuition theory in which the writers possessed a high degree of insight. They were great religious and philosophical geniuses that had great insight on the moral of man. Illumination theory states the Holy Spirit influence the writers of the Scripture. With the help of the Holy Spirit the people will understand the word of God. Dynamic theory combines the divine and human elements of the writing if the word of God. The Holy Spirit directed the thoughts and of the writer. Verbal theory the Holy Spirit not only directed their thoughts but also the words used to deliver the word of God. Lastly, dictation theory states that God spoke the Bible to the writers. The Bible is an inspired instruction from a Great God. What does inerrancy...
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...1 Kristine Williams THEO201_D01_201240 Short Essay 1 Authority, Inspiration, and Inerrancy The word of God has been a book that has touched the lives of many, whether leading to professions of belief or unfortunate rejections of faith. In all of its glory, the Bible has complete authority, inspiration, and inerrancy from God because it is God. These three attributes go hand in hand to the overall divine nature of the scriptures while having their own impact in the argument of Christianity. Since “authority is the right and power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, determine or judge,”[1] to say that the Bible has its own authority is a simple, but faith-demanding concept. The Bible is authoritative in that its information can be trusted and is completely valid. This is mainly due to the fact that the author sends that authority. The Lord and creator of the universe gives His word evidence simply because He is truth and portrays accuracy. As God’s word the Bible reveals God’s authority. In reference to the Bible, inspiration simply means that God is the author of all scripture. I believe this way because in His authority He says: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”[2] I am fully confident that every word in the Bible comes divinely from the creator of the universe, not only because that is what His word says, but because it gives explanation...
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...Jae Lee MLA Theo 201-D21 Short Essay on Inerrancy and Inspiration. While sitting on a bench in a nearby park I was reading the Bible, when a jogger had stopped in the middle of his jog and asked me why am I reading the Bible and do I really think that the words of God has authority. So I answered his first question by telling him that I am a student in a Christian College and that I found my love for God. The second question that he had, I answered him with a question saying whoever might you believe in or what you believe in does it have authority? With that reply I went on briefly and told him that Jesus in my father and he is my savior. He is the one I believe in and the one that sets plans for all of us. Inspiration can be also defined as Approach, influence, a way to help one rise and other things. the purpose of the Bible Inspiration is that it helps one understand or even let one rise from their problems because the father Jesus Christ is there to protect and provide for them. Every writer from the past and every reader till this day have an inspirational story to tell. We all are inspired by God’s word. Through-out the whole Bible there are inspiring passages and verses. But the Bible as a Whole in the biggest inspiration that one needs. “All scripture is God-breath and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” The bible is given by the Inspiration of God. The Scripture is words we need to hear so that we can overcome things in life...
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...Ashlee Ford April 20, 2011 Margaret Sofianos Essay Assignment What is the difference between strict and limited inerrancy? Which seems more convincing? Why? What is the significance of seeing different genres in the Bible? In this module, we look at the Christian view of the scriptures, and revelation sections. Here they discuss the problems with revelations, the definition of a scripture, the problems with scriptures, etc. My take on this, is that the scriptures are all witness testimony, which means they are opinionated. To some, that could be the problem. The difference between strict and limited inerrancy is with strict inerrancy, it demonstrates the view that there are no mistakes in the bible, while limited inerrancy leaves room for the possibility of mistakes within the scriptures. The significance of seeing different genres in the bible is to see scripture readings with a fresh eye, and to discover the different ways that testimonies were put together. The genre of the bible is basically biblical answers. “Inerrant” is a word that means “incapable” of making a mistake. And it refers to the belief that God protected the biblical authors from making mistakes (pg. 212). I don’t really agree with this because I believe that everything in the bible (well scripture wise anyways) is a witness testimony. John, Paul, Matthew and Luke all wrote down the events of what happened, and its how they took things. Twenty people could view the same event, and all record...
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...Inspiration and Inerrancy of the Bible “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) The Gospel, according to John, starts with one of the most important ideas of the inerrancy and authority of the Bible. The Bible is inspired by God and is from God, because it is a part of God as we can clearly find in the first part of John. Many today argue the inerrancy of the Bible, even though scripture says, “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to them that put their trust in him”. (Proverbs 30:5) We must trust the infallible Word of the Lord. The Bible’s authority comes directly from God, and His revelation is used to understand that authority. He is the founder and maker of all, and as such, his Word has the right and power to command just as God does. Paul declares that, “every scripture” is God breathed. He was aware that he was being guided by the Holy Spirit and the words that he transcribed had power and authority. Among other writers of scripture, Paul was merely chosen to translate into human form, the revelation of God. Since the Holy scriptures retain the power of God, It, as a result, establishes its own inerrancy. It is inerrant because it is pure and true, without fault or error, and cannot be disproven by man. “Human knowledge is limited in two ways. First, because of our finitude and sinfulness, human beings misinterpret the data and…secondly we do not possess all the data that comes to bear on the Bible.” (Elwell,...
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...foundational topics such as biblical authority, inspiration, and inerrancy. This essay will deal with such topics and give implications for how a Christian is to live their life based on these concepts. To begin, biblical authority must be defined. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, “Authority is the right and power to command, enforce laws, exact obedience, determine,...
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