Biblical FoundationsSample

I like to write. I’ve written countless devotionals, columns, articles, letters, poems and even some books ... most of which have been fraught with error, and some of which I would disagree with now. Human nature lends itself to imperfection.

It seems audacious, then, to claim that the Bible is without error, perfect, infallible. But it’s true. On day 1, we unpacked the sacred nature of Scripture; sacred is understood to mean “connected to God.” It is by virtue of God’s personal nature that we can be certain of the Bible’s infallibility. All Scripture is given by God, who is perfect, divine, holy, immutable and infallible, among other things. In God’s supernatural provision, He gave Scripture to God-ordained authors and preserved this sacred text throughout history. For millennia, Scripture has held up against the most stringent scrutiny and won over the fiercest skeptics.

Apart from human testing, Scripture itself asserts its infallibility. Jesus affirms the veracity of Scripture (often referred to as “the law”) by claiming to fulfill it. Matthew 5:18 reads, “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” What this means for us is that, if it’s in the Bible, we can stake our life on it. In fact, we’re called to.

There is a caveat, though. Whereas the Bible is infallible, those of us reading and interpreting it are not. 2 Timothy 4:3 warns of accepting teaching that “tickles our itching ears” toward interpretations we want to be true but aren’t. We must be wise and discerning about whom we listen to on matters of biblical interpretation.

Some things in the Bible we cannot know with certainty this side of heaven, and that’s OK. Other things of a primary nature, such as the death, burial and Resurrection of Christ, are clearly articulated, and we must resist any variance. Maybe you’ve heard this Latin proverb: “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity.”

The Bible is trust-worthy. Read it with confidence, and let it read you with conviction!

PRAYER:

God, I trust You. I trust Your Word. Help me know Your Word well enough that it may be the litmus test of truth in my life.