The Bible has no mistakes in it. Since the Bible is God's Word, it must partake of his true and holy character. To understand that Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16-17) is to commit ourselves, in advance, to the proposition that Scripture is errorless.
God does not make mistakes; he does not lie; he does not err, and he does not deceive people by misrepresenting himself or his Word. We simply cannot believe that God would lend his name to something erroneous and deceptive. Would he really lend his name to that which was tainted and flawed? Would he give it the grand title "Word of God?" Never!
But more than that, notice how God speaks of his Word:
"The words of Jehovah are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, purified seven times" (Psa. 12:6).
"Which he promised afore through his prophets in the holy scriptures" (Rom. 1:2).
"Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth" (Psa. 119:142).
"The sum of thy word is truth" (Psa. 119:160).
"Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17).
"And now, O Lord Jehovah, thou art God, and thy words are truth" (2 Sam. 7:28).
If the Scriptures are God's Word, can he say those words are truth if they contain error? Can they be holy if they contain that which is common and unclean? Can they be called sacred if they are like human, fallible writing? Paul told Timothy, "And that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation" (2 Tim. 3:15).
If sacred Scripture is God's Word, and he uses such words as "pure," and "truth" to describe it, it is infallible and absolutely free from error. How could God's Word be truth and still contain error?
Paul called God's Word, "the oracles of God" (Rom. 3:2). In that God claims to be the source of every word.
Too. notice what John said. "I have not written to you because ye do not know the truth, but because ye know it, and no lie is of the truth" (1 John 2:21). Paul called it "the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). Scripture is called the "word of God" (Mark 7:23).
So, what is the attitude of Scripture toward itself? Does it claim infallibility? If it did not, surely that would take some of the shine off our notion that it is inerrant. But it establishes our notion. It is called the "word of God," a title with serious implications. The words are said to be "pure," "holy," "sacred," and always "truth." How could all that be said if Scripture was full of error, lies, and deceits? No, the Scripture is utterly inerrant. I'm glad because it is my sole guide to heaven (Psa. 73:24).
(Editor's comment: Professor Carroll D. Osburn of Abilene Christian University, in his book, The Peaceable Kingdom, says the Bible contains errors in geography, history, and science. The Firm Foundation has repeatedly called on Doctor Osburn to point out just one scientific inaccuracy in the Bible — just one! We have also asked him to tell us what other mistakes he thinks are in the Bible so we can examine them and see if he is right or wrong in his impression that the Word of God has errors in it. So far he has been as silent as the proverbial tomb. We do not anticipate that he will back up his assertions with any attempt at proof We think we know why. "Let God be found true and every man a liar." Furthermore, the administration and faculty at ACU will also keep their mouths shut as they kowtow to their Carmichael Professor of New Testament - Dobbs. )
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Feature Book: Among the Scholarsby David W. HesterPaperback, 167 pages
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