Why do some believers of Christ feel the bible is withou error?

[Rajni]

Each part of Scripture has a purpose and a style. For example, in the following passage, is Isaiah suggesting that the Lord has a hand and an ear?

"Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear" ~ Isaiah 59:1

I see where you're coming from, although I personally
do not rule out theophany. Christians seem to be of
different opinions on that one. There are a number of
verses which suggest that God does have physical
attributes (Genesis 12:7-9; Genesis 18:1-33; Exodus 33:11;
Exodus 33:22-23; Exodus 34:5; Deuteronomy 23:12-13;
Ezekiel 1:27; Ezekiel 8:2; Habakkuk 3:3-4; John 5:37).

You have to allow for anthropomorphisms, idioms, hyperbole and the like.

True, there is the whole question of which verses are
symbolic and which ones are literal, a vote which is
far from unanimous among Christians. Therefore, it's
rather difficult to definitively conclude that the bible is
without error.


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[Zstar]

To hinge a doctrine or faith on the Bible is tedious. The grand picture of Jesus and what the Synoptic Gospels say he taught much better.

Just because Manuscripts error, big deal?

Huh?

If the Golden Rule, found in all major Religions, shines through why follow another path?

Clearly the incarnate God in Jesus recited this known Mantra for a reason.

Those like Joseph Smith, Baha'ullah, Muhammad, ect. or any other claimed 'Prophets' are known by what they taught.

Respect and outreach to them is a given from Jesus, many knew this ancient Mantra but all ... other Religious founders ....how so?

 

[Robban]

Each part of Scripture has a purpose and a style. For example, in the following passage, is Isaiah suggesting that the Lord has a hand and an ear?

"Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear" ~ Isaiah 59:1

You have to allow for anthropomorphisms, idioms, hyperbole and the like.

Taken in a cloud, coming on/ in a cloud/s,

Then I think, what moves swifter, a donkey or a cloud/s
Is it talking about how quick something has/will happen?

Just a thought.

 

[LovelyGiselle]

The bible is without error. There is alot of propaganda and false teachings being spread against the bible's authority especially from progressive "Christianity" stating that it is filled with error

So sad to see answers spreading the dangerous myth that the bible is not the word of God and is just a book with mistakes.

People simply do not like the idea of hearing that there is an absolute one and only truth out there breathed into life by an eternal judge who is watching every move they make.

Thus, people use excuses like "Well the bible is filled with error so it is okay to have ________".

Or: "Well the bible is filled with error, therefor everyone eventually goes to heaven".

Or: "Well the bible is filled with error therefor Jesus Christ is not the only way".

People want to do whatever they want and try to rationalize that by saying the bible is just a book filled with mistakes.

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

2 TIMOTHY 4:3-4 NLT

For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes

2 PETER 1:16 NLT

Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

2 PETER 1:20-21 NLT

If a Christian cannot accept this truth, then it is time for them to re-examine their faith/why exactly they are a Christian. The bible is the infallible word of God. Breathed into life by God to the prophets to write. They obeyed the commands of God. The bible is literally the word of God to show us the ONLY WAY to salvation.

What makes some of you think this book which shows the only way to salvation is going to screw itself up?

Do you not trust God?

Labeling God's truth as mere error and mistakes is incredibly disrespectful and very narcissistic. Amazing that people are so quick to believe all the propaganda from the secular world's pure human-based thinking, but the moment God comes into the picture, people feel the need to walk away in rebellion.

 

[Rajni]

So sad to see answers spreading the dangerous myth that the bible is not the word of God

The bible is the infallible word of God.

The bible is literally the word of God

Interestingly enough, if one places that much
importance on it, one wouldn’t be calling the bible
“the word of God”, because the bible doesn’t call itself
“the word of God”. The bible calls Jesus “the word of God”.
True story.

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[fatboys]

The bible is without error. There is alot of propaganda and false teachings being spread against the bible's authority especially from progressive "Christianity" stating that it is filled with error

So sad to see answers spreading the dangerous myth that the bible is not the word of God and is just a book with mistakes.

People simply do not like the idea of hearing that there is an absolute one and only truth out there breathed into life by an eternal judge who is watching every move they make.

Thus, people use excuses like "Well the bible is filled with error so it is okay to have ________".

Or: "Well the bible is filled with error, therefor everyone eventually goes to heaven".

Or: "Well the bible is filled with error therefor Jesus Christ is not the only way".

People want to do whatever they want and try to rationalize that by saying the bible is just a book filled with mistakes.







If a Christian cannot accept this truth, then it is time for them to re-examine their faith/why exactly they are a Christian. The bible is the infallible word of God. Breathed into life by God to the prophets to write. They obeyed the commands of God. The bible is literally the word of God to show us the ONLY WAY to salvation.

What makes some of you think this book which shows the only way to salvation is going to screw itself up?

Do you not trust God?

Labeling God's truth as mere error and mistakes is incredibly disrespectful and very narcissistic. Amazing that people are so quick to believe all the propaganda from the secular world's pure human-based thinking, but the moment God comes into the picture, people feel the need to walk away in rebellion.

I would love to believe that the bible is without error. It would really aliveate so much confusion that Christianity has today. There is no unity in doctrines or interpretations of those doctrines. But the bible is not perfect. It has many errors. That does not weaken the teachings that did come through mans hands. It does not make it pure. To me there is only one reason to believe that the bible is without error. I will explain. Throughout biblical history God spoke face to face with his prophets. His authority or priesthood was always given by the laying on of hands. The bible can not lay hands on anyone to give authority. The bible has no spiritual or physical power to give to anyone. It does have words that can give us knowledge so we can develope faith. That being said why would God allow perfection other than Christ to be on earth? If God is going to force perfection onto the bible then did he take away the freedom to choose for those who copied, translated, or scribed the bible do that his word could remain pure? Has God ever did this before?

 

[Rajni]

If God is going to force perfection onto the bible then did he take away the freedom to choose for those who copied, translated, or scribed the bible do that his word could remain pure?

I would also question why God would make absolutely
certain to ensure the perfection of pages and not of
people. In other words, we're being asked to believe that
He will forever preserve a book—an inanimate object—while
allowing millions of humans—living beings who are made
in His own image and likeness—to end up lost forever.


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[Albion]

I would also question why God would make absolutely
certain to ensure the perfection of pages and not of
people. In other words, we're being asked to believe that
He will forever preserve a book—an inanimate object—while
allowing millions of humans—living beings who are made
in His own image and likeness—to end up lost forever.


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That could be because an inanimate object cannot do wrong.

 

[Rajni]

That could be because an inanimate object cannot do wrong.

Or maybe there's a belief out there that God values things
over people. Personally, I never really took Him to be the
materialistic type.



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[Albion]

Or maybe there's a belief out there that God values things
over people. Personally, I never really took Him to be the
materialistic type.



-

Seriously, men wind up on Hell -- if they do -- because they've done wrong. An inanimate object cannot do that. Therefore, the comparison you gave us shouldn't cause anyone to puzzle over God's standards of justice.

 

[Rajni]

Seriously, men wind up on Hell -- if they do -- because they've done wrong. An inanimate object cannot do that. Therefore, the comparison you gave us shouldn't cause anyone to puzzle over God's standards of justice.

An inanimate object can't do good, either, which raises
other questions regarding bibliolatry.

My point is, some insist that God actively protected this
particular inanimate object—the bible—from ruin. Yet
we're to believe that same protection isn't afforded those
made in His own image.

Personally, I don't buy it.

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[fatboys]

An inanimate object can't do good, either, which raises
other questions regarding bibliolatry.

My point is, some insist that God actively protected this
particular inanimate object—the bible—from ruin. Yet
we're to believe that same protection isn't afforded those
made in His own image.

Personally, I don't buy it.

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Wow I will remember that one. The bible doesn't do good because it is a inanimate object. It does however rely good things through the words that have been written down by imperfect man. I agree and you have put it way better than I did. Thank you

 

[Zstar]

From what I gather from what Jesus taught about the Golden rule and the Law and Prophets, even correcting them implied the texts are off. Can we figure it out? The Biblical portrait of things is wrong, skewed from the One who knows all things in these regards. Forming a cord and driving Religious out ---go Jesus.

 

[LovelyGiselle]

I would love to believe that the bible is without error. It would really aliveate so much confusion that Christianity has today. There is no unity in doctrines or interpretations of those doctrines. But the bible is not perfect. It has many errors. That does not weaken the teachings that did come through mans hands. It does not make it pure. To me there is only one reason to believe that the bible is without error. I will explain. Throughout biblical history God spoke face to face with his prophets. His authority or priesthood was always given by the laying on of hands. The bible can not lay hands on anyone to give authority. The bible has no spiritual or physical power to give to anyone. It does have words that can give us knowledge so we can develope faith. That being said why would God allow perfection other than Christ to be on earth? If God is going to force perfection onto the bible then did he take away the freedom to choose for those who copied, translated, or scribed the bible do that his word could remain pure? Has God ever did this before?

To say that the bible is with error is to say you do not trust God's word and God is imperfect.

If the bible is "filled with error" then you are literally saying you cannot trust where it states that Jesus Christ is the only way for example.

If the bible is so "filled with error" then why bother believing anything else it states? The bible also states for instance, that the wages of sin is death. But since this is "filled with error" you might as well say: "I can't trust this book it is filled with mistakes. Thus this verse must be false there is no such thing as sin"

Again, there is alot of propaganda out there against Christianity.

Satan would love people to believe that the bible is just a book of mistakes and is not the word of God.

 

[Albion]

An inanimate object can't do good, either

That's true, but the question that was asked here concerned God being, supposedly, so cruel as to sentence anyone to an eternity of loss. Well, there's a reason. Obviously, it rests upon some deficiency in that person. OK, then can we agree that inanimate objects don't have such deficiencies, failings, or whatever you want to call them? Humans can, however.

My point is, some insist that God actively protected this
particular inanimate object—the bible—from ruin.

Did he? It seems to me that he gave his guidance to man and it was correct. Personally, I don't see any need to postulate that he "actively protected" it in addition. And what would that even mean, if we get right down to it?

 

[Rajni]

Did he? It seems to me that he gave his guidance to man and it was correct. Personally, I don't see any need to postulate that he "actively protected" it in addition. And what would that even mean, if we get right down to it?

Good question—one would have to ask those insisting the
bible has been preserved to His standards all this time
without error ever slipping in.

I myself don't feel threatened by the notion that the bible,
like any religious text, is less than perfect, so I'm not
up to speed on the particulars of how all that would work. ツ

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[Albion]

Good question—one would have to ask those insisting the
bible has been preserved to His standards all this time
without error ever slipping in.

Well, I would think that depends on how people word things. If the Bible was without error and it's still OK, do we have to postulate--or did those people mean to say--that God took out some sort of insurance against error, or something like that? I know that people can express themselves in odd ways, but if it was correct then and it's correct now...that is the story.

 

[Hawkins]

Since spending a few years in researching the origins of the bible and trying to make sense of the intent of the writers of the bible I have discovered to much evidence that the bible is far from perfect. Why do people believe it is perfect?

You can also say that the mirror is not perfect because it can't fly, it can't talk like man. However, a mirror is never designed to fly or to talk. So before you can assert whether something is perfect, you need to perfectly understand what it is designed for.

The Bible is a valid witnessing from human accounts who act as witnesses for the existence of God and what He demands. The Bible is designed to be understood with guidance from the Holy Spirit. The Bible is so designed that humans choosing to rely purely on their intelligence but no guidance from God to see their doom.

That's basically what it is.

Matthew 13:11-12 (NIV)
11 He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

 

[Zoness]

In my opinion the Bible is probably MORE valid if its perceived as inspired but not inerrant simply because focusing on the central message of the text seems to be more compelling than fighting over how old the Earth is and if that is an essential belief.

 

[OzSpen]

That would require its own thread. There are some in existence and you can do a search.

For the purposes of this discussion, Scripture is GOD-BREATHED (Gk theopneustos) (2 Tim 3:16). In practical terms it means that every word in the 66 canonical books of the Bible's original manuscripts (Hebrew and Greek) is a word of God, and a word from God. That ensures perfection. God not only inspired His Word, but He also preserved it in the multitude (and majority) of manuscripts. The thousands of variations come from a handful of corrupted manuscripts.

That's not my understanding of inerrancy. Evangelical theologian, Wayne Grudem, gave this definition: 'The inerrancy of Scripture means that Scripture in the original manuscritps does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact' (Grudem 1994:90).

Grudem's chapter 6 on 'The Inerrancy of Scripture: Are there any errors in the Bible?'(pp 90-104) is covered in 15pp, so to deal with the important details of inerrancy on a forum like this raises way too many issues that I cannot address.

What is important is that the inerrancy of Scripture states that it is without error/contrary to fact in the autographa (original MSS). It does not refer to the accuracy of any translation such as the Latin Vulgate, Geneva Bible, KJV, NKJV, RSV, NIV, ESV, NLT, etc.

My own view is summarised in 'The Bible's support for inerrancy of the originals'.

Oz