Letters Page

Dear Christis

Just one or two comments regarding Dave Spence’s article God Breathed Scripture … (Issue 46). It is not my intention be controversial and some of the ideas expressed here, although seeming extreme, are made purely to defend the Bible.

1. Hebrews 6:8 states that God cannot lie. One would therefore conclude that, as God wrote the Bible (Peter 1:21), all of it is entirely true, inerrant and infallible. Jesus also testifies to the truth of the Bible in His John 17 prayer. “Thy word is truth.” (v. 17).
2. The context of 2 Timothy 3:16 is a call for Timothy to preach the word in spite of persecution:
   1. an example of Paul’s own experience. 3:10–13
   2. the value of Scripture. 3:14–17
   3. Paul’s charge to Timothy. 4:1–5
   Paul is encouraging Timothy in his role as a church leader/preacher because Paul knows Timothy will receive persecution just as he did. Paul reminds Timothy that he knows the revealed truth of God and has been assured of its value from childhood. In other words, Paul encourages Timothy by reminding him of the only sound foundation on which his faith lies, namely, the “holy Scriptures … Which are able to make you wise for salvation through Christ Jesus” (v. 15). This is only because those same Scriptures are true, inerrant and infallible.
3. Paul refers to the Scriptures as being “holy” (v. 15) (he also does it in Romans 1:2). This follows as God wrote it and only God is holy (1 Samuel 2:2, Revelations 15:4). The word translated holy is hagios which means “pure” (or true, inerrant and infallible).
4. The word ‘Scriptures’ has a primary reference to the Old Testament, but 1 Timothy 5:18 quotes Luke 10:7 and 2 Peter 3:15–16 refers to Paul’s writing. This suggests that New Testament writings were considered in equal authority with the Old Testament Scriptures. One concludes, therefore, that both the old and new testament are true, inerrant and infallible.
5. Inspiration by the Holy Spirit is the process by which God wrote the Bible. Illumination by the Holy Spirit is the process by which we understand that inspired Word.
6. Concerning 2 Corinthians 3:6. The word ‘letter’ is synonymous with the law and hence in v. 7 is described as the “ministry that brought death.” This is in contrast to the new promise of the new covenant; the Spirit that wrote the old law, now writes the law “on tablets of human hearts” (v. 3) and therefore gives life as the sinner is no longer under the condemnation of the law. The contrast in v. 6, taken in the context of the passage, is not between the written word and inner, spiritual (mystical or mythical?) experience of that word. It is simply between the old and new covenant. Both of which are true, inerrant and infallible (one was a perfect shadow of the perfect other).
7. The RSV translation/interpretation of 2 Peter 1:20 is very misleading and a reading of other translations quickly reveal its errancy. The context clearly favours the NIV translation. In the verse the lack of Scripture (specifically all the Old Testament, but see point iv) arose from a merely human interpretation of things. Therefore it is directly from God and is consequently true, inerrant and infallible.

Yours

Mr. Moxen