The Inerrancy Of The Scriptures
One of the basic tenets of the Christian faith is the inerrancy of Holy Scriptures. That means that when all of the facts are revealed, the scriptures will be shown to be perfect and completely true in every aspect. This view comes from the belief that the scriptures are the inspired word of God. That means that God breathed his words into men, who used their own words and writing style, communicated God’s word to us in writing.
One thing that is important to remember is that over the years that have been many different translations of the scriptures. There have also been many paraphrased versions of scriptures that have appeared. Some of these have come about in an effort to make the scriptures easier to read, and are written in a more modern style. The attempt was made to be as close to the original translation as they could, but ease of reading was the main focus.
When skeptics read these translations, they are quick to point out supposed errors. These errors are the result of mistakes made in translation; they do not reflect errors in the original manuscripts. Errors that were claimed to have been found were cleared up with further studies.
As mankind has progressed and become “wiser,” we have found many instances where modern discoveries have supported the scriptures. Geological studies have shown that there was a great flood that occurred around the time of Noah. The scriptures refer to the Earth as a sphere long before it was proven that the Earth was not flat. In fact, Job stated that “the Earth hangs on nothing” back during a time when it believed the Earth rested on the backs of gods or some giant creature. Long before geologists understood the ocean floors the scriptures talk about the mountains and valleys of the seas.
As a Christian, it is important not to discount the importance of the inerrancy of scriptures. Our entire belief is based on the truths revealed to us through the Word of God. Our faith is based on the fact that we believe what the scriptures say is true. If we begin to start picking and choosing which parts we should believe, and which parts are in error, then we begin to doubt the entire scripture.
While we may not see or understand the entire picture today, we have to believe that when the truth is revealed in its entirety, that the scripture will be shown to have been true and without error. For now, any errors are a result of our lack of understanding, and not with the scriptures.