ATTACKS ON THE DOCTRINE OF INSPIRATION

By Gary Ray Branscome

For centuries the Bible was only available to scribes and scholars. During that time the common people had little or no access to it. However, almost as soon as it was translated into the language of the people, and made available by the printing press, Satan raised up men to attack it.

The words, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” tell us that faith in the words of Scripture and faith in Christ go hand in hand. And, because they go hand in hand Satan is intent on destroying people’s confidence in Scripture. Very often the men Satan uses are highly respected, have positions of influence, and are regarded as scholars. Nevertheless, the words, “Those who are not of God will not accept what we [the Apostles and Prophets] say,” tell us that such “scholars” are not of God (1John 4:6). The words, “There must also be heresies among you, to reveal those who are approved by God,” tell us that they are not approved by God (1Corinthians 11:19). And, the words, “If anyone teaches otherwise, and will not agree with sound teaching, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrine that is in accord with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing… from such withdraw yourself,” tell us that we should not listen to them or have any fellowship with them (1Timothy 6:3-5).

Writing over a century ago, before the Second World War, Dr. John Theodore Mueller said: “In Germany there is at the present time hardly a single outstanding university professor who still upholds the doctrine of verbal and plenary inspiration. This all but universal denial of inspiration is one of the saddest chapters in the history of the Christian Church; for every one who repudiates the inspiration of the Bible subverts the foundation upon which the Christian faith rests and falls under the condemnation of God. In the last analysis all objections to the inspiration of the Bible flow from the carnal, unbelieving heart.” (“Christian Dogmatics,” page 108). In my opinion, that apostasy in Germany was one of the reasons that the people were so willing to follow Hitler.

Those who deny that Scripture is inspired because the individual writers differ somewhat in style and diction “err, not knowing the Scriptures, or the power of God” (Matthew 22:29). What they fail to understand is that every person has their own personal language. My vocabulary is bound to differ somewhat from yours. And, God prepared the men that He chose to write down His words, by molding their vocabulary, and giving them the style and diction He wanted to use. What skeptics miss is that, “God's unique style is indeed noticeable throughout Holy Scripture, which bears the ineffaceable imprint of its divine Author on every page. The simplicity, majesty, and sublimity of the Biblical style are found in no book written by men; in fact, the style of the Bible is so unique that there is only one Holy Bible in the world. We may apply to Scripture the words that were spoken with regard to our Savior: ‘Never man spoke like this man,’ John 7:46.” (J. T. Mueller, “Christian Dogmatics”, page 109.) The words, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one letter of the law to fail,” tell us that every letter is there because God put it there (Luke 16:17). There are no uninspired parts.

All of the attacks on Scripture are condemned by the words, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe everything the prophets have said” (Luke 24:25).

Some have argued that research on the part of Luke precludes inspiration. But, what research Luke may have done does not change the fact that it was God who moved Him to write it down. As it is written, “Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2Peter 1:21).

Some have argued that variant readings in copies of scripture disprove inspiration. But, those variant readings are in copies (not the original), and they affect only a tiny percentage of the readings. Furthermore, we have God’s own promise that He will “Preserve” what He has written (Psalm 12:6-7).

Some have argued that alleged contradictions disprove inspiration. However, I have already explained that just because two statements seem contradictory to our puny sin-corrupted minds does not mean that they actually contradict. Many times we simply lack the information needed to understand how they fit together. In fact, the words, “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own conceit,” are God’s way of telling us that just because two statements appear to contradict does not mean they actually contradict (Proverbs 26:4-5).

Some have argued that seeming historical discrepancies in Scripture disprove inspiration. However, in the last century so many specific claims of historical inaccuracy have been proven false that I am surprised that anyone would still use that argument. A little over a century ago historians were claiming that the Hittite kingdom never existed. Then archeologists discovered it. Not many decades ago some claimed that Pontius Pilate did not exist. Then a stone was found with his name on it. The truth is that as long as secular scholars do not have non-biblical evidence for something the Bible says, they think they can accuse that Bible of being wrong without any danger of their lie being exposed. To all of them Jesus says, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe everything the prophets have said,” (Luke 24:25). As Christians we know that the opinions of men are often wrong, but the Bible never is.

Some have argued that inaccurate quotations of the Old Testament by writers of the New disprove inspiration. However, that is silly because they are trying to impose their rules on God. Sometimes the Apostles translate from the Hebrew. Sometimes they quote from the Greek Septuagint translation. Sometimes they quote the Septuagint corrected by the Hebrew. And, sometimes they restate the text in their own words. However, in every case they are saying exactly what the Holy Spirit moved them to say (2Peter 1:21).

And finally, some have argued that Paul’s statement, “To the rest speak I, not the Lord,” disproves inspiration (1Corinthians 7:12). However, all Paul is saying is, “This is my counsel on a matter that God has not specifically spoken on”. Furthermore, his words, “If any man thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things I write to you are the commandments of the Lord,” tell us that God caused Paul to include that counsel in Scripture (1Corinthians 14:37).