Introduction
The Bible is a collection of books written by different individuals that were inspired by the Holy Spirit. It offers Christians guidance, support and teaches them how to live righteous lives and avoid temptations. There are various versions of the Bible, but this does not mean that they have different messages. In addition, this book has been translated into many languages and almost all dialects have Bibles written in their mother tongues. This discussion explores various issues surrounding the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible.
Authority in the Bible
The Bible is considered to have God’s authority because it was written by men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit; moreover, it is a good way of knowing what He expects from Christians and it is His revelation to people (Towns 157). Christians must follow the Bible’s teachings because it is the truth without any mixture of errors that may cast doubt on its principles. The Bible has authority that comes from God, and it testifies the works and purpose of Jesus Christ on earth. The book of Psalms 19:1 claims that God blesses people with his word to design and order their lives (Towns 157).
Inspiration
Inspiration in the Bible means that the books were written by people who were directed by the Holy Spirit (Towns 157). This means that they did not just sit somewhere and decide to write what they thought was appropriate. Therefore, the Bible is a book that contains God’s message to the world and the way this was made possible was by instructing people on what they should write. Therefore, this book is not a person or group belief, but it is God’s revelation through writers that were instructed by the Holy Spirit. The book of 2 Timothy 3:16 explains that God breathed out his word to 40 men who wrote the Bible.
Inerrancy
People present different opinions about the accuracy of the Bible and regarding its teachings. Inerrancy is the belief that the Bible is accurate and that it is God’s teachings to Christians; therefore, it does not have errors and must be understood the way it was written. The following four arguments have been used to explain that the Bible has no errors and that nobody should doubt its teachings.
The Biblical Argument is the strongest claim that the Bible is accurate, and it presents that this book teaches people its inspiration and warns them against false prophets (Towns 158). This means that people should ignore science and deductive reasoning when reading the Bible to avoid confusion. This argument claims that God cannot lie; therefore, he cannot inspire people to present information that is not accurate. The book of 2 Timothy 3:16 teaches people to trust the word of God because it is true and accurate, moreover, Deuteronomy 13:1-5 explains that people should be careful to avoid false teachings that do not support Christian beliefs.
In addition, the Histological Argument claims that the Bible unveils events that happened many years ago and that people can prove whether they were right or wrong (Towns 158). Therefore, the Bible confirms the presence of events that took place before and after the birth of Jesus Christ and that people should believe this information is accurate and true. The church has always believed in the teachings of the Bible throughout history, and this means that it is accurate. Nobody should doubt what has been the worldview for many years, and this confirms that people believed in the accuracy of the Bible.
The Epistemological Argument claims that all statements in the Bible are true and accurate because they were written by inspired people (Towns 158). Nobody has added a verse that was not from God, and this means that it is a revelation of His works of humanity. This argument is based on the belief that nobody should doubt any statement in the Bible; however, if there is proof that a verse is inaccurate then the whole book should be called into question.
The Slippery Slope Argument is the weakest and presents that people should not doubt the accuracy of the Bible; instead, they should believe and trust its teachings without question (Towns 158). According to this argument if people doubt the Bible they will cast suspicion on its contents and this will dilute their faith. People should trust this book to avoid doubts about the main doctrines of the Christian life and faith.
Relationship between Inspiration and Inerrancy
The Bible teaches people that God created man by breathing into his nostrils the breath of life, and that is how they became human beings (Towns 159). The book of Genesis 2:7 teaches people that God is the author of life and everything exists because of his power. Therefore, people who were inspired by the Holy Spirit were given accurate and true information by God, and that is why the Bible should not be questioned. It is necessary to explain that people should trust the Bible because it is accurate and reveals God’s way of doing things (Towns 159).
Implication on Views
God is the Bible’s authority because he inspired people to write it. He reveals various issues that should guide Christians and help them to understand Him without questioning His authority (Towns 159). Therefore, people should trust the Bible and believe that it is God’s message to them. There is undisputed evidence that the Bible was authored by people who were inspired by God just the way human life is directed by Him.
Conclusion
The Bible has authority that comes from God and requires all Christians to read, understand and trust it. The authors of this book were inspired by the Holy Spirit when writing it and this means that they were God’s messengers. God expects His people to believe and follow the teachings contained in the Bible because they are true and accurate. Therefore, nobody should question the accuracy and truth of the Bible and people should believe in what it teaches them about God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, and human beings.
Works Cited
Towns, Elmer L. Theology for Today. Mason, OH: Thomson Custom Solutions Center, 2001. Print.