From the Heart of the Pastor- "Doctrines of Scripture" Part 2

​We continue with a closer look at various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture.
 
Authority of Scripture
 
I affirm, Scripture is the supreme authority in the life and faith of the Christian.
 
I affirm, Holy Scripture is the final judge of any and all truth claims, and is the ruling guide for all activities of those who are in Christ.
 
I affirm that the authority of the written Word is always in perfect agreement with the living Word, Jesus Christ.
 
I deny that any institution, whether church or state, has authority over the revealed truth of Scripture.
 
I deny that any personal, spiritual experience that is in any way contrary to Scripture should have authority in the life of the Christian.
 
I deny, the teachings or authority of Jesus Christ can ever be placed in opposition to the whole of Scripture, or deemed contradictory to any other part of Scripture.
 
Explanation
 
Scripture alone is authoritative in all matters of faith and practice in the life of the Christian and the church.  The church as an institution is subservient to the Word of God.  Likewise, any experience that a Christian might have must be judged in light of the revealed truth of Scripture.  Jesus Christ is only fully understood as he is biblically interpreted, and the focus of the Bible is Jesus Christ.  Therefore, to set the Bible against Christ is false.  What Scripture says is what Christ says, thus they form one source of authority for the Christian.
 
Inerrancy of Scripture
 
I affirm, Holy Scripture is totally and wholly true and without error in all that it affirms in the original manuscripts.
 
I affirm, Scripture is without error in all narrative history and propositional statements without exception.
 
I affirm, Scripture is God-breathed, therefore incapable of error or fallibility.
 
I deny that any or all of the translations subsequent to the original manuscripts are free from transmission error.
 
I deny that the inerrancy of Scripture is compromised by grammatical irregularities or phenomenological descriptions of nature in Scripture.
 
Explanation
 
The doctrine of inerrancy is directly related and tied to the doctrine of inspiration.  If inspiration is properly understood, inerrancy is the direct result.  If God is the author of the Bible, which he is, there can be no other conclusion than that the Bible is without flaw in the original manuscripts.  Even where there are copyist errors in translations of Scripture, the science of Textual Criticism ensures the accurate rendering of those texts with great certainty.  Apparent contradictions or discrepancies within Scripture are always answerable, even if not in this age.  They are not grounds for declaring the Bible has error.
 
Sufficiency of Scripture
 
I affirm, the Holy Scripture is sufficient, in that everything required to be reconciled to God and live a life pleasing to God are contained in Scripture.
 
I affirm, Scripture is the perfect revelation of everything needed for salvation and holy living.
 
I deny, Scripture contains every possible truth about God.
 
I deny that Scripture is sufficient to understand every detail regarding God’s work in creation or every detail regarding humanity’s end.
 
Explanation
 
The doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture is an important safeguard in Christianity. As this doctrine is affirmed, the Bible is affirmed as the perfect treasure of exactly what God wants us to know to live a life that is pleasing to him.  In addition, the details of salvation are revealed in such a way as to provide for that salvation.  There is no need for additional revelation or new instruction regarding faith and practice.  Therefore, Christians can rest assured that there is no more and no less teaching that would enhance their life before God.  Sufficiency of Scripture protects against both lawlessness and legalism.  It is the perfect level of instruction.
 
In Christ,
Blain Craig