Is the bible word perfect? (infaliable? is that the right word?) (gospel, incarnation)

[Dream Angel]

Ok I am sure you have had a thread like this in the past, but I cant find one recently so I thought I would give it a go... Its quite simply...

Do you think the bible is word perfect?

I have noticed some people take the all or nothing approach. If the bible is perfect they believe it - if the bible has some *mistakes*, they say the whole thing is wrong.

What do you think?

[kmkemp]

It's not that, if there are mistakes, that the whole thing is wrong. It's that there is no way to know which parts are wrong. For example, if there are mistakes, how do we know Christ died for our sins? How do we know which parts are true and which aren't? Either it is infallible or there is no basis for Christian faith, as far as I'm concerned.

Still, I believe it is. Most would think that my acceptance is based on faith, which is true to an extent, I suppose. I read it and I believe that the words couldn't have come from man. One of the top reasons what Christians use to justify this belief is the fulfillment of prophecy.

[angellous_evangellous]

Originally Posted by Dream Angel

Ok I am sure you have had a thread like this in the past, but I cant find one recently so I thought I would give it a go... Its quite simply...

Do you think the bible is word perfect?

I have noticed some people take the all or nothing approach. If the bible is perfect they believe it - if the bible has some *mistakes*, they say the whole thing is wrong.

What do you think?

The Bible is absolutely not word perfect in any sense of the term. The condition of the manuscripts is evidence enough for this. We don't even know what all the words are: we have thousands of manuscripts of the New Testament alone, and no two of them are exactly the same, so we know right off the bat that it's not perfect, and all the evidence indicates that it never was. The bible has been and always will be in the care of human beings, it it bears our fingerprints.

The all or nothing approach is destrutive for Christians because eventually even the least inquisative Christian will realize that the Bible is full of not only textual errors but competing and mutually exclusive theological messages.

The best way to view the Scripture, in my opinion is an incarnational approach: God and humanity are both equally involved, and God's purpose in Scripture is redemption, as is His purpose in all things.

[FatMan]

Anything translated cannot be word perfect. Simply put.

It also cannot be Microsoft Word, either.

[angellous_evangellous]

Originally Posted by FatMan

Anything translated cannot be word perfect. Simply put.

It also cannot be Microsoft Word, either.

If only the disciples had a Mac.

[Dream Angel]

Originally Posted by kmkemp

It's not that, if there are mistakes, that the whole thing is wrong. It's that there is no way to know which parts are wrong. For example, if there are mistakes, how do we know Christ died for our sins? How do we know which parts are true and which aren't? Either it is infallible or there is no basis for Christian faith, as far as I'm concerned.

Still, I believe it is. Most would think that my acceptance is based on faith, which is true to an extent, I suppose. I read it and I believe that the words couldn't have come from man. One of the top reasons what Christians use to justify this belief is the fulfillment of prophecy.

So how do you explain the gospels that have not been included - because man decided not to include them. The bible was inspired by God it wasnt written by God. How do you explain the different accounts from different people which have differences in them. Just like witnesses?

[angellous_evangellous]

Originally Posted by Dream Angel

So how do you explain the gospels that have not been included - because man decided not to include them. The bible was inspired by God it wasnt written by God. How do you explain the different accounts from different people which have differences in them. Just like witnesses?

The Gospel of Thomas is particularly problematic here, but we can also bring up the fact that different Christian groups have different canons. Some ancient Churches include 1 Clement and the Didache as canonical, and the Catholics and Protestants are divided over the Apocrypha.

[Special Revelation]

Originally Posted by Dream Angel

Ok I am sure you have had a thread like this in the past, but I cant find one recently so I thought I would give it a go... Its quite simply...

Do you think the bible is word perfect?

I have noticed some people take the all or nothing approach. If the bible is perfect they believe it - if the bible has some *mistakes*, they say the whole thing is wrong.

What do you think?

All Bible that we have are copies of different manuscripts. Since mankind is not perfect, all translations have human error. Look at the preface in your Bibles and they all claim to be subject to error. The originals are completely perfect!

However, our Bibles in our possessions are completely trustworthy in regards to everything pertaining to faith, life and godliness. We can place our entire trust and faith in the copies of the Bibles that we have. Some trustworthy English translations include the ESV, NASB, NIV, NKJV, KJV.

I believe the Bible is a closed book for the non-elect. John 17:17 states that a believer is sanctified by truth (Bible). A conversion and on-going process of sanctification (being make like Christ) is completely dependent on the person and work of God the Holy Spirit. Within sanctification, God the Holy Spirit illuminates the Word of God to the believer, and applies the transforming truths revealed in the Bible to changed the redeemed sinner. Without the Holy Spirit's illuminating work, a non-believer is unable to understand the Word of God that will change him. God reveals truth to His elect children and conceals truth to others. Look for this theme in your Bible reading; it's everywhere.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by kmkemp

It's not that, if there are mistakes, that the whole thing is wrong. It's that there is no way to know which parts are wrong. For example, if there are mistakes, how do we know Christ died for our sins? How do we know which parts are true and which aren't? Either it is infallible or there is no basis for Christian faith, as far as I'm concerned.

Still, I believe it is. Most would think that my acceptance is based on faith, which is true to an extent, I suppose. I read it and I believe that the words couldn't have come from man. One of the top reasons what Christians use to justify this belief is the fulfillment of prophecy.

Which translation is infallible then? And is your Bible complete? What about the Apocrapha?