Last month I wrote two posts in which I evaluated some arguments that a woman presented for the rejection of Inerrancy. My first post was titled “Does 2 Timothy 4:13 undermine the Doctrine of Inerrancy?” followed by a second that was titled “You’re Putting God in A Box:” The Irony of this argument against Biblical Inerrancy.” Today’s post I want to look at another criticism offered against inerrancy:
I believe the teaching of Biblical inerrancy has hurt more than it has helped the Christian faith. I think it could be responsible for the stunted growth among Christians, who do not develop their relationship with God through the Holy Spirit.
Here’s my response:
- Note that the criticism doesn’t quote any Scripture for any support that biblical inerrancy hurts more than help the Christian faith even though she thinks her position is faithful to the Scripture. She’s presenting more of a pragmatic argument but even then as we shall see her criticisms fail even among pragmatic grounds.
- She asserted “I believe the teaching of Biblical inerrancy has hurt more than it has helped the Christian faith.” But this doesn’t necessarily follow. 2 Timothy 3:16 states “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.” Imagine a brother in Christ who holds all of God’s Word is without error and he confronts someone who is in sin and uses the Scripture to reproof, correct and train in righteousness. The brother in sin also believes in biblical inerrancy and complies with the Word when confronted. This would be profitable according to our passage in 2 Timothy 3:16. We don’t see inerrancy as necessarily hurtful to the believers’ Christian faith.
- When she asserted “I believe the teaching of Biblical inerrancy has hurt more than it has helped the Christian faith,” it seems more likely that the opposite is the case. Let’s go back to the counseling scenario. If the person who is doing the counseling believes the Bible can err, how much confidence would he have in applying the Scriptures for the benefit of the Christian life and practice? Say the person being confronted also think the Bible can err, does this stir confidence and faith in God’s Word that would help the person’s Christian faith or would it instead undermine it?
- This person also asserted “I think it could be responsible for the stunted growth among Christians, who do not develop their relationship with God through the Holy Spirit.” However, isn’t the opposite the case? If someone doesn’t trust someone else’s words as being true, how can the first person say he or she can have an intimate relationship with the second individual when there’s a lack of trust? Likewise with God the Holy Spirit. Scripture attests that the Holy Spirit is the author of Scripture. For instance the author of Hebrews in Hebrews 3:7-8 quotes Psalm 95:7 and states that was what “the Holy Spirit says.” In Acts 28:25–26 Paul quotes Isaiah 6:9 and in talking about that passage of Scripture, states “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers.” If we can’t trust what He has already said, what makes you think cultivating a lack of trust that His words are true would not hurt the relationship more? Ironically, this instead is going to stunt Christian growth.
Saying the Bible isn’t inerrant leads believers down a dangerous path. I lost a contributor to my blog because she couldn’t tolerate being rebuked for saying the Bible is not inerrant.
I think I might be responding to the same person…
Excellent points!
Thanks!
Denying inerrancy is usually a front for ignoring something the reader doesn’t like. It is pure rebellion.
Exactly!
Inerrancy stunts the Christian’s growth in worldly pursuits. So when someone isn’t advancing in worldly pursuits as the desire, they naturally see the Word of God as holding them back.
For example, if a person wants to be a renowned scientist, the inerrancy of Genesis related to evolution will seem to stunt their progress. So they lash out – particularly if they are not actually Spirit-led (unregenerate).
So if your goal in counseling is godly, His Word will be sufficient. But if your goals are to make the person feel better (basically pragmatic approach), you will have to deny some Scripture to get the goal met asap.
Your comment made me think tangent about how there’s really two kinds of wisdom that’s the undercurrent behind any endeavor with counseling. it is either done with the wisdom from God, or the so called wisdom of the world. Two different methods, two different goals, both antithetical to one another!
This is quite an insight. And the implications are profound for much of what is being done in the name of “Biblical Counseling”.
Outstanding. I would love to hear the basis of her rationale other than “I believe…” Because if scripture is X and you say you believe Y then clearly you do not believe.
Yeah…thanks Doug for reading and commenting brother!
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If we don’t believe the Bible to be inerrant and strive to understand what God tells us in in, then THAT dampens the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Unless we follow his revealed will and learn it…that’s just it. There won’t be any special will shared with us. It is by studying the word that the Spirit fills and empowers us.
Just my two cents.
Amen
Yes, well said.
[…] Does Inerrancy stunt Christians relationship with God through the Holy Spirit? – “Last month I wrote two posts in which I evaluated some arguments that a woman presented for the rejection of Inerrancy. My first post was titled ‘Does 2 Timothy 4:13 undermine the Doctrine of Inerrancy?’ followed by a second that was titled ‘You’re Putting God in A Box:’ The Irony of this argument against Biblical Inerrancy.’ Today’s post I want to look at another criticism offered against inerrancy…” […]
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Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Thanks for reblogging this previous post!
You’re very welcome!
The exact opposite applies as the Holy Spirit teaches us all things as we study the inerrant word. 1 John 2. It’s embracing the doctrine of inerrancy that brings all truth to bear in our lives. At times Bible study is a bit of work, but the Holy Spirit brings truth to light. That lady’s assumption is perfect for the false teachers (and their followers) who teach that ‘experience’ trumps objective truth, that the Bible is OK, but if you really want growth you need ‘special encounters’. And that lie is a deadly cancer to the church.
Amen brother; you are right about how the mystical subjective “special encounters” stunts Christian growth when it departs from Scripture.
Quote: Denying inerrancy is usually a front for ignoring something the reader doesn’t like. It is pure rebellion.”
Nailed it!
EMatters nailed it indeed!