Matt Walsh published this blog yesterday in response to Rob Bell‘s comments about the Bible. Apparently, Bell makes a statement that indicates he believes the NT epistles to be simply “2000 year old letters” (paraphrase) and nothing more. Bell calls into question the authority of scripture for believers today. With love I must admit that this is undoubtedly heresy.
The Bible, while written to an ancient audience is also written for the Universal Church (the Militant Church (living on earth today) and Triumphant Church (believers who have died and gone to be with Jesus temporarily in heaven until the final judgment and the new establishment of the New Heavens and New Earth)).
Have we really come to reminding Bell of the essential doctrines of the Church concerning Scripture (that the Bible is the inspired, authoritative, inerrance, infallible, and clear Word of God)?
What do these doctrines mean (“bibliology” is the study of the Christian doctrines of the Bible)
1. Inspired: this means that the Scriptures are “God Breathed”. Because God breathed the Scriptures, they contain his holy, truthful, and perfect character (in the originals (“autographs”)). The Bible has the very character of God because he breathed them into existence.
2. Inerrant: the Bible does not affirm anything that does not conform to that which is true. For more on inerrancy, see here. The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy reminds us that as a church, “we deny that Scriptures receive their authority from the Church, tradition, or any other human source.” This means that the Bible has authority not because of what the church says, but because they come from God.
3. Infallible: this means that the Bible “is completely trustworthy as a guide to salvation and the life of faith and will not fail to accomplish its purpose” (McKim, DK, Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms, John Knox Press, 1996).
4. Clarity of Scripture: with the help of the Holy Spirit, the message of the Bible is clear to anyone who seeks to know and obey God.
5. Sufficiency of Scripture: the Scriptures are sufficient to teach believers how to live a healthy and equipped life of faith and service.
When we forget the fundamentals we really get into trouble, especially when it comes to properly understanding the Word of God; get that piece wrong, and you’re in BIG trouble.
Pray for Rob Bell.