How is the Bible Infallible When the Writers Aren’t?

We Christians believe the claim that the Bible was written by men guided by God’s inspiration. It is God’s participation that makes the result infallible. Scripture itself tells us so…

All Scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for righteousness. 2 Timothy 3: 16

No prophecy (meaning preaching, exhortation, and/or prediction) was ever made by an act of human will, but by men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 2 Peter 1: 21 

I’ve touched on this topic before, but during a recent study of another topic, I ran across what is to me the clearest explanation of how inspiration works. The explanation is in a statement made by Christian writer, Ellen G. White.

“The Bible is written by inspired men, but it is not God’s mode of thought and expression. It is not the words of the Bible that are inspired, but the men that were inspired. Inspiration acts not on the man’s words or expressions but on the man himself, who, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, is imbued with thoughts. But the words receive the impress of the individual mind. The divine mind is diffused. The divine mind and will is combined with the human mind and will; thus the utterances of the man are the word of God.”

 

Comments are closed.