Time-Tested Laws of Science
What would the scientific community think if someone claimed to create perpetual motion (perpetual motion is motion that continues indefinitely without any external source of energy)? They would be shocked! The announcement would come with scores of critics who refused to accept the mere assertion that someone has violated both the first and second laws of thermodynamics.
In simplified terms, the first law of thermodynamics asserts that energy cannot be created or destroyed and the second law is essentially that everything heads toward disorder.
Perpetual motion creates energy (violating the first law) where there otherwise was none in order to maintain both the kinetic energy of movement as well as the potential energy for repeating that exact same movement. Secondly, perpetual motion claims to maintain stability while additionally creating energy, therefore not heading toward disorder, but rather doing quite the opposite.
These laws of science were identified in the 1800’s and have been proved over and over and over again. A scientist who claims to have created perpetual motion, no matter how smart he is, no matter how many degrees are on his wall, no matter how many years experience, books and articles written, patents granted, or millions earned, will be viewed with extreme skepticism by the scientific community. And if, when pressed, his fellow scientists find that he has nothing more than theories to support his argument, he will be deemed the laughing stock of the scientific community. Even his former research, papers, and books will be viewed with suspicion. Some may give the disclaimer, “he used to be such a good scientist, it’s a shame he lost his mind toward the end of his life.”
Time-Tested Truths of Scripture
How does this relate to the inerrancy of Scripture? The reality that the Bible is without error (inerrant) is an established fact. Just like the laws of science, inerrancy has always been true. Even before people started using the word “inerrant”, the Scriptures were inerrant. The laws of thermodynamics have been confirmed over two hundred years of observation and testing. The Scriptures have been proved not only from the moments the first books were written (approximately 3,400 years ago), but the very words of God have been proved true from the moment they were first spoken in the Garden of Eden. God’s Word has always been completely true.
Similarly to the people who have tried to create and defend perpetual motion, there is a long line of those who have attempted to prove God’s Word to be false. The very first to attempt this impossible task was Satan himself. In the Garden of Eden Satan said to Eve, “Indeed, has God said, ‘you shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1). From that moment on, Satan has attempted to disprove God’s Word by attacking it, twisting it, and abusing it. In Matthew 4:6 Satan even used Bible quotations in his attempts to undermine God and His Word. We would expect that from those who straightforwardly reject the God of the Bible, but what is so terrifying and dangerous is that the attacks in our days on inerrancy are coming also from within evangelicalism, from those who profess to know and worship the God of the Bible.
How Should the Church Respond?
The Christian community should respond to those who assert that the Bible contains errors the same way the scientific community would respond to someone who claimed to have created perpetual motion – with shock, skepticism, and ultimately with rejection if that person was unable to prove that they have overcome long established laws and truths.
Unfortunately, the Christian community has welcomed these “errantists” as being free-thinkers, and has allowed them to preach in pulpits and hold positions of honor at prestigious seminaries. These men are bringing the full weight of the textbooks they’ve written and renown reputations they have amassed over their lifetimes to undermine the inerrancy and sufficiency of the very Words of God, and they do so with nothing more than “philosophy and empty deception” (Colossians 2:8).
Is God a Liar?
As Christians, we must realize that the inerrancy of the Word of God is not something that is up for discussion. It is not reasonable for someone to hold a position that denies inerrancy. It is like a scientist who denies the laws of thermodynamics – they are ignorant at best and unqualified at worst.
In order for someone to disprove inerrancy they must:
- Contradict the entirety of church history.
- Disprove the Scriptures themselves which claim to be without error (Psalm 19:7; Proverbs 30:5).
- They must prove God is a liar.
If the Bible is not inerrant, if the very Word of God is not inerrant, then God is a liar. God claims for Himself the authorship of the entirety of the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). Further, the Bible states that it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2). Therefore, if the Bible, which is written ultimately by God, contains errors, then God is a liar. This is the bar to which we should hold those to who flippantly claim that the Scriptures are not inerrant.
Time-tested, God-affirmed
Like the fool who claims to have created perpetual motion, so too is the fool who claims that God’s Word is not inerrant. Regardless of the number of degrees on their wall, articles and books they’ve written, or positions they hold at prestigious universities or seminaries, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar (Romans 3:4). The inerrancy of Scripture is a time-tested, Scripture-asserted, and God-affirmed fact, and on this rock, our faith can grow.
