To Err is Human, so is Inerrant the Divine?

“I am actually currently taking a closer look at the inerrency of scripture, literal creation in 6 days, and the idea that women shouldn't pastor/teach men, among other things....I'll let you know where I land.” This was the email a friend sent to me. The term ‘land’ is appropriate, since questioning the inerrancy of scripture leaves you anchorless, tossed to and fro by every wave of doctrine (Eph. 4:14).

[Before we advance, let me admit to circular reasoning. I use the word of God to defend the integrity of the word of God. Time prevents us from going into the extremely strong non circular arguments, but my point is simple. If you believe the Bible isn’t accurate, you will find that evidence. If you believe it is inerrant, then you will see that evidence instead.]

I guess the church believes Satan is clumsy and stupid. That is the only explanation I can come up with for their incessant desire to reexamine even the most basic doctrines of the Christian faith. Take for instance the questioning of the most basic starting point of our faith, the Scripture. When you question the inerrancy of scripture, you forget the FIRST lie of Satan.

Genesis 2:16-18
16 The LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."
18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."

We start with the first words God actually spoke to the first person, Adam. We then unfold the drama with the second person, Eve, who did NOT hear the instructions of God for herself.

Genesis 3:1-6
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" 2 The woman said to the serpent, " From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.' " 4 The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die! 5 "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make {one} wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

What was the first command? It was freedom to eat of any tree in the garden. What was the second command? It was a limitation with an explanation. Don’t eat of this tree, because I don’t want you to die. Very simple. Then Satan comes from WITHIN God’s creation to tempt Eve into deception.

The first lie of Satan was not a statement, but a question: “Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?” Let’s break it down into its parts. Part 1: “Indeed, has God said (NAS)” or “Did God REALLY say (NIV)” is a phrase designed to introduce a cascade of doubts upon the hearer. At the end, one even questions the existence of God. Has God really spoken? Can He talk to humanity? If he has ever talked to humanity, how did He do it? If we know how, then is He strong enough to protect his word through the ages? Does He want to? The questions cascade into an avalanche of insults to the true nature and intent of God.

This is the question of inerrancy of the scripture, and it is the FIRST lie (through implication) by Satan. Far from stupid and clumsy, the devil preys upon the natural doubt of secondary recipients of God’s word.

The second part of Satan’s lie was a very clever RESTATEMENT of the original command: “'You shall (‘must’ in NIV) not eat from any tree of the garden'?” God NEVER said this! God’s first command was libertine! Eat freely of any tree! Go nuts! Have fun! Satan changes this statement to the opposite, making God a cosmic killjoy.
But notice Satan appealed to scripture for the authority of his lies! He is an expert in the words of God, even more than most Christians are today. He merely changes the meaning or slightly twists the intent to engender doubts, confusion, and ultimately sinfulness in the reader.

By way of example, let’s employ this lie in a modern church setting. Let’s say that the church holds to a position that denies homosexuals positions of leadership based on scripture. The critics from within the church will say that the Bible never explicitly denies leadership positions to homosexuals in the New Testament. They might add that Christ himself never condemned a homosexual. They then would quote scriptures about love and forgiveness, grace and tolerance, perhaps placing the homosexual on par with the Samaritan or the woman at the well. By abusing scripture in this manner, they justify a blatantly unscriptural position.

Be very careful about abandoning the inerrancy of scripture. God knew this would happen, and covered the source of this reasoning in the 3rd chapter of Genesis, when Satan nonchalantly asked, “Has God really said…?”

Peter warns us in 2 Pet 16-21:
16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Also, be careful about good Christian men and women who introduce different doctrines that sound really informed and educated, but are heretical and dangerous. Note the sweet, sensitive and politically correct tone of the writers:

Jude 3 and 4:
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
4 For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

Matthew 24:4, 10-11,
Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you…10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible.

2 Pet 2:1-3
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

Gal 1:6-9, 2:4-5, 5:10, 12
1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
2:4 …some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you
5:10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be…12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Once again, if Satan were blatant and clumsy, the scriptures wouldn’t need to warn us to be on alert. The truth is, however, that Satan is full of guile, and he is the father of lies. You have to be on your guard actively to identify and avoid “Christian” beliefs and doctrines that are erroneous. Satan set himself up as the authority over the interpretation of God's words. This is nothing less than contemptable pride and arrogance. You also have to avoid these lies, not hold hands and hum with them. Read Gal. 5:12 again for God’s passion against false teachers!

As far as the answer about the other issues, literal creation days or women in the pulpit; if you believe in the inerrancy of scripture, those issues are settled. If you believe, as Satan does, that the Bible is a malleable collection of arbirtary thoughts about religion, then they are open.