How do you view the Word of God

​Let’s look at again at the generic doctrinal statement on the Bible with which I began my previous post. Most churches say the Bible is the inspired Word of God, without error and is the final authority on matters of faith and life.  Theologians call this the plenary verbal inspiration view of the Bible.  It means the entire Bible (plenary) including the word selection and grammar (verbal) was inspired or guided by God.  The human authors did write within the context of their own cultures and personalities however, they did so while under the supervision of the Holy Spirit.   

That is the high view of the Bible.  People who hold to that definition of inspiration take pains to seek out the original intent of the authors meaning the people who wrote and the Holy Spirit who was guiding them.  If you hold a high view of the Bible, you likely follow a literal, historical and cultural interpretation method.  when studying Paul’s letter to the Romans you seek to understand it from the perspective of a 1st century Christian living in Rome.  What did the words mean to them back then, not what they mean today in our culture. 

Not all Christians hold the High view.  There are many who believe the Bible contains the word of God but not in the plenary sense.  40 years ago the county wide association of churches where I lived surveyed all the member pastors on their various doctrinal positions including their view of the Bible.  Only 25%, 1 in 4, held to the High view of Scripture.   The rest, 75%, held a wide range of positions.  Those who believe some of it was inspired by God admitted we can’t absolutely be certain which parts were.  Some even held that inspiration occurs as we read it and the meaning will change to match our need for the moment.   We’ll label that the low view of the Bible. 

People who hold to the low view will seek extra-biblical sources for guidance.  The traditions of their denomination, earlier Church leaders or leaders of different movements in Church history.  So, we end up with a number of theological traditions, Calvinism, Arminianism, Wesleyan/Methodist, Covenant, the Orthodox churches and so on. 

If you have not yet figured it out, I hold to the High View of the Bible.  I teach it as being God’s authoritative revelation to the Human race.  I believe we have to take what the Bible says at face value, the plain meaning of the words at the time they were written is the meaning we should assign to those words today.  That sounds good, but it is not easy.  Like everyone I’m a product of my culture.  The Bible says some things that are hard to hear, that go against my nature instincts.  But I’m also convinced that if I deviate from the plenary verbal inspiration view of the Bible I will end up with a distorted understanding of God.  And if I’m not clear in my knowledge about the person of God I open myself up to uncertainty and confusion on the most important matters about life now and in the future.  
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More on that in my next post.