Western culture has taken the form of a postmodern era centered on denouncing absolute truth. If the Bible is erroneous, then it therefore cannot be the source of absolute truth. If God is true (Rom. 3:4), if God does not lie (Num. 23:19; Heb. 6:18), and if the scriptures were breathed out by God (2Tim. 3:16), then the scriptures are true (Jo. 17:17). Scripture was never willed by man (2Pet. 1:21), but willed by and breathed out from God (2Tim. 3:16) with words taught by the Spirit (1Cor. 2:12). If scripture cannot be broken (Jo. 10:35), and God’s word is truth (Jo. 17:17), then scripture is the true Word of God (1Thess. 2:13).

There are several instances of alleged errors that are argued against inerrancy, that of the dimensions in Second Chronicles 4:2, and that of the differences that exist within the Gospels. While many arguments deal with seeming contradictions within the synoptic Gospels, the differences do not equate to contradictions. For instance, in Acts 20:35, Paul states that Jesus said it is better to give than to receive, but Jesus, in the four Gospels, does not utter that phrase. The Gospels also report that they did not include all that Jesus said and did (Jo. 21:25), therefore Paul is not contradicting Christ, but opening us up to more of Christ’s teachings.

Matthew 27:44 and Mark 15:32 tell of two thieves beside Christ who mocked Him, but in Luke 23:39-40 there was only one. Some argue that this implies a contradiction, but with context, one thief repented of sin and was saved, which implies that He no longer mocked Christ bringing the total number of mocking thieves from two to one. There are differences because there are four separate perspectives, but there are no contradictions. In Second Chronicles 4:2, there is a seeming mathematical error regarding the usage of pi as 3.0 rather than 3.14159. The mathematical error is not erroneous though because in the context of the event, and the context of the writing, the understanding of mathematics was correct as was understood, and since the Holy Spirit used the personalities of the biblical authors to write the Bible, this is no error at all.

Illumination is when the Holy Spirit teaches, criticizes, corrects, or trains an individual in accordance to scripture (1Cor. 2:13-14; Jo. 14:26; 16:12-15), as well as when the Holy Spirit empowers an individual to teach, criticize, correct, or train others in accordance to scripture (Acts 1:8). Since through culture we are unable to come to know the things of the Spirit, it is through the empowerment of the Spirit that we can know what God has given the Spirit to teach to us (1Cor. 2:13-14). As members of humanity, we are unable to know God without one of two means: the teachings of Christ (Luke 24:45); and empowerment of the Spirit (1Cor. 2:11).

A function of the Holy Spirit is to convict all individuals of sin (Jo. 16:8; 1Cor. 12:13) before they believe (Jo. 16:9) and the elect individuals after they believe (10), but does not live within an individual until after the point that they become a believer (Jo. 14:17). God will intentionally send (1Cor. 6:19), upon Jesus’ request, the Holy Spirit to guide us in understanding scripture and speak to us about Jesus (Jo. 14:16; 15:26). The Holy Spirit anoints individuals (1Jo. 2:20) and through that anointing individuals are expected to obey what is taught to them (27), for a purpose of the Spirit is to shape us into righteousness (2Cor. 3:18; Eph. 2:22).

Human authors physically penned all of scripture and their words were intentionally guided by God through various means (Heb. 1:1; Rev. 1:1), most prominently the Holy Spirit (2Pet. 1:20-21). God gave Moses a specific message with instructions to write it down (Ex. 17:14) and Moses did (Mark 12:26). Jesus recognized what Moses wrote as entirely accurate (Jo. 5:46). The word of the Lord came “expressly” to Ezekiel (Ezek. 1:3), the Lord spoke through Hosea (Hos. 1:2), and the prophetic messages of Nahum are clearly attributed to a vision from the Lord (Nah. 1:1).

Throughout the Old Testament, human authors are ascribed for their role in physically penning scripture (Josh. 24:26; 1Sam. 10:25; 1Chron. 29:29; Song 1:1; Jer. 36:32). Throughout the New Testament, humans authors are more clearly ascribed for their role in physically penning scripture (Rom. 1:1; 1Cor. 1:1; 2Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:1; 1Thess. 1:1; 2Thess. 1:1; 1Tim. 1:1; 2Tim. 1:1; Tit. 1:1; Philem. 1:1; Jam. 1:1; 1Pet. 1:1; 2Pet. 1:1; Jude 1:1). Ultimately, the words that the human authors physically penned were neither initiated by, nor intended to be perceived by man but of God (1Thess. 3:16; 2Pet. 1:21).

All scripture, starting with Genesis and ending with Revelation, is moved, influenced, and inspired by God for the specific purposes of teaching, criticizing, correcting, and for training people in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16). Moreover, while the Holy Spirit ensured the accuracy of the writing, the abilities and personalities of the human authors are reflected in their writing, resulting in the inerrant Word of God. The Holy Spirit’s intervention is specific even to the word choices, and is only prevalent to the original manuscripts, meaning our modern translations are not inspired by the Spirit, but are rather translations of the Spirit-inspired work.

The Canon refers to the sixty-six books of the Bible, and is the Spirit-breathed, specially revealed, Word of God (2Tim. 3:16). In a Postmodern Church Age growing toward the minimization of absolute truth, it is vital to affirm that all sixty-six books are equally the Word of God. The Old Testament authors were led by the Spirit in their writing of scripture (Acts 4:25). All prophecies given from God through prophets and messengers of God spoke with words given to them by the Holy Spirit (1Pet. 1:11; 2Pet. 1:21). Just the same, the Holy Spirit moved in the New Testament authors to pen the exact words God wanted penned, including the deep philosophical writings of the Epistles having not come from the minds of men, but rather of the Holy Spirit (2Pet. 3:15).

Recognizing scripture as physically penned by men but supremely the Word of God is reason for celebration (1Thess. 2:13). In the Old Testament this writing carried great authority (2Kin. 14:6; 2Chron. 23:18; Ezra 3:2; Neh. 10:34). Also, due to the extents of preservation such as the warnings against additions or removals of the canon (Rev. 22:18), the observable fact that translations over time have remained 100% accurate in message is valid. The only errors that exist are minor grammatical changes that occurred as linguistics evolved as an art form. It is then logical to assert that the Bible we can purchase at a store is a copy of the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God translated to English.