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A CHILD OF GOD LOOKS AT THE DOCTRINE OF VERBAL
PLENARY PRESERVATION
Carol Lee
Introduction
This paper states my
understanding of God’s teaching in His Word concerning the Doctrine of
Verbal Plenary Preservation and the position I must take with regard to
this Doctrine.
I am no linguist or scholar
of theology but I am a child of God. And I write with that as my only
credential. My heavenly Father’s revelation through His Word to me and all
His children is clear (John 10:27: “My sheep hear my voice …,” John 18:37:
“… Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.”) and can be understood
with the illumination of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26: “… the Holy Ghost …
shall teach you …,” Ps 119:18: “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of thy law.”)
I therefore write as one
child of God to another. It is hoped that this paper will help the
God-fearing and God-honouring reader to come to an equally biblical
understanding of (and response to) this Doctrine.
Definition
While God has inspired men of
old to write His Word in Hebrew and Greek (ie, the divine, Verbal Plenary
Inspiration of the autographs), God also has taken it upon Himself to
providentially preserve all of His own words in Hebrew and Greek, so that
they can never be lost. This is the Doctrine of Verbal (words) Plenary
(all, full, complete) Preservation and this Doctrine is taught in the Word
of God.
The Bible Teaches the Doctrine of Preservation
Psalm 12:6–7 The words of the
LORD [are] pure words: [as] silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified
seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from
this generation for ever.
Psalm 33:11 The counsel of
the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all
generations.
Psalm 78:1–7 Give ear, O my
people, [to] my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will
open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have
heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide [them] from
their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,
and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he
established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he
commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their
children: That the generation to come might know [them, even] the
children [which] should be born; [who] should arise and declare [them]
to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not
forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.
Psalm 100:5 For the LORD [is]
good; his mercy [is] everlasting; and his truth [endureth] to all
generations.
Psalm 105:8 He hath
remembered his covenant for ever, the word [which] he commanded to a
thousand generations.
Psalm 111:7–8 The works of
his hands [are] verity and judgment; all his commandments [are] sure. They
stand fast for ever and ever, [and are] done in truth and
uprightness.
Psalm 117:2 For his merciful
kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD [endureth] for
ever. Praise ye the LORD.
Psalm 119:89 For ever,
O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
Psalm 119:152 Concerning thy
testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.
Psalm 119:160 Thy word [is]
true [from] the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments [endureth]
for ever.
Isaiah 40:8
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall
stand for ever.
Isaiah
59:21 As for me, this [is] my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit
that [is] upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not
depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the
mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
Matthew 4:4
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
God.
Matthew
5:17–18 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am
not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven
and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the
law, till all be fulfilled.
Matthew
24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
John 10:35
If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture
cannot be broken;
1 Peter
1:23–25 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by
the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh
[is] as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass
withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord
endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached
unto you.
The Bible Teaches the Preservation of All the
Words (Not Just Doctrines) of God
Psalm 12:6–7 The words
of the LORD [are] pure words: [as] silver tried in a furnace of earth,
purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt
preserve them from this generation for ever.
Psalm 119:89 For ever, O
LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
Isaiah 40:8 The grass
withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand
for ever.
Matthew 4:4 But he answered
and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Matthew 5:17–18 Think not
that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the
law, till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and
earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
1 Peter 1:24–25 For all flesh
[is] as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass
withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the
Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is
preached unto you.
The Purpose of Verbal Plenary Preservation is to
Sanctify God’s Children
When They Obey His Word
Deuteronomy 4:2 Ye shall not
add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought]
from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God
which I command you.
Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret
[things belong] unto the LORD our God: but those [things which are]
revealed [belong] unto us and to our children for ever, that [we] may do
all the words of this law.
Joshua 1:8 This book of the
law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate
therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according
to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way
prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Psalm 78:1–7 Give ear, O my
people, [to] my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will
open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have
heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide [them] from
their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,
and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he
established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he
commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
That the generation to come might know [them, even] the children
[which] should be born; [who] should arise and declare [them] to their
children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the
works of God, but keep his commandments.
Proverbs 5:7 Hear me now
therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
Matthew 4:4 But he answered
and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
John 20:30–31 And many other
signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not
written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might
have life through his name.
Romans 10:17 So then faith
[cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
John 17:17 Sanctify
them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 All
scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works.
Revelation 22:7 Behold, I
come quickly: blessed [is] he that keepeth the sayings of the
prophecy of this book.
My Belief on the Doctrine of Verbal Plenary
Preservation
Just as I believe by faith
that God created out of nothing and that He created over a literal six-day
period because the Word of God says so (no matter what the scientists or
the science text books say!), I believe by faith that God can and has
preserved His words for us because the Word of God says so (no matter what
the textual critics, scholarly linguists, commentators, etc may say!). (See
above for the biblical teaching.)
Just as much have been
written against the literal six-day creation (and the other miracles in the
Bible), much have also been (and will continue to be) written against the
verbal, plenary preservation of the Word of God.
But, finally, it is not what
the “experts” or “godly men” say but what God’s Word says. It is not what I
can see with my eyes and touch with my hands, it is what is revealed to me
(and you) in God’s Word. (“The Word of God says it. That settles it. I
believe it.”)
I believe in Jesus. I believe
in the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. I believe there is a literal
heaven and a literal hell. I believe in the rapture of saints (although it
defies the law of gravity!). I believe not because I have seen all these
with my eyes or that the “experts” or “godly men” confirm that these are
possible in reality. I believe because God’s Word tells me so, and I
believe by faith. It is enough that God’s Word says so.
Believing in God’s Word may
cause me difficulties. For example, it means that I must believe that my
unsaved loved ones will be left behind during the rapture. I must believe
that my unsaved loved ones will end up suffering in a literal hell. Yet I
must believe because God’s Word says so. I cannot twist God’s Word to make
it say that my unsaved loved ones can be found in heaven. Let us never
twist God’s Word to make our difficulties or problems go away. The
criterion for what I believe, or do not believe, is not whether it suits me
or not, not whether it is convenient for me or not, not whether I want to
believe or not, not whether it will cause me problems or not, not whether
my intellectual curiosity is satisfied or not. The criterion is and must be
whether God’s Word teaches it or not.
Hebrews 11:3 “Through
faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so
that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
Hebrews 11:7–8 “By faith
Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with
fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house …. By faith Abraham, when
he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an
inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he
went.”
Hebrews 11:13 “These all
died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar
off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed
that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”
Let us take God at His Word
and trust the words He has revealed to us. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the
LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
God’s Word is rich with the teaching of the Doctrine of Verbal Plenary
Preservation. Let us believe God’s clear revelation to us. Let us not lean
on our own understanding and start to doubt His Word.
Hebrews 11:7 tells us that
“by faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with
fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house …”. While Noah by faith
obediently did all that the Lord commanded him (Gen 6:22, 7:5) and preached
God’s Word to the people (2 Pet 2:5), the people carried on with their
lives as per normal (Matt 24:38–39), ignoring the Word of God. Luke 17:26
says, “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of
the Son of man.” And so we must be ready for God’s Word to be rejected
today when we by faith believe and teach what God says in His Word.
Much have been written and
spoken against the Doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation, but one thing
that is glaring in all these is the lack of Bible support for the doctrine
of non-verbal, non-plenary preservation. No where in the Bible does it
teach that God’s Word will be preserved only in part. Nor does it teach
that God’s Word is accurate only in the areas of faith and salvation and
not in the areas of geography and history.
Let us not be hoodwinked into
believing the lie of the evil one, couched in scholarly words, words that
appeal to our intellect and pride. Remember the strategies the evil one
used with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:1), and with our Lord
Jesus in the wilderness (Luke 4:1–12). Let us learn from the mistake made
by Adam and Eve and not repeat it. Let us learn from our Lord how not to
fall into the trap of the evil one.
We believe in God, we must
also believe in His Word. We must take God at His Word. I cannot explain
how God can create over a mere, literal six-day period. But I believe in
the literal six-day creation because the Word of God teaches that. I cannot
explain how Christ can be born of a virgin. But I believe in His virgin
birth because God’s Word says so. I cannot explain how God can preserve His
every word, even to the jot and tittle. But I believe He can because He
revealed in His Word that He will. Let us take God at His Word. “But
without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is…” (Heb 11:6). “For what if some did not believe?
shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea,
let God be true, but every man a liar …” (Rom 3:3–4). Yes, “let God be
true.” If He says He will preserve His words to the jot and tittle, let us
“let God be true.”
You may ask: “What if I
cannot reconcile God’s verses? What if I discover ‘mistakes’ or
discrepancies in God’s Word?” Reader, ask yourself: “Am I smarter than God?
Do I detect errors that God has missed? Is my God not capable of keeping
His own words intact?”
God says He will preserve.
Surely my almighty Lord God, the Creator of heaven and earth, is able to
preserve accurately and perfectly the words that He has taken the trouble
to inspire men of old to write.
If I cannot reconcile certain
verses (and I believe God has promised to providentially preserve His Word
Himself), it must then be because of my limited intelligence or
understanding. The discrepancies must be apparent discrepancies, not
real discrepancies. Perhaps, God may use a human teacher to enlighten me.
Even if He does not, then I will wait till I see Him face to face and I am
confident He will be able to explain those verses to me.
The Doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation is Not
a New Teaching
It is not a new teaching but
a very old doctrine that is being taught in the Bible itself (Ps
12:6-7, Matt 5:18, 24:35).
In addition, when the New
Testament writers and Jesus referred to the “scriptures” (eg, 2 Tim
3:16, John 10:35), they were not referring to the autographs but the
faithfully copied apographs. They (Jesus included) accepted without
question the apographs as scriptures, as the very Word of God. If the
apographs are good enough for Jesus, they are good enough for me.
Various confessional
statements from the days of old have also revealed their belief in the
Doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation. The Westminster Confession of
Faith (1643–1648) states:
The Old
Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of
old), and the New Testament in Greek (which, at the time of writing of it,
was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by
God, and by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages,
are therefore authentical; so as, in all controversies of religion, the
Church is finally to appeal unto them.1
Note that the Westminster
Confession did not use the term “autographs” but spoke of the Scriptures in
terms of the original LANGUAGES. What are “by His singular care and
providence” being “kept pure in all ages”? The Hebrew words and the Greek
words which God has inspired men of old to put down in writing! The
Westminster Confession of Faith clearly teaches the 100% preservation of
the Hebrew words and Greek words of the Holy Scriptures.
Both the Westminster
Confession (1643–48) and the Helvetic Consensus Formula (1675) cite Matthew
5:18 as proof of the divine inspiration and special providential
preservation of the Holy Scripture.
The Helvetic Consensus
Formula (1675) states:
God, the
supreme Judge, not only took care to have His Word, which is the ‘power of
God unto salvation to every one that believeth’ (Rom 1:16), committed to
writing by Moses, the prophets, and the apostles, but has also watched
and cherished it with paternal care ever since it was written up to the
present time, so that it could not be corrupted by craft of Satan or fraud
of man. Therefore, the church justly ascribes it to His singular grace
and goodness that she has, and will have to the end of the world, a
‘sure word of prophecy’ (2 Pet 1:19) and ‘holy Scriptures’ (2 Tim
3:15), from which, though heaven and earth perish, ‘one jot or one
tittle shall in no wise pass’ (Matt 5:18).2
Francis Turretin (1623–1687)
expounded on the early confessional doctrine of Biblical preservation and
understood it to mean “entire preservation”:
Nor can we
readily believe that God, who dictated and inspired each and every word to
these inspired men, would not take care of their entire preservation.3
The Baptist New Hampshire
Confession (1833) states:
We believe
that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is an
infallible and inerrant treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God
for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of
error, for its matter … and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of
the world, the true centre of Christian union, and the supreme standard
by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.4
More recent statements have
also revealed their belief in the Doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation.
The International Council of Christian Churches (ICCC) 16th
World Congress in Jerusalem 2000, Statement #2, “On the Word of God Forever
Inerrant and Infallible” declares:
The first
historic doctrine of the Christian Church presented in the doctrinal
statement of this Council of churches is its belief in the inerrancy and
infallibility of the entire Bible … God’s Word has been given to us
directly from heaven by the Holy Spirit and Jesus, while He was here, said
that the Father had sent Him and had given to Him the words which He had
delivered to man. Jesus was explicit when he said, “Heaven and earth shall
pass away; but my words shall not pass away.” … It is this Bible and its
record of past prophecies that have been seen to be fulfilled in the
smallest level, and every Word of God is true …. The ICCC reaffirms
all the statements carefully and prayerfully worked out … all of which are
based squarely on this holy and perfect record which came from heaven,
of which God is the Author and that indeed is why it is called the Word of
God.5
Dr E F Hills (1912–1981)
wrote:
If the
doctrine of divine inspiration of the Old and New Testament Scriptures is a
true doctrine, the doctrine of the providential preservation of these
Scriptures must also be a true doctrine. It must be that down through the
centuries God has exercised a special, providential control over the
copying of the Scriptures and the preservation and use of the original text
have been available to God’s people in every age.6
An Acid Test
Reader, if you are unable to
accept God’s teaching concerning the verbal, plenary preservation of God’s
Word, may I suggest that you make a list of your objections and examine
them one by one. Do you object because of your need to “see” in order to
believe? (John 20:25, “… Except I shall see in his hands the print of the
nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand
into his side, I will not believe.”) Do you object because believing will
cause you problems or difficulties, and therefore you decide to twist God’s
Word and make it say something else? Do you object because you refuse to
admit your limited intellect when you are unable to understand or reconcile
certain portions of God’s Word?
Perhaps, in the process, you
will discover your lack of biblical support for your objection, that you
actually have no real good reason for opposing God’s teaching on the
Doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation except your own lack of faith and
trust in Him and the teaching in His Word!
Twelve Possible
Dangerous Outcomes if the Doctrine of
Verbal Plenary Preservation is Rejected7
(1) No inspired Word of God intact.
(2) No absolutely infallible, inerrant Word of God.
(3) God is unfaithful in keeping His repeated promise
that He will preserve His Word forever.
(4) Jesus’ promises are unreliable (eg, “My words shall
not pass away.”)
(5) Jesus did not mean what He said.
(6) God is so incapacitated by the errors of man and
dark events of history that He is unable to keep His promises.
(7) Faith of Old Testament prophets and saints that
God’s Word will be kept intact is a false faith.
(8) Affirmation of apostles and New Testament writers
that God’s Word will be kept intact is false.
(9) Our forefathers’ faith that the Word of God “by His
singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages” is not acceptable.
(10) Any one can question the authenticity and
authority of the words in the Bible.
(11) Believe “scholars” as to which part of Bible is
wrong, instead of believing God.
(12) No more absolutely trustworthy, perfect Word of
God.
The Church Response and Responsibility
The Word of God is the
authority on which our doctrines are based. It is the authority for all our
preaching and teaching. Over the years, the church has found it necessary
and important enough (rightly so) to make a stand for all the various
doctrines and positions of the church especially when these are being
attacked. Now, when the “root” of all our doctrines and positions is being
attacked, it is imperative that the church makes a stand for the “root,”
the very Word of God itself.
In our Bible-Presbyterian
church history, we see that the church took the stand of biblical
separation (against Billy Graham and ecumenism). The church also took the
stand that the gift of tongue-speaking has ceased. It was a credit to the
church that amidst much controversy and debate, it courageously stood on
the Lord’s side. There was unhappiness in certain quarters. With much
sadness, the church lost some members in the process. But this is a price
that the church had to pay (and was willing to pay) for obedience to her
Lord and Master. Jesus has set us the example (Phil 2:8: “… he humbled
himself, and became obedient …,” Luke 22:42: “… not my will, but thine, be
done.”) He was obedient to God the Father. He submitted to the will of His
Father. So must the church. Such vital issues that pertain to the teachings
of God warrant the church making a stand.
The church’s recent
uncompromising and vocal teaching against the movie “The Passion of the
Christ” and against homosexuality shows that our leaders are diligently
performing the task of a good “watchman” as required by God (Ezek 3:17;
33:6–7). When the church makes a stand, effectively three things take
place:
(1) The leadership clearly teaches the flock what God’s
Word says about the issue.
(2) The leadership leads the flock in obeying God’s
Word.
(3) The leadership leads the flock to stand united to
speak with one voice for the Lord.
The present issue concerning
the Doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation is a vital issue that hits at
the root of our faith and the root of all our doctrines. It is not enough
that in the past the church has courageously made stands that are for the
Lord. The Word of God is now under attack. The church must once again make
that decision to humbly obey her God and stand on the Lord’s side by
faithfully teaching what the Bible says about the Doctrine of Verbal
Plenary Preservation (John 21:15–17: “… lovest thou me …? … Feed my lambs …
Feed my sheep … Feed my sheep”). Praise God that a handful of our churches
have already made that decision to stand on the Lord’s side. The flock
needs such watchful leaders to teach them the truth from God’s Word and to
lead them in obeying the truth. May God help our leaders to continue to be
diligent, faithful and courageous watchmen for the Lord. May God help every
child of God to read His Word and to believe by faith all that He has
revealed through His Word.
Conclusion
I give all thanks and praise
to my Heavenly Father for assuring me in His own Word that He has taken it
upon Himself to keep His own words intact and that I have a most sure Word
of God today on which I can be rooted firmly and not be “tossed to and fro,
and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Eph 4:14).
“… Now no chastening for the
present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it
yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised
thereby” (Heb 12:11). Thank God for the “peaceable fruit of righteousness”
in our hearts when we humbly submit ourselves to our Lord, and just believe
and obey Him.
“But without faith [it is]
impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he
is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb
11:6).
May God help me (and every
child of God) to believe, to cling on to, and to be rooted in His precious
words as revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures.
To God be the glory!
Notes
1 G I Williamson,
The Westminster Confession of Faith for Study Classes (Philadelphia:
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co, 1964), 14.
2 The Formula
Consensus Helvetica (1675), available from
http://public.csusm.edu/guests/rsclark/
Helvetic_Consensus_Formula.htm. Internet; Accessed on 25 January 2005.
3 Francis Turretin,
Institutes of Elenctic Theology, trans George Musgrave Giger, ed
James T Dennison, Jr (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1992), 1:71.
4 Philip Schaff,
ed, The Creeds of Christiandom with a History and Critical Notes. Vol
III: The Evangelical Protestant Creed (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House,
1931), 742.
5 ICCC 16th
World Congress Statements, Jerusalem, November 8–14, 2000, Far Eastern
Beacon, 23/17 (Christmas 2000): 14.
6 Edward F Hills,
The King James Version Defended (Iowa: The Christian Research Press,
1956), 2.
7 Prabhudas Koshy,
“If We Reject the Doctrine of the Perfect Preservation of the Bible,”
Bible Witness, 2/4 (October–December 2002): 16–17.
Carol Lee is lecturer in Christian Education at the Far Eastern Bible
College.
- Published in
The Burning Bush, Volume 11 Number 2 (July 2005)
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