In The Margins

Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. – Proverbs 30:5

Last week, we talked about the inspiration of Scripture and how, when you open the Bible, you can be confident you’re reading the very words of God. Because it’s inspired, the Word of God has the power to transform your attitudes, shape your desires, and direct your actions so your life looks more like Christ.

But here’s something just as important—you can also trust the Bible because its words are true and reliable. This is what we call the doctrine of the inerrancy of Scripture. Wayne Grudem defines it this way in his Systematic Theology: “The inerrancy of Scripture means that Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact” (p. 91). Since God Himself is perfect and without error, His Word carries that same perfection and truth.

Grudem also makes a powerful connection between God’s character and His Word:
Though error and at least partial falsehood may characterize the speech of every human being, it is the characteristic of God’s speech even when spoken through sinful human being that it is never false and that it never affirms error: “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should repent” (Num. 23:19) was spoken by sinful Balaam specifically about the prophetic words that God has spoken through his own lips..” (p. 90)

That’s worth sitting with for a moment. Scripture was written by broken, imperfect people—people with flaws, cultural influences, and their own ways of telling stories. Yet through it all, God’s character shines. His Word is never tainted by error, falsehood, or bias. The inerrancy of Scripture points us back to God’s perfection rather than human weakness.

And this truth has major implications for our faith:

• Because Scripture is inerrant, we can trust God to keep His promises.
• Because it is inerrant, even the smallest details hold weight and help us understand the bigger picture.
• Because it is inerrant, we can engage the world with confidence, knowing the Spirit empowers us.
• Because it is inerrant, we can place our faith in God’s words rather than in our own shifting thoughts and feelings.

So here’s what this means for you: as a student of God’s Word, you can open the Bible and know that what you’re reading is trustworthy and life-shaping. Paul puts it plainly: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). God’s Word is true. It’s reliable. And it’s for you.

Reflection Questions

-In what ways have you seen the inerrancy of Scripture misunderstood, and how does that shape the way you think about it today?

-How does believing that Scripture is without error influence the choices you make and the way you approach everyday life?

-When you think about the inerrancy of Scripture, what questions or doubts rise up in you—and how might God be inviting you to trust Him more deeply in those places?

-If Scripture truly carries the perfection and truth of God Himself, how does that change the way you approach reading it?

For Further Reading and Study: Ps. 12:6 , Matt. 24:35