Inspiration of the Bible

Having made the effort to reveal himself, logically God would facilitate the transmission of his revelation.[1] Inspiration is the process through which God works through man to produce a written record of his words.[2] Starting with the Bible’s claim on its inspiration, we will study what this means, explain the importance of this doctrine, and why it is reasonable given the evidence.

“The Bible is inspired because it says so” is a circular argument, but referring to itself is the only way of being consistent for this claim.[3] Proving nothing, this claim still demands to be taken it seriously. Its inspiration is assumed through scripture, and throughout Church History.[4] 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and 2 Peter 1:19-20 teach that God through his Holy Spirit, moved men to speak his words producing all of scripture through inspiration.[5]

Given these two passages, Christians cannot deny the inspiration of the Bible, however due to different definitions of ‘inspiration’, there are different theories to how it might apply. Believers find themselves in a spectrum from believing ‘inspiration’ meant the authors were just influenced by God, to believing God had taken over the writer’s body to produce the scriptures.[6] Others discuss the extent and intensity of the inspiration, asking whether every passage is inspired, and whether it applies to specific words as well.[7] To be faithful to the Bible and avoid a slippery slope leading to full liberalism, we must hold that mysteriously working through human free will,[8] God produced the original manuscripts of scripture, by inspiration which is plenary, referring to “all scripture” and verbal, meaning every word is from God.[9]

The Doctrine of inspiration is essential to Evangelicals, for all other doctrines depend on it. Denying it, how could we know anything? This Doctrine allows us to come to the Bible in confidence for correct information in order to worship God in spirit and in truth.[10] Inspiration is essential for the Bible, but we will see that it is also reasonable given the evidence.

If it was not for its inspiration how else would we explain its uniqueness? Apart from Jesus, the incarnate Son, believing the authority of scripture,[11] we are talking about 66 Books, written by over 40 authors, on three continents, with different social statuses, during 1500 years, in three languages, together forming one message. It is filled with prophecies that have been fulfilled, possessing the power to change lives, explaining why it is the most printed, most translated book to date. With all these facts, it is hard to deny the inspiration of the Bible.[12]

God has led men to record his revelations that they might be passed on. This is God’s inspiration. Many amazing facts about the Bible testify to its inspiration, and though opinions differ, we must hold that inspiration is Verbal and Plenary, essential to know God through the Bible to Worship him in Spirit and in Truth.



[1] James Orr, Revelation and Inspiration (London: Duckworth & Co., 1919), 155
[2] Norman L. Geisler and William E. Nix, A General Introduction to the Bible, Rev. and expanded. ed. (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1986), 39.
[3] Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Nashville, TN: Baker Pub Group, 1986), 200-201.
[4] Geisler and Nix, A General Introduction to the Bible, Rev. and expanded. ed., 99-111.
[5] Geisler and Nix, A General Introduction to the Bible, Rev. and expanded. ed., 36.
[6] Erickson, Christian Theology, 206-207.
[7] Erickson, Christian Theology, 210-213.
[8] Geisler and Nix, A General Introduction to the Bible, Rev. and expanded. ed., 47.
[9] Brian Edwards, Nothing but the Truth: an Explanation of the Inspiration and Authority of the Bible (Welwyn: Evangelical Press, 1978), 27-28.
[10] Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Pub Group, 1996), 61.
[11] Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, 60.
[12] Josh McDowell, The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1999), 4-16.