A STATEMENT ON THE BIBLE

A STATEMENT ON THE BIBLE
Rhoderick D. Ice

[This is taken from a work by a group of conservative-evangelical Bible scholars from 1977 through 1987, "The International Council on Biblical Inerrancy."  I have digested this and put it into "Church of Christ" terminology.]

1.  As the revealed word of God, the Bible is the authority of God Himself and confirmed by our Lord Jesus Christ who is Lord of the Church.
We do not believe it is possible to divorce and separate the authority of Christ from the authority of the Bible, or to pit one against the other.
2. We believe that Christ Jesus is both God and Man in one Person.  Just so we believe that the Bible is God's word placed in human language.
We do not believe errancy exists in Scripture (in the ancient languages) any more than that in Christ as Man there is any sin on His part.
3. We believe that Jesus Christ is the center of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments - His Person and His work.
Anything which rejects or obscures this Christ- centeredness (such as questioning His maleness or Jewishness) is contrary to the teaching of Scripture.
4. We believe God The Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures acts through the Bible today to create faith in the Bible's message.
We do not believe The Spirit ever contradicts the message He has already inspired.  But we believe The Holy Spirit is always present with us.
5. We believe The Holy Spirit enables believers to seize Bible truth and apply it to themselves.  We believe The Holy Spirit works into us what Christ has worked out for us.
We reject the idea that the natural man is able to see spiritual things apart from The Holy Spirit.  [note Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:14.]
6. We believe the Bible speaks in normal human language and normal use of language, following the rules of grammar and interpretation.
Although salvation is of prime importance, we deny that this is the only function of the Bible.  Willful deception is of course wrong, but so it unintentional misunderstanding and confusion.
7. The clear, logical meaning is usually that which is intended.
But the Bible must sometimes be understood in a "poetic sense" rather then the bare meaning of the words.
8. We believe the Bible applies to all cultures and all times: sometimes only in a particular situation, and sometimes in a wide sweeping way.
We believe the universal and particular must not be determined by cultural and situational factors (although these factors cannot be dismissed out of hand).
9. We believe there are patterns of Bible study which may properly be used to understand just what the Bible is saying and how this applies to us.  Even though the name applied to the technique may be unfamiliar to us, this fact does not disqualify the use of patterns of study.
We do not believe the message of Scripture should be dictated by the interpreter's own frame of reference.  Campbell tried to approach the Scriptures each day as though he had never seen them before.  (This of course was impossible, but it shows how he tried to eliminate any bias on his part.)
10. The Bible speaks to us in a variety of literary forms.  The inspired message was written down in the language of the writer.  Peter noted that Paul sometimes wrote things hard to understand.
We do not believe that any limitations of human language in any way dim the truth which God has spoken to us.
11. We believe that God intended the Bible to be translated into the many languages of Man.  We believe the Bible speaks our languages across all cultural and temporal barriers.  Compare Acts 2:7-12.
We do not believe the Bible is so tied to the culture of those from whom it came that it then becomes impossible to understand in our frame of reference today.
12. We believe the translators of the Bible should fulfill their mission as though the original writers were now writing in the target language.  How would Paul, for example, write his message in our language today?
Methods of translation which are insensitive to the demands of cross-cultural communication, or which distort biblical meaning, are wrong.
13. We believe one must have a "poetic soul" to properly understand much of the Bible.  When one is deaf, you must shout loudly for him to hear.  When one is blind, you must draw large scrawling pictures for him to see.  Certainly Jesus used these techniques to communicate the truth.  "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off."
We do not believe that those schemes which deny the Bible's historical accuracy are correct.
14. We believe that the biblical record of events, speeches, and teachings, though presented in a variety of ways and forms, are historical fact.
We deny that the biblical writers invented fictions or accepted things merely traditional.  Note Peter in 2 Peter 1:16-21.
15. We believe the literal grammatical-historical sense is most often correct.  We must of course take note of all figures of speech and literary forms.
We believe a figurative sense must be called into question and examined closely, even though other factors may eventually show that the figurative sense is the correct one.
16. We believe legitimate critical techniques should be used to know the meanings of the Bible text.  We use critical techniques to read our daily newspaper.
We do not believe any method of technique should be allowed to question the truth or integrity of the Bible writer's meaning and teaching.
17. We believe the Bible is logical and consistent, that it cannot contradict itself, and that it is its own best interpreter (when used according to the laws of language).
We deny that later writers misinterpreted earlier writers of Scripture when quoting from them or referring to them.  New Testament writers made a wide use of the Old Testament part of the Bible in showing Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise to the fathers.  Note Acts 13.
18. We believe the Bible's own interpretation of itself is always correct; never contradicting, but showing the writer's intent.  The words of a prophet include, but are not restricted to, the prophet's own understanding.  God's intention may reach far beyond what the prophet understood when it comes to fulfillment.
We do not believe the prophets always understood the full implications and meanings of their own words.
19. We do understand in the frame of reference of things we already know.  The preunderstandings of the interpreter should be in harmony with biblical teachings and subject to correction by them.
We do not believe Scripture should be "forced" into agreement with "alien" biases, such as naturalism, evolutionism, scientism, secular humanism, political correctness, and relativism.
20. We believe that God is the author of all truth.  Things biblical and those outside the Bible are consistent. The Bible speaks truth when it touches nature, history, or anything else (even though it is not a scientific textbook).  Also, some things outside the Bible may help to make clear what the Scriptures teach.
We deny that science may be made to disprove the Bible, or that science as currently understood has a higher priority than the Bible.
21. We believe the various things taught in the Bible, specific and general, are in harmony with each other and with the true facts of nature.
Scientific theory changes from time to time.  We deny any conflict between scientific fact and the true meaning of any passage of Scripture.
22. We believe that Genesis chapters 1 to 11 are factual when understood, as is the rest of the Bible.
We deny that the teachings of Genesis chapters 1 to 11 are mythical and pure fancy.  While there may be an element of "poetic truth," we find no need to revise the Bible to fit current "theories" of the origin of Creation.
23. We believe the Bible speaks clearly about sin and salvation.  We believe in the finished work of Christ Jesus and being put right with God by faith in Jesus Christ.
We understand that not all passages of Scripture are equally clear or that all have an equal bearing on the message of redemption.
24. We believe that God intended the average person to understand the Bible without depending on the expertise of scholars.  However, we do not reject those who have devoted their lives to studying the Bible.
We deny that anyone should ignore the technological study of those equipped to study the Scriptures in depth.  We must depend on the truth and accuracy of those who translated the Bible into our language.
25. We believe the one who is preaching should study to permit Scripture to speak to him, and then pass on to the hearers this good news of God.  Correct preaching faithfully expounds the word of God spoken in the Bible.
We deny the preacher has any message apart from what God has revealed to us in the Bible.