Here is the thing I have learned in my personal study of the Sacred Scripture...it's about trust. Do I trust these writings enough to want to desire them implemented in my daily lifestyle?
The biblical definition of "infallible" is "the belief what the Bible says regarding matters of faith and daily Christian practice is wholly useful and it is true." It is "the belief that the Bible is completely trustworthy as a guide to Salvation, and if you so choose to live this life of faith according to the Sacred Scriptures, it will not fail to accomplish its purpose."
From the general dictionary definitions, infallibility is a stronger word than inerrancy. Inerrant means there are no errors in a particular writing, while infallible goes a step further and says not only are there not any errors, but there never will be... throughout time itself. Infallibility is a strict form of grammar and makes it clear the Sacred Scripture is incapable of ever having any error...of any kind.
For myself...I do think the Sacred Scriptures are infallible in a general sense....but not inerrant. I know of nowhere within its texts where false or misleading statements have ever been written on matters of faith and practicing daily this life of faith, yet inerrancies can be and have been found. I think that is why I have come to appreciate the various and updated translations of the Sacred Scriptures...refining it to the point of a "pure infallibility". Will the Sacred Scriptures ever get to that point?...I don't know. But this I do know, the present era we live in gives us no excuse to not trust these Sacred Writings and place them as a "home in each one of our hearts", even more so than our Christian forefathers before us.
At the Council of Trent (16th century), the Roman Catholic Church declared this statement in regards to the Sacred Scripture: "The individual authors were inspired (by the Holy Spirit) in all the writings of the individual books of the Canon (the New Testament)". The Roman Church further added: " The Church itself has operated and functioned under Divine Inspiration in the sifting and sorting process by which the Canon has been established, thus making the choices the Church herself has made...infallible".
By making these statements, the Roman Church concludes the New Testament is completely infallible both in its writings and in the books that have been chosen.
{Note: The Old Testament had been around for centuries through Mosaic Law, and although the Roman Church added books like Wisdom, Baruch, and 1st and 2nd Maccabees, these were more of historical documents that do not carry a heavy influence in regards to our daily faith.}
The historic Protestant position on the other hand, shared by groups like Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, etc. is: "The Canon (New Testament) of the Sacred Scripture is a fallible collection of infallible books."
Part of this reasoning dates back to the beginning of The Reformation (1500's), where at that time the main issue among members of the Church was...authority.
Martin Luther's enlightenment of the Scripture "the just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17), making it clear with the 95 thesis posted on the Roman Church door on October 31st, 1517...opened up issues that were directly against the Church of Rome and her beliefs. Reformers furthered their "new found" belief with the famous "Sola Fide", meaning: "by faith alone are we justified to Him."
So, basically the Protestant church's view became: The church receives the Sacred Scripture as the bonified and infallible Word of God, yet the church and those involved with the process of translating and/or interpreting the Scriptures are ...not infallible.
The church is rich in tradition, and many Christians in both schools of thought (Roman Catholics and Protestants) have sacrificed much...some even their very lives...to bring us the Word of God as we know it today.
In so doing, the question arises: "Is there any error in the passing down of the Sacred Scriptures through the corridors of History?"
I would have to answer that: "Yes, I think so...yet nothing that has deterred us from the true Message of Salvation or putting into daily practice the scriptural guidelines on living the lifestyle of a...Christian.
I do think continuous study and research that is given to the true meanings and translations of the Sacred Scriptures have now given to us today an understanding of the Word of God that is more accurate...than it has ever been!
The task of the Church in centuries past in the issues they faced and yet firm in passing on of the Sacred Scripture..is nothing short of a divinely and remarkable achievement.
Of course, I believe the Holy Spirit has been ever so prominent in seeing the passing on of the "Blessed Word" to each one of us....all in tact!
The biblical definition of "infallible" is "the belief what the Bible says regarding matters of faith and daily Christian practice is wholly useful and it is true." It is "the belief that the Bible is completely trustworthy as a guide to Salvation, and if you so choose to live this life of faith according to the Sacred Scriptures, it will not fail to accomplish its purpose."
For myself...I do think the Sacred Scriptures are infallible in a general sense....but not inerrant. I know of nowhere within its texts where false or misleading statements have ever been written on matters of faith and practicing daily this life of faith, yet inerrancies can be and have been found. I think that is why I have come to appreciate the various and updated translations of the Sacred Scriptures...refining it to the point of a "pure infallibility". Will the Sacred Scriptures ever get to that point?...I don't know. But this I do know, the present era we live in gives us no excuse to not trust these Sacred Writings and place them as a "home in each one of our hearts", even more so than our Christian forefathers before us.
At the Council of Trent (16th century), the Roman Catholic Church declared this statement in regards to the Sacred Scripture: "The individual authors were inspired (by the Holy Spirit) in all the writings of the individual books of the Canon (the New Testament)". The Roman Church further added: " The Church itself has operated and functioned under Divine Inspiration in the sifting and sorting process by which the Canon has been established, thus making the choices the Church herself has made...infallible".
By making these statements, the Roman Church concludes the New Testament is completely infallible both in its writings and in the books that have been chosen.
{Note: The Old Testament had been around for centuries through Mosaic Law, and although the Roman Church added books like Wisdom, Baruch, and 1st and 2nd Maccabees, these were more of historical documents that do not carry a heavy influence in regards to our daily faith.}
The historic Protestant position on the other hand, shared by groups like Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, etc. is: "The Canon (New Testament) of the Sacred Scripture is a fallible collection of infallible books."
Martin Luther's enlightenment of the Scripture "the just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17), making it clear with the 95 thesis posted on the Roman Church door on October 31st, 1517...opened up issues that were directly against the Church of Rome and her beliefs. Reformers furthered their "new found" belief with the famous "Sola Fide", meaning: "by faith alone are we justified to Him."
So, basically the Protestant church's view became: The church receives the Sacred Scripture as the bonified and infallible Word of God, yet the church and those involved with the process of translating and/or interpreting the Scriptures are ...not infallible.
The church is rich in tradition, and many Christians in both schools of thought (Roman Catholics and Protestants) have sacrificed much...some even their very lives...to bring us the Word of God as we know it today.
In so doing, the question arises: "Is there any error in the passing down of the Sacred Scriptures through the corridors of History?"
I would have to answer that: "Yes, I think so...yet nothing that has deterred us from the true Message of Salvation or putting into daily practice the scriptural guidelines on living the lifestyle of a...Christian.
The task of the Church in centuries past in the issues they faced and yet firm in passing on of the Sacred Scripture..is nothing short of a divinely and remarkable achievement.
Of course, I believe the Holy Spirit has been ever so prominent in seeing the passing on of the "Blessed Word" to each one of us....all in tact!
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