2 Peter 1:16-21 The Inerrancy of Scripture
The inherent see of scripture means the Bible has no mistakes. It is completely accurate. This is something the apostle Peter emphasises.
- Inerrant Light
Peter speaks about the Bible as a prophetic message which is completely reliable, “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” (v.19). You need to listen to the Bible. It can be relied on. It’s like a light shining in a dark place. In verse 20 Peter elaborates, “Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.” We need to think of the Bible in the right way; it’s not great ideas from men and women. Peter says, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (v.21). Prophets, though human, spoke from God. God provides light. The Holy Spirit is that light. The biblical writers spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
What are the implications of this?
- Unblemished Word.
We need to come to the Bible in the right way. The authority of the Bible is speaking to us. We have to listen to it. It is from God. Peter says God wrote the bible, therefore, it is without error. It is true. God is good and does not make mistakes. We need to submit to the word of God because God wrote it. Whenever anyone says the Bible is wrong or contradicts itself, they’re saying God is wrong and they’re better than God. That’s blasphemous. Everything the Bible says is true – not some of it, but all of it! It is an unblemished word.
- Flawless Revelation.
Remember, the apostle Peter tells us the Bible is completely reliable, it is God speaking. The people wrote as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. The word of God is God -breathed. Listen to what the Holy Spirit says in His word. Anyone who says part of the Bible is true, is not trusting God.
“Every word of God proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”
Proverbs 30:5
David loves the word of God so much he writes the biggest chapter in the Bible about the Bible. The whole of the Bible is true, even every dot on an eye. Matthew writes, “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:18).
We can open the Bible and say all of the Bible is true. Jesus says to the Pharisees, “Have you not read …” everything we listen to is true. That is why in church the Bible reading is the most important of all. Something happens when we’re all together, listening to God’s word. We look to him. “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39).
The Bible is about the Lord Jesus, His salvation. It is true. Come to Him and He will give us rest. We can all come to Him. If we have an invitation to come, then we are meant to come. Peter preaches in Acts 3 saying, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” (Acts 3:19-21).
No-one will be turned away, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37). Believe the promises of the Bible. When the Lord Jesus speaks, we can be confident. The message of salvation is true. The great hope in the inerrant word of God.
Penuel Baptist Chapel, Roch 