Originally posted at Modern March | Connect with Brandon on Twitter
Inerrancy is a hot-button word in Evangelicalism. Men who stand for it are often called fundamentalists or legalists. Men who stand against it are called heretics and liberals. The Conservative Resurgence in the SBC surely polarized this subject on a broad scale, above and beyond Baptist life. In any event, say what you wish and stand where you want.
As for me, I need the Bible to be inerrant.
The Bible cannot merely be another religious book with some truth in it. Adam and Eve cannot be simply a poetic example of good vs. evil. Abraham cannot simply be a cartoon character. David cannot simply be one of many kings in a small area of the Middle East. John the Baptist cannot simply be a crazy redneck from the woods.
I need Jesus to really be God.
I need Jesus to really be born of a virgin.
I need Jesus to really live a perfect, sinless life.
I need Jesus to really be punished on the cross in my place.
I need Jesus to really bodily rise from the grave.
I need Jesus to really return on the clouds in glory.
I need Jesus to really banish Satan and evil forever.
I need Jesus to really establish the new Heaven and Earth.
If Jesus is not who He said He was, if He is not who the Scriptures record Him to be… then He is another apocalyptic rabbi decomposed in a tomb somewhere. There is no hope, no real reason for doing anything.
Too many pastors are ignoring this. Too many choose to preach on topical nothingness rather than espousing the absolute dire need for Scripture to be right about the Gospel.
There is no more important message than the message of a risen Savior and the TRUTH of that message.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 14
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures … And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.