Reformation Month / Study / Scripture / Reliability
Reliability
Because God is truthful, his Word is trustworthy.
God is not a man, that he should lie, nor the son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do it?
¶ What does it mean?
The trustworthiness of Scripture rests on the character of God. He does not mislead his people. What he has spoken, he will keep. The church can stake its life on that.
¶ Where do we see it in Scripture?
- Titus 1:2God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.
- John 10:35Jesus said the Scripture cannot be broken.
- Psalm 12:6The words of Yahweh are flawless words, as silver refined in a clay furnace, purified seven times.
¶ Historical context
Christians have always confessed that God cannot lie. The Reformation pressed this into preaching and translation: if the Word is God's, it can be put in the common tongue and still remain true.
¶ What this does not mean
Reliability is not a claim that every copyist was flawless, or that every translation is equally careful. It is a claim about the Word God gave. Honest study of manuscripts serves trust. It does not replace it.
¶ Why it matters
Read without suspicion that God is hiding a different meaning from ordinary believers. Take promises as promises. Take warnings as warnings. The speaker is faithful.