"Inspiration extends to the words, not merely to the thoughts and concepts. Thus, we speak of the plenary and verbal inspiration of the Scriptures; plenary, because the inspiration is entire and without restriction, that is, it includes all and every Scripture (II Tim. 3:16); verbal, because it includes every word (I Cor. 2:13)." H. C. Thiessen

At Morris Fork Baptist Church, we believe in the verbal inspiration of the Holy Scriptures (Mat. 4:4; I Cor. 2:9-13). This means that the divine inspiration of the Scriptures extends to the very words of the original Biblical text, not merely to the thoughts and concepts of the Biblical writers.

Religious liberals reject and ridicule this doctrinal truth. At best, they believe and teach that God suggested the thoughts of revelation to the Biblical writers, but left it completely up to them to put those thoughts into words. At worst, they believe that the thoughts and words of the Biblical writers were wholly their own. According to the liberal view, the written Word of God consists not of the very words of God, but only of the words of men.

Religious liberals overlook the indisputable fact that thoughts and concepts can only be conceived of and conveyed by means of words and language. The late Dean John Burgon expressed this truth very well when he wrote: "As for thoughts being inspired apart from the words which give them expression, you might as well talk of a tune without notes, or a sum without figures. No such theory of inspiration is even intelligible. It is as illogical as it is worthless, and cannot be too sternly put down." Inspiration includes the form as well as the substance, the words as well as the thoughts.

At Morris Fork, we also believe in the plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures (II Tim. 3:16-17). This means that all Scripture from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21 is God-breathed and equally-inspired, though it admittedly may not all seem equally inspiring to the reader.

Religious liberals scoff at this doctrine also. At best, they believe and teach that inspiration (whatever they mean by that term) includes only those parts of the Bible that directly relate to faith and practice or only to the teachings of Jesus Christ as recorded in the four gospels. At worst, they deny the inspiration of the Scriptures in toto.

According to the liberal view, all Scripture is not given by inspiration of God and all Scripture is not profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, or instruction in righteousness, regardless of what Scripture claims for itself. This confused notion has been ably refuted by Carl F. H. Henry, who writes: "An examination of the Biblical texts from which a Scriptural doctrine of inspiration may be derived indicates that no distinction of inspiration exists between parts of the Bible. Nowhere is any hint to be found of the compatibility of inspiration with error or that some parts of Scripture are to be segregated from others as more, or less, trustworthy."

Inspiration includes the whole and every part of God’s Word.

The love of Christ! Such a precious theme! Of it can we ever weary? Never! Its greatness can we ever know? Never! Its plenitude can we fully contain? Never! Its depths cannot be fathomed, its dimensions cannot be measured! It passes knowledge! All that Jesus did for His people was but the unfolding and expression of His love.

Traveling to Bethlehem—I see love incarnate! Tracking His steps as He went about doing good—I see love laboring! Visiting the house of Bethany—I see love sympathizing! Standing by the grave of Lazarus—I see love weeping! Entering the gloomy precincts of Gethsemane—I see love sorrowing! Passing on to Calvary—I see love suffering, and bleeding, and expiring! The whole scene of His life is but an unfolding of the deep, and awesome, and precious mystery of redeeming love!