Concerning the Scriptures
We believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of the Scriptures (Old and New Testaments). By verbal, we mean that the original writers were guided by the Holy Spirit in the exact choice of words yet respecting and using the personality characteristics, style and vocabulary of each writer. By the word plenary, we believe that this divine verbal inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of the original manuscripts - historical, poetical, doctrinal, and prophetical - so that every word is both infallible as to truth and final as to divine authority (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21; John 10:35; 2 Peter 3:16).
We believe in the literal method of interpretation; which gives to each word the same exact meaning it would have in normal, ordinary, customary usage, whether employed in writing, speaking or thinking. We believe that the greater part of the Bible makes sense when interpreted literally; that it is the only sane and safe check on the imaginations of man; that it grounds interpretation in fact; that it delivers us from both reason and mysticism; and that this approach does not blindly rule out figures of speech, symbols, allegories and types. We must take every word at its primary, ordinary, literal, usual meaning unless the context indicates clearly otherwise.
However, we believe that the following principles are prerequisites to a proper interpretation of the Scriptures, these are:
- One must be born again and have an utter dependence upon the Holy Spirit to guide and direct (John 16:7-14; 1 Corinthians 2:7-16).
- One must interpret according to the immediate context, according to the larger context, such as the scope or the design of the book itself, and by comparing Scripture with Scripture.