All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NLT)

The E4 Ministry Network doctrinal statement begins with this: “We believe in the plenary-verbal inspiration of the accepted canon of the Scriptures as originally given.”

Plenary-verbal inspiration means Scripture comes from God through human authors. “Plenary” means inspiration extends fully to every part of Scripture, while “verbal” emphasizes God’s guidance of the writers’ words. This was not mechanical dictation; except where Scripture was dictated word-for-word, God preserved each author’s distinct style and vocabulary.

This doctrine matters because whatever the Bible affirms is true in every subject it addresses, whether theological, historical, or scientific. Plenary-verbal inspiration upholds full biblical authority while preserving each author’s human style, since every verse carries equal authority. Jesus and Paul appear to share this view, grounding arguments in individual words and even letters of Scripture.

This doctrine also affirms the Bible’s trustworthiness through infallibility—its unfailing accuracy—and its truthfulness through inerrancy, meaning it contains no false statements. By holding together God’s work through the Holy Spirit and the human authors’ role, Scripture carries divine authority while remaining understandable as God’s Word written through people. This balance avoids two extremes: treating inspiration as mechanical dictation or reducing it to inspired ideas without full divine authority.

God’s Word Lasts Forever

For all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you. 1 Peter 1:24–25 (CSB)

Our acceptance and relationship to God’s word begins with the first four words of the Bible: “In the beginning God.” There are mysteries in God’s word that we will not understand completely in this lifetime, but if we settle these words in our hearts, the authority of the Scriptures will be established for us.

The psalmist proclaimed: Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Psalm 119:89 (NIV). God’s word is as important to us as the food that we eat: He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 (CSB). We have eternal life because of the word of God: For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 1 Peter 1:23 (NIV).

Many things in this world and in our lives are temporal and changing. Fashions and styles come and go. Fads arise and quickly fade away, but God’s word applies to all people in all generations. Peter correctly identifies God’s word as living and enduring. This presents a puzzle to many people because, in their experience, things that are living are not enduring, but God and his word are inseparable. They endure forever.

Authority Questioned

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” Genesis 3:1 (NLT)

Challenges to biblical authority began with the serpent’s question to Eve and have continued to shift with culture and ideology. Today, critics often struggle to reconcile passages such as divine judgment in the conquest of Canaan with modern moral standards. These difficult texts must be read in light of the Bible’s divine authorship and the broader story of redemption.

Applying ancient biblical teachings to modern settings can be difficult because cultural differences often shape interpretation. For example, the command in Colossians to obey masters is understood differently within modern employment than within ancient slavery. Recognizing both the original and contemporary contexts calls for careful interpretation.

To address these challenges, we need clear interpretive guidelines: affirm Scripture’s truthfulness, consider cultural context, and rely on the Holy Spirit’s illumination. We must also step back from modern assumptions to understand the biblical message and reshape our worldview according to Scripture. Though cultural expressions vary, the Bible’s authority and truth remain constant across every context.

When biblical authority fractures, other authorities fill the void—tradition, historical criticism, community experience, or interpretation itself—each shaped by individual or corporate subjectivity. Everyone depends on some authority; without Scripture or the Church, reason, tradition, experience, or church decree often takes its place.

Let the Sword Do Its Work

For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (CSB)

Hebrews describes God’s word as a surgical instrument far beyond what any natural man has devised. If we consent, God’s word can surgically operate on us and cut away attitudes and passions that are not pleasing to God. God’s word can provide an evaluation of the deep secrets and motivations in each one of us.

It is not always easy to submit to God’s surgery through his word. In fact, mankind has a greater tendency to apply his own scalpel to the word of God in an effort to remove things that he does not understand or finds unpalatable. Thomas Jefferson created his own version of the Bible in which he removed everything that was miraculous or supernatural. He did not include anything that his natural mind could not understand.

Most people will not do what Jefferson did, but they will “edit” the Scriptures to suit their situation or perceptions of what is right and wrong. It is quite sad when someone comes up with a “new interpretation of the Bible” to accommodate the sin in their own life or in the lives of those who are close to them.

It is a dangerous thing to apply our standards to God’s word instead of allowing God’s word to operate on us to change us and conform us into his likeness. We believe that God’s word is inspired and that it was handed down to us by God’s direction. It is reliable for every aspect of our lives. We believe God’s word!

Steve Ekeroth