Poisoning The Well

In the past week or so I have noticed a growing trend in the media which seems bent on discrediting the inspiration of the Bible in every area of evangelicalism and just thought they could use a little enlightenment by J. C. Ryle.

We corrupt the Word of God most dangerously, when we throw any doubt on the absolute inspiration of any part of Holy Scripture. This is not merely corrupting the cup, but the whole fountain. This is not merely corrupting the bucket of living water, which we profess to present to our people, but poisoning the whole well. Once wrong on this point, the whole substance of our religion is in danger. It is a flaw in the foundation. It is a worm at the root of our theology. Once we allow this worm to gnaw the root, then we will not be surprised if the branches, the leaves, and the fruit, decay little by little. The whole subject of inspiration, I am well aware, is surrounded with difficulty. All I would say is, that, in my humble judgment, notwithstanding some difficulties which we may not be able now to solve, the only safe and tenable ground to maintain is this--that every chapter, and every verse, and every word in the Bible has been "given by the inspiration of God." We should never desert a great principle in theology any more than in science, because of apparent difficulties which we are not able at present to remove. —J. C. Ryle (1816-1900)

Excerpt taken from a sermon that was preached in England, in August, 1858. titled "Not Corrupting the Word" by J.C. Ryle