Dr. Stephen Nichols

Sproul presented a statement that he wrote that was called the Ligonier Statement on Inerrancy. It's from 1973. I'm going to read this. It's a little long, but as you follow with it, you'll hear some really important points that are being made in this statement. So it begins, we believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired and inerrant Word of God.

Sproul presented a statement that he wrote that was called the Ligonier Statement on Inerrancy. It's from 1973. I'm going to read this. It's a little long, but as you follow with it, you'll hear some really important points that are being made in this statement. So it begins, we believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired and inerrant Word of God.

We hold the Bible as originally given through human agents of revelation to be infallible, and see this as a crucial article of faith with implications for the entire life and practice of all Christian people. With the great fathers of Christian history, we declare our confidence in the total trustworthiness of the Scriptures.

We hold the Bible as originally given through human agents of revelation to be infallible, and see this as a crucial article of faith with implications for the entire life and practice of all Christian people. With the great fathers of Christian history, we declare our confidence in the total trustworthiness of the Scriptures.

urging that any view which imputes to them a lesser degree of inerrancy than total is in conflict with the Bible's self-testimony in general and with the teaching of Jesus Christ in particular. Out of obedience to the Lord of the Church, we submit ourselves unreservedly to this authoritative view of holy writ. Now that is a densely packed, but a great statement on the doctrine of Scripture.

urging that any view which imputes to them a lesser degree of inerrancy than total is in conflict with the Bible's self-testimony in general and with the teaching of Jesus Christ in particular. Out of obedience to the Lord of the Church, we submit ourselves unreservedly to this authoritative view of holy writ. Now that is a densely packed, but a great statement on the doctrine of Scripture.

And it was written... Five years before the Chicago Statement and really became the seed of what would become the Chicago Statement. And Dr. Sproul was a significant driver, both to stress the need for it, but then when the council happened to be a significant contributor to it.

And it was written... Five years before the Chicago Statement and really became the seed of what would become the Chicago Statement. And Dr. Sproul was a significant driver, both to stress the need for it, but then when the council happened to be a significant contributor to it.

Yes.

Yes.

It's Dr. Sproul, right? Don't do anything by halves, and especially doctrines that are so crucial and critical. And of course, this is what we see in church history. This was Luther. It just wasn't a stand. It was a bold stand for solo scriptura and scriptural authority when it was challenged. This was Hodge. This was Machen. And this was that group of men in 1978 that gathered. here in Chicago.

It's Dr. Sproul, right? Don't do anything by halves, and especially doctrines that are so crucial and critical. And of course, this is what we see in church history. This was Luther. It just wasn't a stand. It was a bold stand for solo scriptura and scriptural authority when it was challenged. This was Hodge. This was Machen. And this was that group of men in 1978 that gathered. here in Chicago.

Yeah, when I saw these lines in the notebook, I could hardly believe it. But R.C. was talking about inerrancy, and he was presenting a lecture on inerrancy at the Study Center. And then he just puts this note at the very end of his notes. He writes, "...need an evangelical summit." may fail, but must try.

Yeah, when I saw these lines in the notebook, I could hardly believe it. But R.C. was talking about inerrancy, and he was presenting a lecture on inerrancy at the Study Center. And then he just puts this note at the very end of his notes. He writes, "...need an evangelical summit." may fail, but must try.

And I saw that, Nathan, and I realized he's talking about the International Council on Biblical Inherency. He's talking about the Chicago Statement and the need for that summit. And then even with humility and that unreserved commitment, hey, this may fail, but we ought to do it. And of course, it did not fail.

And I saw that, Nathan, and I realized he's talking about the International Council on Biblical Inherency. He's talking about the Chicago Statement and the need for that summit. And then even with humility and that unreserved commitment, hey, this may fail, but we ought to do it. And of course, it did not fail.

Well, you know, I've talked to people who were there. I've talked to people who needed that as they began their ministry. And I kept hearing things along these lines. It puts steel in our spines.

Well, you know, I've talked to people who were there. I've talked to people who needed that as they began their ministry. And I kept hearing things along these lines. It puts steel in our spines.

We recognize at the beginning of our teaching or the beginning of our preaching or the beginning of whatever ministry God had for us, that we cannot waver even a half step from the authority of God's word. If we're going to have any ministry, any church, even any Christian life, that ultimately is going to have significance and impact, it has to be built upon the Word of God. And here's the thing.

We recognize at the beginning of our teaching or the beginning of our preaching or the beginning of whatever ministry God had for us, that we cannot waver even a half step from the authority of God's word. If we're going to have any ministry, any church, even any Christian life, that ultimately is going to have significance and impact, it has to be built upon the Word of God. And here's the thing.