"Has God Indeed Said?" - Biblical Blueprints

8 • Has God Indeed Said?
2 – God Has Indeed Spoken:
Proper Use of Textual Criticism
Textual Criticism is a useful tool but it must be applied
according to Biblical presuppositions. Eleven such
presuppositions follow:
1. Every Word Preserved
We believe that the preservation of every word of Scripture is
of critical importance to God (Rev. 22:18-19; Deut. 29:29) and
therefore God has promised to preserve every detail of His Word
in every age (Matt. 5:17-19; Mark 13:31; Luke 16:17; 21:33;
Psa. 12:6-7; cf. also Deut. 29:29; Psa. 19:9; 102:18; 111:7-8;
119:89-91,152,160; Is. 40:8; 59:20-21; Dan. 12:4; Matt. 4:4;
Rom. 15:4; 1Cor. 9:10; 10:11; 1Pet. 1:25).
The preservation of every word of the Bible is of critical
importance to God. At the beginning of the Bible He promises
that "those things which are revealed belong to us and to our
children forever" (Deut. 29:29), and at the end of the Bible God
promises severe vengeance upon anyone who adds to or takes
away from the Bible:
"If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the
plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes
away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall
take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city,
and from the things which are written in this book" (Rev.
22:18-19).
While the last Scripture anticipates people who would indeed
add to and take away from Scripture, God assures us that this
attempt will not be successful. For example, the Psalmist writes:
"The words of the LORD are pure words… You shall keep them,
O LORD, You shall preserve them from this generation forever"
(Psalm 12:6-7). This preservation of every word of Scripture in