Verbal inspiration means that the words are inspired.

Inerrant inspiration means that no errors are in the word. As Baptists confessions always affirm, the Bible has God for its author and truth without any admixture of error for its matter.

Infallible Scripture means that it cannot fail.

Plenary inspiration means full inspiration; each part is inspired in the same degree. This opposes the Modernist view of partial or spotted inspiration. Here we need to observe these important distinctions.

Three words sum up the whole of the story of the Bible:

1. Revelation means something divinely made known. It could not and would not have been otherwise known unless God revealed it. It is above human knowledge. This is the source or origin of the message.

2. Inspiration means the divine method of transmitting this revelation to writing. In such preservation of the matter revealed there is no error intermixed. This is the method of preserving the message revealed.

3. Illumination deals with the opening of the Scripture and the opening of the mind and heart to receive the message. This extends through the incipient stages of Holy Spirit conviction through the full development of the Christian in knowledge. This is the power of the message as it is made effective in the life.