The doctrine of preservation is the belief that God has perfectly preserved His Word throughout history. This doctrine is based on several key biblical passages:
Psalm 12:6-7
“The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever.”
This passage teaches that God will preserve and protect His words forever. He will not allow His words to be corrupted or lost.
Psalm 119:89
“Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.”
God’s Word is firmly fixed, stabilized, and established forever in heaven. It cannot be altered, corrupted, or lost.
Psalm 119:160
“The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”
This verse declares that all of God’s Word is truth, and it will endure and remain authoritative forever.
Isaiah 40:8
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”
In contrast to the temporary nature of creation, God’s Word stands firmly and remains forever.
Matthew 5:18
“For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
Jesus affirmed that the Old Testament would be preserved perfectly, down to the smallest details, until His return.
Matthew 24:35
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Jesus taught that His words would outlast the universe itself.
1 Peter 1:23-25
“You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”
Peter quotes Isaiah 40:8 to affirm that God’s Word remains forever while creation passes away.
Based on these and other passages, the doctrine of preservation teaches that God has divinely protected His Word throughout history. He has not allowed any of it to be lost or changed. There are several key implications of this doctrine:
God Values His Word
The repeated emphasis on God preserving His Word perfectly demonstrates how much He values it. He calls it flawless, pure, and true (Psalm 12:6, Psalm 119:140, John 17:17). Scripture is the very words of God, not merely words about God. Therefore, He would not allow it to be corrupted.
Our Bibles Are Reliable
Since God has preserved His Word, believers can have confidence that the Bibles we hold today accurately reflect the original manuscripts. While we no longer have the original documents, God has ensured that the text has been transmitted accurately over time. Our modern Bibles, especially the Textus Receptus and Majority Text traditions, are reliable and authoritative.
No New Revelation
The canon of Scripture is now closed and complete. God has given His full and final revelation in the Bible (Jude 1:3). No new, authoritative revelation, visions, or prophecies can be added to the Bible. Scripture is sufficient for life, godliness, and salvation (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Scripture Must Be Valued
Since God preserved His Word at great cost, believers should value, honor, obey, and submit to Scripture. We should read, study, memorize, and meditate on it consistently (Psalm 1:2, Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:15-16). Scripture is our spiritual nourishment and authority.
Translations Can Be Trusted
While no translation is perfect, faithful translations in the modern era can be trusted because they are based on preserved original language manuscripts. Even when translations have inaccuracies, the core message and saving truths of the Bible still shine through.
God Is Faithful
God’s perfect preservation of His Word demonstrates His faithfulness and power. He has kept His promises to preserve His Word (Psalm 12:7, Matthew 5:18) despite human weakness and satanic opposition. This brings Him glory.
Objections to the Doctrine of Preservation
Critics of this doctrine raise several objections:
We Don’t Have the Original Manuscripts
It is true we no longer possess any of the original documents of biblical books. However, this does not mean God failed to preserve His Word. Preservation pertains to the availability and accuracy of the text, not the existence of original manuscripts. Thousands of ancient copies support the reliability of our modern Bibles.
Textual Variants Exist
There are some minor differences between ancient manuscripts, such as spelling differences. However, no major doctrine is affected by these small variants. Over 99% of the text is undisputed, and no cardinal doctrine is impacted by viable textual variants, supporting God’s preservation of His message.
The Apocrypha Was Removed
While Catholic Bibles include the Apocrypha, these books were never part of the Jewish canon of Scripture. The church recognized their non-inspired status early on, and properly excluded them from Protestant Bibles. This was not a failure to preserve Scripture but an affirmation of the authoritative canon.
What About Lost Books?
Some argue that lost biblical books, like the alleged “Lost Book of Ezekiel,” demonstrate a lack of preservation. However, there is no evidence such books were ever considered Scripture. They were fraudulent works wrongly attributed to biblical figures to gain legitimacy. Their existence does not disprove that the true canon has been preserved.
Differences Between Text Traditions
Variances between text traditions like the Textus Receptus, Majority Text, and Critical Text do exist. However, major doctrines and the gospel message remain intact in all traditions. These differences should not weaken our confidence in God’s preservation of His Word for His people in every generation.
Practical Implications of Preservation
If God has indeed perfectly preserved His Word, this truth should shape how Christians think and act:
- We can enthusiastically promote Scripture translation work, knowing God has kept His Word pure.
- We should memorize and meditate deeply on Scripture, not merely read it casually.
- The Bible should be our absolute authority for doctrine, correction, guidance, and decision making.
- We can confidently preach the Word, knowing its truths and power are unchanged.
- We should test tradition against Scripture, not elevate tradition or experience.
- Knowing Scripture is preserved should drive us to personally study it much more.
- Belief in preservation can strengthen our conviction, courage, and witness for Christ.
Conclusion
While debates about the details of preservation exist, the overall doctrine seems well supported biblically. God values His Word greatly, and He has clearly acted to ensure it remains pure and available. Christians can have firm confidence that the Bible we possess today, especially in faithful translations from the Traditional Text, accurately communicates the very words of God. Our task is to value Scripture deeply, study it, obey it, and proclaim it – for the Word of the Lord endures forever.