The Doctrine of Inspiration and the Perfections of Scripture was introduced by the Reformers to counter the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church regarding authority. The Roman Church insists that the Bible and the traditions of the Church are on equal ground regarding inspiration, inerrancy, and authority.[1] The Reformers insisted on the doctrine known as Sola Scriptura, or scripture alone. They did not insist that the scriptures are the only thing a believer may read or study, but that Scripture alone is inspired, inerrant, and authoritative. The Reformers separated the perfections of Scripture into four subcategories:

1. The Necessity of the Scriptures. The scriptures are necessary to provide the Church an objective rule, or canon,[2] for Christian doctrine regarding faith and practice.

2. The Authority of the Scriptures. The scriptures are authoritative because they are inspired by God and, therefore, inerrant, because God is inerrant. No church gives the scriptures authority; the scriptures give the Church her authority.

3. The Clarity (Perspicuity) of the Scriptures. Those who would keep the layman from reading the Bible claim that the scriptures are so complicated that only the clergy should dare read them. The Reformers insisted that the scriptures are clear enough for all believers to read and understand. The Reformed position does not say that all the scripture is equally understood easily, but that the scriptures necessary for one to understand salvation are clear.

4. The Sufficiency of the Scriptures. The Roman Church insisted that the scriptures are not enough, and that the traditions of the Roman Church complete the scriptures. The Reformed position insists that the scriptures are sufficient. Traditions are not equal to, nor do they complete, the scriptures. Rather, traditions must be subject to the scriptures; and in any case in which tradition is at odds with Scripture, tradition must change or be discarded.

Notes:
[1] The Roman Church is not the only group that makes this error. Many others unwittingly fall into this error when they unofficially elevate their traditions to a level of virtual biblical authority.
[2] The “canon” of the scripture refers to the “rule” or “standard” by which it is considered to be Scripture.