Here is a deep but simple refutation of the core arguments found in the VPP teaching.
1. Misunderstanding the "Jot and Tittle" (Matthew 5:18)
The VPP argument relies heavily on Matthew 5:18, where Jesus says not one "jot or tittle" (the smallest marks in Hebrew) will pass from the Law until all is fulfilled. VPP teachers claim this means every physical letter in a specific manuscript is perfectly preserved.
The Refutation: Jesus was not giving a lecture on "textual criticism" or how books are copied. He was speaking about the authority and fulfillment of God’s Law. He meant that every requirement and every promise of God’s Word would be accomplished in His life and ministry.
The Logic: If Jesus meant that every physical mark in every copy must stay perfect, then every time a scribe made a typo over the last 2,000 years, Jesus’ promise would have failed. But the "Word" that never fails is the Truth and Decree of God, which remains even if a human copyist misses a letter.
2. The Confusion Between "Inspiration" and "Preservation"
VPP argues that because God inspired the Bible perfectly (Verbal Plenary Inspiration), He must preserve it in the exact same way—making the copies just as perfect as the originals.
The Refutation: This is a logical leap that the Bible never asks us to make.
Inspiration was a unique, miraculous act where the Holy Spirit moved the Prophets and Apostles to write (2 Peter 1:21).
Preservation is an act of Providence. God uses history, people, and thousands of manuscripts to keep His Word available.
The Analogy: Think of a pure mountain spring (Inspiration). The water is perfect. As it flows down a long river (History) to reach a city, some leaves or dirt might fall in. Does that mean the water is no longer "the spring water"? No. You simply filter out the leaves to get back to the purity. God has given us thousands of "filters" (manuscripts) to ensure we know exactly what the spring water is like.
3. The Problem of "Which Edition?"
The VPP teaching claims that the Textus Receptus (the Greek text used for the King James Version) is the perfectly preserved text.
The Refutation: This creates a massive historical problem. The Textus Receptus did not exist until the 1500s. It was compiled by a scholar named Erasmus, who used only a handful of late manuscripts.
The Question: If the Textus Receptus is the only "perfect" text, where was the "perfect" text in the year 800 AD? Or 1200 AD? For over 1,000 years, the Church used manuscripts that were slightly different from the Textus Receptus. Did the Church not have the "preserved" Word of God until Erasmus printed his book in 1516?
The Truth: Preservation is found in the entire body of manuscripts (over 5,000 in Greek!), not in one single book printed by a human editor in the 16th century.
4. Why This Teaching is Dangerous
While VPP sounds like it honors the Bible, it actually undermines a believer's faith in three ways:
1. It Creates a "Paper Pope": It forces people to trust in the decisions of 16th-century editors (like Erasmus or Beza) as if they were inspired by God themselves.
2. It Ignores God’s Sovereignty in History: God is powerful enough to preserve His Truth through a "multitude of witnesses" (many manuscripts) rather than needing one "perfect" copy.
3. It Causes Division: It tells Christians who use other faithful translations or study the earlier Greek manuscripts that they "do not have the Word of God," which is a false and heavy burden to place on a believer.
Comparison: VPP vs. Historic Faith
| The Question | VPP Teaching | Historic Christian Faith |
| How is the Bible kept? | God keeps one specific line of text (TR) perfect. | God keeps His Word through thousands of manuscripts. |
| What did Jesus promise? | Not a single letter will ever be typed wrong. | Every promise and truth of God will be fulfilled. |
| Are there variations? | No. Any difference is a "corruption." | Yes. Humans make small errors, but the Truth is never lost. |
Conclusion
As a pastor, my goal is to point you toward the God of the Word, not just the "ink on the page." We can have 100% confidence that we have the Word of God today because God has preserved it through the sheer volume of evidence He has left us. We do not need a "perfectly printed edition" to have a perfectly reliable God.
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