To defend the doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP)

To defend the doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) against critics, the Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC) and its supporters present a coordinated defense based on systematic theology, church history, and specific biblical proof texts.

1. The Core Theological and Logical Arguments

• Inspiration and Preservation are "Twin Brothers": FEBC argues that Verbal Plenary Inspiration (VPI) and Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) are inseparable doctrines. They contend that a God who perfectly inspired His Word would logically and supernaturally preserve it intact for His elect. Denying VPP while accepting VPI is viewed as illogical—equivalent to the "absurd" Deist belief in a Creator who "goes to sleep" after creation. Without perfect preservation, the original work of divine inspiration would be lost and of no use to believers today.
• Special vs. General Providence: FEBC argues that Bible preservation does not fall under God's general providence, but rather His special providence (providentia extraordinaria). This refers to God's miraculous, supernatural intervention in history to ensure that every single original word, prophecy, promise, and doctrine remains completely intact without the loss of a single word.
• The Infallibility of the Apographs (Surviving Copies): VPP proponents argue that the Bible is not merely infallible in the past (in the lost original "Autographs"), but remains 100% infallible and inerrant today in the faithfully preserved surviving copies (the "Apographs").
• No Real Mistakes or Scribal Errors: VPP advocates flatly reject the idea that copyist or scribal errors exist in the preserved texts. While acknowledging copyists made transcription mistakes, they argue God's supernatural hand superintended the process so that copyist errors are easily identified and corrected by comparing surviving manuscripts. They assert there are absolutely no mistakes or errors in difficult Old Testament passages (such as Judges 18:30, 1 Samuel 13:1, 1 Kings 4:26, 1 Chronicles 18:3, and 2 Chronicles 22:2). Any discrepancies are strictly "seeming or apparent" rather than actual.
• Textual Recognition vs. Textual Criticism: FEBC argues that identifying the perfect Word of God is a matter of faith and textual recognition (believing God kept His promise), not humanistic, speculative textual criticism. They champion scholars like John William Burgon, Edward F. Hills, and D.A. Waite as trusted guides in recognizing the preserved text.

2. Defending the Role of the KJV and Original Texts

• The "Platinum" vs. "Wooden" Yardstick: Critics often accuse VPP proponents of believing the English King James Version itself is inspired. FEBC denies this, explaining that no translation is 100% equivalent to the original languages. Instead, they argue that the Greek Textus Receptus and Hebrew Masoretic texts underlying the KJV are the perfectly preserved words of God—acting as a perfect "platinum yardstick". The KJV, while not perfect itself, is a "wooden yardstick" that serves as the most faithful, accurate, and reliable English translation of those perfect original-language texts.
• Historical Reformed Grounding: FEBC strongly maintains that VPP is not a new doctrine but a historic Reformed position. They point to Chapter I, Section 8 of the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF), which states that the original-language Scriptures are "by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages". FEBC highlights that the Westminster divines specifically referred to the "languages" (Hebrew and Greek copies) rather than the original "Autographs," proving that historic Protestantism believed in the continuous preservation of copies.

3. Key Biblical Texts Used by FEBC

To establish VPP as a biblical doctrine, FEBC relies heavily on several key passages:

• Psalm 12:6–7: Used to define "verbal" preservation. FEBC argues this passage guarantees that God's pure words will be supernaturally preserved and kept "from this generation for ever".
• Matthew 5:18: Used to demonstrate that not one "jot or one tittle" (the smallest Hebrew letters and strokes) will ever pass from the Law until all is fulfilled. This was also the primary proof text used by the Westminster divines to assert Bible preservation.
• Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, & Luke 21:33: Used to define "plenary" preservation (the Scripture as a whole with all words intact). The absolute promise that "My words shall not pass away" is cited as clear divine proof of VPP.
• 1 Peter 1:23–25: Cited to define "plenary" preservation and prove that the Word of God "liveth and abideth for ever".
• John 10:35: Citations of Jesus stating "the scripture cannot be broken" are used to support the present inerrancy of the copies in our hands today.
• Romans 10:17, Hebrews 11:1, & Hebrews 11:6: Used to argue that VPP is fundamentally a position of faith based on God's character. FEBC argues that Christians must receive Bible preservation by faith to survive the onslaught of postmodernism and secular scholarship.
• Romans 3:4 ("let God be true, but every man a liar"): Cited as the foundational interpretive principle when dealing with "apparent" biblical contradictions.