If the Bible is the inerrant word of God, why does it contain the opinions of Paul?

Question

Paul admits four times in chapter 7 of 1 Corinthians that what he tells us is his own opinion, not the word of God. What is his opinion doing in a holy book? In this chapter, Paul preaches that to marry is not a sin, but it is best to remain unmarried and celibate. Because this is hard for most people, HE gives them permission to marry.

“I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all men were as I am.” 7:6-7
“To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord)….” 7:12
“Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.” 7:25
“In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.” 7: 40

If every word in the Bible comes from the mouth of God, why would he add that some of what is in it is not his words? Could it be that, when writing this personal letter, Paul didn’t expect it would be part of a book that was said to be of divine origin?

Mumof4: Yes, I know that. That's why I said it in the question.

It seems that none of you are actually reading my question. Christians say that every word of the Bible came out of the mouth of God. it was written down by men, but dictated by God. Right? So why would God say that something he dictated to Paul was Paul's opinion and not his own? If I am wrong, then this anomoly is either the work of a mistranslation, or that at least this passage was not divinely isnpired, or that the Bible is not inerrant--in which case, how do you know that any of it is true?

Answer 1

These "opinions" are divine revelation.
Paul does not speak differently than the expressed will of God, but informs us that Jesus (the Lord), when He was walking and teaching on the earth, did not make a comment regarding certain of the issues this biblically literate and specially called Apostle was then about to teach.

Answer 2

This is why I am no longer a christian. I accepted that jesus came from God by faith. Then an inner voice taught me the message that Jesus brought to us that the kingdom of Heaven is within each of us in the form of the Spirit of truth. Now I only use the bible if I am led there for a specific purpose. I have also been led by the Spirit to study what people who don't believe the bible have said about it so that I would know where some of the errors are. I have also been shown writings that were excluded from the bible that are certainly inspired. How do I recognize inspired scripture? It has a definite authentic feel to it. Usually the meaning is not readily apparent, but is revealed in a short period of time. Any writings that talk about being obedient to a bunch of commandments is bogus. God is about unconditional love, not making up a lot of rules that no human could possibly follow.

Answer 3

Just bc the Bible includes Paul's personal opinion doesn't mean it isn't inspired by God. I may give advice to someone in the same form, saying what I would do in the situation or what I think, but it doesn't mean that what I'm saying isn't what God would say.

Christians believe that Paul was inspired to write, and that what He said is approved of by God, nonChristians don't. I think they're wrong, bc Paul went from hunting Christians down to becoming one, and this evidences a dramatic change in heart, which I believe resulted from his encounter with Christ. I think that from this encounter God began giving him wisdom and authority to teach about God and expound on Christ and His resurrection.

Someone else may have a different opinion, but I believe mine is true based on the historical evidence of Jesus' resurrection and other associated events.

Answer 4

Didn't you answer your own question? Piece o' cake! He made it CLEAR, he made it very clear what counsel was the Word of God and what was his own opinion. He wasn't infallible, neither are WE! He had plenty of opinions! He sometimes even reflected his upbringing and his history as a religious Pharisee. He even -one time- thought God should kill a guy who God -in fact- had mercy on when he repented and we read that he was still received later by the church. (I Cor. 5:5)

But don't quibble about the very FEW points where he might have been a little off, or a bit tainted. Look rather at the many deep and fundamental principles of Christianity which he DID get right!

Sometimes when all the other apostles and had gotten off the track, and returned to the laws of Moses for their righteousness, rather than the Grace, Blood , and Forgiving of Jesus Christ, he socked it to them and straightened them out -including Peter who they like to say was the chosen "leader" of the of the Church. (Acts 15:1-29)

He was usually FEARLESS and even returned to the same town once the next morning from which he had been thrown on the garbage heap since they actually believed they'd beaten him to death. (Acts 14:19,20)

He got all the men on the ship safely to shore by following the prophecy the Lord had given him, and their lives were spared! (Acts 27:18-44)

He was influential in delivering untold millions from the clutches of Satan throughout the ages, and you're gonna get bent outta shape about his opionions about women. DROP it! Maybe he'd had some bad experiences, maybe he was like a rock star that plenty of the women wanted, maybe there were some things that he didn't completely understand, maybe he was even partly RIGHT.

If you're "RIGHTER", maybe God shouldda' picked YOU for His evangelical early-church apostle to the gentiles and millions throughout history, who have been saved and helped by the right-on parts of Paul's letters...but He didn't!

The Bible IS the word of God. It IS complety true! Paul, however was a MAN...normal human. Only he was a bit different from you and different from me. You and I are sinners, Paul said he was CHIEF of the sinners.. (1 Timothy 1:15) like worst of all!

Wanna pick a fight, look for someone else that's alive, who can talk back. Don't try to run down and discredit someone who's no longer here.
Pick a fight with ME, if you want, but watch out, I didn't just learn few isolated Bible verses from some sceptic's book. I know a large part of it, and some of it well. And I have met the Author personally! And He's lots smarter than you!

God never was and does not need to be "Politically correct"

How do you know? easy!.. try it! "If any man DO His will , he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak I of Myself!" (John 7:16,17) Proof of the puddin's the eatin'!

You started well on your homework, but you gotta keep it up. You cannot read nor understand the Bible at one sitting. You have to KEEP researching and KEEP comparing, and KEEP discovering. It's like farming: the first 100 years is the thoughest! I've been at it about thirty- five years only.

(Proverb.9:10) "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."


(Proverb 21:30) "There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD."

Checkmate!
Two days later..
My friend says I was too though on you. Sorry! He says your question sounded sincere! Sorry, again. Guess yahoo answers is like reality. When we speak words, there there! Uh-oh! Anyway I didn't mean it as a personal attack.

Answer below brings out many good points and He wasn't scrappy like me, so anyway I got tons of "opinions" but there's hardly anyone that's interested. Doesn't mean they're all wrong. But anyhow whether Paul knew he was gonna be published or not he did the best he could, and like the other guy said, he WAS the one God chose. He even mentioned in his own letter that others thought his speech was contemptable.

Oral Roberts, the old faith-healer, who may now be gone on to his reward, brought out an interesting slant on this idea about what happens when God's people give INCORRECT information. The Old testiment says a "False Prophet "should be "stoned". Now the modern-day responce would be to completely discredit or even ostracise the guy. But anyway, Oral Roberts said when judging such matters, what the criteria should be is that if the guy says to his wife something like "My shoes are under the steps!" but they're really in the back yard, that doesn't make him a false prophet. But if he says "THUS saith the Lord.." and it's Not like he said, THAT DOES make him a false prophet. Even THAT, however, needs to be qualified, as there at least two true prophets in the the Bible who gave messages which came out different than than what God told His prophets ORIGINALLY.

One was Jonah, who said "40 days and Ninovah shall be destroyed!" ...(It was'nt!)

The other was when King Hesekiah, who was sick asked Isaiah if his sickness was unto death, and God as much as said, "Yes" he would.

But, in both cases, God "changed His mind". I can hear you now: "This guy's really gone off the deep end!" "We knew it all the time!" "Cracked nut!" Actually the reason He changed His mind was the response to the attitude taken, that of sorrow and repentance. Gotta go! Sorry again!
Sionarra

Answer 5

Because inspiration doesn't require inerrancy. The two only touch so firmly in Protestant theologies which need some sort of crutch like that.

Answer 6

Why does it contain the opinions of Job's comforters, or Solomon in Ecclesiastese? You are being winnowed...
http://www.schneblin.com/studies/pdfs/winnowing_wheat_chaff.pdf

Answer 7

Most of what is in the Bible was written by prophets or by people who listened to prophets or Jesus. It's not COMPLETELY infallible.

According to my understanding, there is nothing in the Bible that says Paul was celibate. IMO he was married "in the covenant" which to LDS means that he was married for eternity. (To us, he couldn't be an Apostle without being married for eternity, in the temple.)

The scripture you cited was referring to his opinion that it is better for people to remain celibate than to marry outside of the eternal marriage covenant, but he goes on to say that it is better for people to marry (ie "till death do us part" - civil marriage) than to commit the sin of fornication.

Answer 8

The evidence indicates, that the men used by God to record the Scriptures were not merely automatons, simply recording dictated material. We read concerning the apostle John that the "God-breathed" Revelation was presented to him through God's angel "in signs" and that John then "bore witness to the word God gave and to the witness Jesus Christ gave, even to all the things he saw." (Rev. 1:1,2). It was "by inspiration [literally, "in spirit"]" that John "came to be in the Lord's day" and he was told: "What you see write in a scroll." Rev. 1:10,ll). So, God apparently saw good to allow Bible writers to use their mental faculties in selecting words and expressions to describe the visions they saw (Hab. 2:2), while always exercising sufficient control and guidance over them so that the end product would be not only accurate and true, but also such as suited Jehovah's purpose. (Prov. 30:5,6) That personal effort on the part of the writer was involved is shown by the statement at Eccl. 12:9, 10, there being a pondering, searching, and arranging in order to present properly "delightful words and the writing of correct words of truth." Compare Luke 1:1-4.

This doubtless explains why there are different styles of writing as well as expressions that apparently reflect the background of the individual writers. The natural qualifications of the writers may have been a factor in God's selection of them for their particular assignment; he may also have prepared them prior thereto to serve his particular purpose.

As evidence of this individuality of expression Matthew, who had been a tax collector, makes numerous particularly specific references to numbers and money values. Matt. 17:27; 26:15; 27:3) Luke, "the beloved physician" (Col 4:14), on the other hand, uses distinctive expressions that reflect his medical background. - Luke 4:38, chap. 5:12, chap. 16 verse 20.

Even where the writer speaks of receiving "the word of Jehovah" or a certain "pronouncement," it may be that this was transmitted, not word for word, but by giving the writer a mental picture of God's purpose, one that the writer would thereafter express in words. This is perhaps indicated by the writers' speaking at times of 'seeing' (rather than 'hearing') "the pronouncement" or "the word of God." Isaiah 13:1; Micah 1:1; Hab. 1:1: chap. 2:1,2.

The men used to write the Scriptures therefore cooperated with the operation of Jehovah'sholy spirit. They were willing and submissive to God's guidance. (Isaiah 50:4,5), eager to know God's will and leading. (Isaiah 26:0). In many cases they had certain goals in mind (Luke 1:1-4) or were responding to an evident need (1 Cor. 1:10, 11: chap. 5:11; chap. 7:1), and God directed them so that what they wrote coincided with and fulfilled his purpose. (Prov. 16:9) As spiritual men, their hearts and minds were attuned to God's will, they 'had the mind of Christ' and so were not setting down mere human wisdom nor a "vision of their own heart," as false prophets did. - 1 Cor. 2:13-16; Jer. 23:16 and Ezek. 13:2,3 & 17.

It can be seen that the holy spirit would, indeed, have "varieties of operations" toward or upon these Bible writers (1 Cor. 12:6). A considerable portion of the information was humanly accessible to them, sometimes already existing in written form, as in the case of genealogies and certain historical accounts. (Luke 1:3; chap. 3:23-38; Num. 21:14, 15: 1 Kings 14: 19,29; 2 Kings 15:31; chap. 24:5) Here God's spirit would operate to prevent inaccuracy
or error from intruding into the Divine Record and also to guide in the selection of material to be included. Obviously, not everything stated by other persons and thereafter included in the Bible was inspired of God, but the selection of the material to be part of the Holy Scriptures and the accurate recording of it were under the direction of holy spirit. (Gen. 3:4,5; Job 42:3; Matt. 16:21-23.) In this way God has preserved in his inspired Word a record demonstrating what happens when people listen to him and work in harmony with his purpose, as well as the outcome when they think, speak, and act. In ways that show disregard for God or ignorance of his righteous ways. On the other hand, the information concerning the prehuman history of the earth (Gen. 1:1-26), heavenly events and activities (Job 1:6-12 and other texts), and prophecies, as well as revelations of God's purposes and of doctrines, was not humanly obtainable and would need to be transmitted supernaturally by God's spirit. As to wise sayings and counsel, even though the writer may have learned much from his personal experience in life and even more from his own study and application of those parts of the Scriptures already recorded, the operation of Gods spirit would still be required to ensure the information's qualifying as part of the Word of God that is "alive and exerts power...and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart." - Heb. 4:12.

THIS MAY BE SEEN BY THE EXPRESSIONS THE APOSTLE PAUL MAKES IN HIS FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS. IN GIVING COUNSEL ON MARRIAGE AND SINGLENESS HE SAYS AT ONE POINT: "BUT TO THE OTHERS I SAY, YES, I, NOT THE LORD..." AGAIN: "NOW
CONCERNING VIRGINS I HAVE NO COMMAND FROM THE LORD, BUT I GIVE MY OPINION." AND FINALLY, REGARDING A WIDOWED WOMAN, HE STATES: " BUT SHE IS HAPPIER IF SHE REMAINS AS SHE IS, ACCORDING TO MY OPINION. I CERTAINLY THINK I ALSO HAVE GOD'S SPIRIT." (1 COR.. 7:12,25, 40) THE EVIDENT MEANING OF PAUL'S STATEMENTS IS THAT HE COULD QUOTE NO DIRECT TEACHING BY THE LORD JESUS ON CERTAIN POINTS. HENCE PAUL GAVE HIS PERSONAAL OPINION AS A SPIRIT-FILLED APOSTLE. HIS COUNSEL, HOWEVER WAS "GOD-BREATHED" AND SO CAME TO FORM PART OF THE SACRED SCRIPTURES, HAVING EQUAL AUTHORITY WITH THE REST OF THOSE SCRIPTURES.

There is clearly a distinction between the inspired writings of the Bible and other writings that, while manifesting a measure of the spirit's direction and guidance, are not properly classed with the Sacred Scriptures. As has been shown, in addition to the canonical books of the Hebrew Scriptures (commonly called the Old Testament), there were other writings, such as official records concerning the kings of Judah and Israel, and theses, in many cases, may have been drawn up by men devoted to God. They were even used in research done by those writers who were inspired to write part of the Sacred Scriptures. So, too, in apostolic times. In addition to letters included in the Bible canon, there were doubtless many other letters written by the apostles and older men to the numerous congregations during the course of the years. While the writers were spirit-guided men, still God did not place his seal of guarantee distinguishing any such additional writings as part of the inerrant Word of God. The Hebrew noncanonical writings may have contained some error, and even the noncanonical writings of the apostles may have reflected to some degree the incomplete understanding that existed in the early years of the Christian
congregation. (Compare Acts 15:1-32; Gal 2:11-14; Eph. 4:11-16.) However even as God by his spirit, or active force, granted to certain Christians the "discernment of inspired utterances," he could also guide the governing body of the Christian congregation in discerning which inspired writings were to be incuded in the canon of the Sacred Scriptures. 1 Cor. chap. 12:10