📖 Biblical Definition
Biblical error is deviation from divine truth — in doctrine, practice, or moral life. Peter warns of those "led away with the error of the wicked" (2 Peter 3:17). James declares that converting a sinner from the error of his way saves a soul from death (James 5:19-20). The antidote: "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29).
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
A wandering from truth; a mistake in judgment; deviation from the right path.
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ER'ROR, n. 1. A wandering or deviation from the truth. 2. A mistake in writing or other performance. 3. A wandering; deviation from the right course. Note: Webster understood error as wandering from a fixed standard of truth — precisely the biblical meaning.
📖 Key Scripture
• Matthew 22:29 — "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God."
• 2 Peter 3:17 — "Beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness."
• James 5:19-20 — "If any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him... shall save a soul from death."
• 1 John 4:6 — "Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern culture denies the existence of objective error by denying the existence of objective truth.
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In a postmodern world that denies objective truth, the concept of error becomes meaningless. Progressive Christianity treats all doctrinal positions as equally valid perspectives. But Scripture is clear: there is truth and there is error, and the two are distinguishable by those who know the Scriptures and the power of God.
Usage
• "The most dangerous error is the one that denies error exists — for it removes the very category by which false teaching can be identified."
• "Jesus said the Sadducees erred because they did not know the Scriptures — the cure for error has always been faithful study of God's Word."