“UNDERSTANDING NECESSARY INFERENCE”

 

To “infer’ is ‘to derive as a conclusion from facts or premises’ (Meriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dict.). It means to: judge, conclude, or perceive. Although ‘infer’ is not used in scripture, the synonyms “conclude”, “perceive” and “judge”, are found. Within the definition, the dictionary advises, “see imply”. That is because an inference can never stand alone. There must be an implication in order to qualify as a necessary inference. There can be no necessary inference unless it is based on information from statements, commands, approved examples, or some combination thereof. For an inference to be authoritative, it must be a necessary conclusion. There are many possible inferences we might make based on sketchy information, but unless we can determine that the Holy Spirit has implied something, we cannot draw a necessary inference. When one draws a conclusion without an implication he is merely surmising.

Three approved apostolic examples of the use of necessary inference:

1] From the events in Acts 10, Peter understood that ​people are accepted for their reverence to God and obedience to His will (Acts 10:34-35). That was the only conclusion he could reach from what GOD had revealed.

2] The apostle Paul could only conclude that GOD is the GOD of both the Gentiles and the Jews (Rom. 3:28ff); based on Abraham being justified by faith apart from the law (Rom. 4:1-3).

3] In Acts 15, we find the use of a statement, an example, and a necessary inference all in one context. In establishing authority for conversion of Gentiles, Peter makes a statement that GOD ‘chose’ that they “should hear the word of the gospel and believe” (v. 7). Paul and Barnabas then cited an example of GOD working signs among the Gentiles (v. 12). James draws the conclusion by saying, “I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to GOD” (v. 19).

As Doy Moyer put it, “Inferences are a natural part of all reasoning. These are conclusions we draw from the data we have. We all do it. We just need to learn to do it correctly.”