is the bible we have trustworthy? understanding CANON is the bible we have trustworthy? I realize that many of the arguments I will make tonight might have little to no impact upon the unbeliever. However, my audience tonight is not a group of unbelievers but a group of faithful saints under the constant onslaught of an unbeleiving world. This world would have you to believe that your faith has been placed not in an infallible and all-wise God but in a council of men, like many councils before it, who have chosen of themselves a collection of ancient writings which they have declared the words of the Divine. It is my goal tonight to demonstrate to you that nothing could be further from the truth. Our faith is not in men nor in the product of their minds but in an all-powerful God who does and always has acted on the behalf of His creation. This God desired to share His mind with us as it relates to our salvation and so we can have faith that He through His power and His wisdom is capable and in fact has delivered to us an unerring account by which the man of God may become complete in every good work.

WHAT IS CANON? The nature of Scripture determines the canon of Scripture; that is, the canon must be defined in light of what Scripture is: (1) God-breathed (2) Given for the purposes revealed within its own revelation Divine knowledge and understanding of the canon Human knowledge and understanding of the canon God inspires, and the canon expresses the limitation of that action Canon is dependent upon God’s purposes in giving us the inspired Scriptures Canonical disagreement does not mean that God has failed to accomplish His will in delivering His canon 2 Tim 3:16-17 - “inspired” literally theopneustos or “God-breathed) Canon is not determined by a group of men but by the nature of the writing itself. The very concept of canon presupposes the idea of inspiration in that a book not “God-breathed” cannot be inspired The purpose of these inspired writings is contained within the inspired writings themselves; as Paul puts it “that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work” The notion that there are missing books or that some book may be unearthed that would be essential to the faith and practice of the Christian would mean that God has failed in His purpose for 2000 years, thus invalidating the very concept of an inspired canon.

based on apostolicity Did it come from an apostle or from someone associated with an apostle The church only acknowledged what was given by the apostles, and included books in the canon because of this apostolic authority The servants of the word with those who were the eyewitnesses and guarantors of apostolic tradition – John Mark (Acts 13:5); Luke (Lk 1:1-4) BEGAN TO FIRST BE TRANSMITTED IN ORAL FORM TRANSMITTED IN BOTH ORAL AND WRITTEN Form COMMITTED TO WRITING TO REMAIN AUTHORITATIVE

apostolic principles 2 Thes 2:1,2, false letters circulated and the churches were said to be able to determine their validity or falsehood The canonical Bible does not contradict itself, especially in doctrine – Gal 1:6-9; 1 Jn 4:1ff Endowed with sufficient gifts in order to test Instructed not to give credence to every prophetic utterance In many cases, letters were sent by authorized messengers to be accepted in the churches received – cf 2 Thes 3:17 Churches were Instructed to share the letter as one come from an apostle to that church – Col 4:16; 1 Thes 5:27; 2 Pt 3:15-16

apostolic verification Canonicity is based not by opinion, but by principles established and set forth by the apostles themselves Eyewitness Testimony - cf 2 Pt 1:16-18 The apostles had personally seen the living, crucified, risen Messiah These were not fables based on second hand information, but eyewitness testimony to the things they wrote Confirmed Prophetic Word - cf 2 Pt 1:19-21 The prophetic word made surer their faith, which was based on the writings of the Old Testament The Word of God is surer than anyone’s experience, even the experience of an apostle

The Apocrypha Books written during the intertestamental period Contain many contradictions Tenor and tone different from that of scripture In some instances even acknowledge internally a lack of inspiration Jesus did not deem these books as inspired “all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.” (Lk 24:44) Stated the time of the prophets was from Abel to Zechariah (Matt 23:34-35)

The Apocrypha 27 So there was great distress in Israel, such as had not been since the time that prophets ceased to appear among them. 1Maccabees 9:27

The Apocrypha If it is well told and to the point, that is what I myself desired; if it is poorly done and mediocre, that was the best I could do.  For just as it is harmful to drink wine alone, or, again, to drink water alone, while wine mixed with water is sweet and delicious and enhances one’s enjoyment, so also the style of the story delights the ears of those who read the work. And here will be the end. 2Maccabees 15:38-39

The Gnostic Gospels Writings from the Second Century Thomas, Judas, and Mary Magdalene were not the authors but were merely names used As the name suggests these writings were from a Gnostic mindset Not merely uninspired, but from a completely different world- view

The Gospel of Thomas “Simon Peter said to them, ‘Make Mary leave us, for females don’t deserve life.’ Jesus said, ‘Look, I will guide her to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every female who makes herself male will enter the domain of heaven” Thomas 114:1-3

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene “Matter gave birth to a passion that has no equal, which proceeded from something contrary to nature. Then there arises a disturbance in its whole body. That is why I said to you, ‘Be of good courage, and if you are discouraged be encouraged in the presence of different forms of nature’” Mary Magdalene 4:30-31

is the bible we have trustworthy? understanding CANON is the bible we have trustworthy?