Canon of a Book of the Bible

Canon of a Book of the Bible

What makes a book of the Bible a book that belongs to the Bible? It has to be part of the canon. The canon of a book is the rule or standard by which something is judged. Oxford Dictionary defines it as thus: “a general law, rule, principle, or criterion by which something is judged.”

Bible Canon

The canon of a book tells you whether or not something belongs in that book. So what is the canon for the Bible? There are two separate canons: one for the Old Testament, and one for the New Testament.

Old Testament Canon of a Book:

1. Since God is perfect and infallible (incapable of making mistakes), an inspired book must be perfect and infallible, in the facts and teachings of the original manuscript of the inspired writer.

Neh. 8:8: “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.”

It is so perfect, it can be understood by all who take the time to study it.

2. Since God is perfectly holy and pure, an inspired books must present only pure and holy teachings.

Psa. 19:7-11: “7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.”

Psa. 119:105: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

3. Since God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent, an inspired book should reflect those characteristics.

a. If a book of the Bible speaks of future events, those events MUST happen.
b. If a book of the Bible speaks of locations, those locations MUST be real.

By studying the Bible, archaeologists have found cities and nations no one had heard of until then.  The Bible was often laughed at for having stories of the “Philistines” and the “Amalekites,” nations thought to have never existed.  But in the end, God had the last laugh, when these nations and people were found to be real.

4. Since God is absolute truth, no Bible verse can contradict another.

5. Since God is absolutely just and fair, the Bible must be impartial to everyone without prejudice to anyone.

How might you tell a false prophet from a real prophet? If his words are true, then he is a real prophet (Jer. 28:9). How can you tell a false book of the Bible from a real one? If the words are true, it is a real book of the Bible!

New Testament Canon of a Book:

The New Testament has another set of rules on top of the rules we’ve already mentioned. The following four are the rules by which the New Testament books are judged.

1. Apostolicity: Did an apostle write the book?

If an apostle did not write the book, then did someone closely associated with the apostles write it? Mark, Luke, James, and Jude were not apostles, but they WERE contemporaries and friends. An example of this is found in each of Paul’s letters.

Eph. 1:1: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:”.

2. Authenticity/Accuracy: Is the book accurate and true in all that it says?

If the book speaks on anything historical, scientific, moral, anything about anything, then it must tell the truth on what is written.  If the book speaks falsehood, then it is not canonical.

3. Acceptance: Did the 1st century church accept the book?

2 Tim. 3:16-17: “16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

These books were used to guide the church in all spiritual matters (and are still used for the same purpose!).  If they were not accepted because they were not profitable, then they wouldn’t be profitable for us either! The New Testament church did not accept every writing given to them: they put time and effort into deciding which books should be accepted.

4. Genuineness/Inspiration: Was it “God-breathed?”

In 2 Tim. 3:16 (quoted above), the phrase “given by inspiration” is “theopneustos” in the Greek. In other words, we want to ask the question: Did God inspire this book?

1 Pet. 1:22: “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:”.

This truth that came through the Spirit is the truth of the Bible.  Did the Spirit guide the writer into writing this book?

 

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Christian Don’t Be Afraid

Christian Don’t Be Afraid

Jesus knew that fear was a great problem for God’s people. In the accounts of the gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), Jesus warns against “fear” or “being afraid” at least seventeen times (maybe more, depending on how you count). Do we recognize the great danger that fear poses? Jesus certainly did, and He did more to remove fear from our lives than any other. Hebrews 2:14-15 says, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Fear of death subjects us to bondage. Jesus came to release us from the fear and power of death.Be afraid

In John 10:10, Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Who is the “thief?” What does he steal? Why doesn’t he enter by the door? Who are the sheep? How does the thief steal the sheep? What is his purpose in stealing the sheep? Why is the life that Jesus gives contrasted with the work of the thief? How is Jesus the Good Shepherd? From what does He protect His sheep?

When we are children, we are taught to fear many things. We compound these fears as adults until we are compassed on every side. “Fear” is a great merchant; it peddles many things; it takes life as payment and steals our allegiance from God. Denying fear simply increases it. Only Jesus can take away fear when we put Him in place of our fears.

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Time to Trim Down the Events

Time to Trim Down Events?

I get the opportunity to speak on a lot of lectureships, seminars, men’s days, youth rallies, etc. I am thankful for each opportunity and I spend a lot of time in preparation and prayer for those events.  I want to pose a question–not meant to divide, judge, or cause strife–just meant to get everyone thinking. Is it possible we have oversaturated our lives with these special events and continue to add more and more, so that we don’t have to do the “dirty” work of actually going out and conducting Bible studies/evangelizing?Youth Rally Event

The truth is we can fill our calendar with these special events, have special lessons on every subject under the Sun, and do all kinds of “activities”…maybe even learning a great deal and making ourselves feel good. All the while, the lost souls around us continue to step out into eternity.

It’s kind of ironic that we have all of these special series that have been branded with really cool names and logos where men talk about the importance of evangelism and disciple-making–and yet, most people aren’t actually doing it.

In fact, sometimes it feels like the number of special events seems to be growing faster than actual membership in most congregations. And everything now has to be a big production. It has to be filmed and have cool lighting. It needs to be entertaining–with “Big Name” speakers.

Church, maybe it’s time we take a serious look at all of the special events we are hosting and ask ourselves: Are our people really going out and making disciples, or are these events giving them the false sense that they are busy in the Lord’s Kingdom?

It’s not about the events. It’s not about the cool stage lighting. It’s not about the speakers. It’s about Jesus. It’s all about what He did on the cross. And until we get out of our comfort zones and tell more people about Him and His precious gift, the world will remain lost.

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Religion of the Heart

Religion of the Heart

Christianity is a religion of the heart. This does not mean that Christianity is without commands, laws, or divine expectations. What does it mean? It means that it is up to the individual to practice it personally. That is, no one, other than the individual, is going to enforce it. Religion of the Heart

In Hebrews 8:10, we read, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” This is a quotation from Jeremiah 31:33. God was telling the people of Jeremiah’s day that the system of law He gave through Moses was not going to be used in the future. Instead, God was going to have a system in which each person decided whether to follow Him or not. This system would not be enforced by the national authorities (as was done under the Law of Moses), but within the heart and mind of the individual—in other words, by their own free will. Essentially, it would be a system based upon faith.

In that way, this is the same system of religion practiced by Abraham—a system based on faith. That is why in Romans 4 Paul highlights the faith of Abraham as an example. He was not under the law of Moses. His religion was of the heart, freely practiced, based on faith. Romans 4:13 states, “For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” In other words, to be a faithful Christian, the choice is yours.

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Relationship of Soul and Words of Songs

Relationship of Soul and Words of Songs

For the last several years I have tried to improve my worship in song by paying special attention to the words of the songs. While the musical notes are important and participating in four-part harmony singing is so rewarding, the focus in the Bible is on the relationship of my soul and my words.

Singing is described as “…singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16). It is not that we are giving grace to Him, but we who have received His grace, sing with hearts filled with grace to Him.

A picture of this attitude toward Jesus is shown in Revelation chapter five. It describes how there is no creature in heaven or on earth worthy to open the book in God’s hand. Then, the Lamb of God appears to take the sealed book and starts to open it.

At that moment the heaven of heavens is filled with anthems of praise to the Lord. The twenty-four elders get off their thrones and bow down in worshiping the Lord. They have bowls filled the prayers of His saints, and they ascend as incense to the Lamb. They begin to sing, “You are worthy…”

But it doesn’t stop at this point. Suddenly a host of angels joins in singing the same song. How many angels were there in this choir? “The number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands” (5:12). The very words of the song they sing are given. “Worthy is the Lamb to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessings.”

But it doesn’t stop there. Immediately every creature in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and under the sea, and all that is in heaven and earth become part of this chorus of praise to the Lord. “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

But it doesn’t stop there. In 1930, Tillit S. Teddlie, a faithful brother in Christ and author of over 100 songs, penned the words to a song we used to sing more often, Worthy Art Thou. It captures the events of this heavenly scene in the first two verses. He then added these words in the last verse. “Lord, may we come before Thee with singing, Filled with Thy Spirit, wisdom and pow’r, May we ascribe Thee glory and honor, Worthy art Thou, Worthy art Thou.”

It is not the musical notes that really matter. The early Christians may have sung this with singing characterized by chanting. We sing it in four-part harmony. It is not the music.

Let me ask you, what is your favorite song? Is it your favorite because of the musical arrangement or because of the spiritual depth and grace it creates in your heart as you sing to the Lord? Think about this.

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