Answer: The
writers of the books of the Bible were inspired by the Holy Spirit to share the
Word of God. The Bible is God's magnificent message to us and the final
authority for Christian doctrine and practice.
Divine inspiration also guided the compilation of the Bible. God inspired
Christians to use the various books that now makeup our Bible, scribes to copy them,
and the leaders to authorize them. Divine inspiration guided it all.
God continues to inspire
writers today. The difference between the
Bible and other books is authority. The books of the Bible
are the "authorized" collection (or canon) of inspired
books. Divine inspiration is only one criterion
that determined if a book was included
in the Bible. There are other important factors. Such as:
·
Authenticity – Is the book generally accurate or a
fabrication or forgery? In the New Testament, authenticity also required
the writing to be based upon the preaching/teaching of the first-generation
apostles (or their close companions).
·
Timelessness – Is the book useful for people of all
times and places (even if it was originally written for a particular time
and place)?
·
Consistency – Is the book consistent with the overarching message of the Christian faith?
·
Acceptance
– Is the book
accepted by the majority of the Christian community? The books of the Bible
were widely used and recognized by early Christian communities as inspired, authentic, and timeless over the first four centuries of our faith.
Their leaders gathered in a council to "authorize" the Bible. They affirmed the books were given by God as
an authoritative and timeless guide to Christian doctrine and practice.
Although there are inspired writers and books today, they do not
have the authority of the Bible because they cannot match the authenticity,
timelessness, consistency, and wide acceptance of the Bible. The Bible is the only book authorized to
serve as God's Holy Word. It contains
everything we need to find salvation and live a Christian life.
No comments:
Post a Comment