So, who told you the Bible was God's word ? And why did you believe it ?
There were many early writings Early Christian Writings: New Testament, Apocrypha, Gnostics, Church Fathers , so... somebody decided to choose which ones were and were not going to be in the Bible.
Why do you accept their decisions ?
what a great Q? and it does deserve a good answer not sure if one will agree but that is not important that any agree with me
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But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Heb. 11:6
God is a God who desires to reveal Himself. He does not remain silent like the gods of the heathen, both ancient and modern. God took pleasure in making Himself known to His creatures. Now the thoughts of a man can only be disclosed by the man himself. Likewise , only God can make Himself known. The God of the Bible is a God who speaks , we Christians believe that. Why we believe that will come later please be patience. From creation , all down through history, God revealed Himself by speaking. He spoke and the universe sprang forth.
" By the word of the Lord were the heavens made: and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth" Ps 33:6.
God has chosen to speak to men through the year and is seen in History and in the historical Narrative of the bible. But God had the greatest Revelation in the person of Jesus Christ, the word incarnate:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God , and the Word was God and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us( Jn 1:1-14). it is very important to defend the word of God as a Christian however, God Keeps His word all by Himself. there is plenty of evidence to the authoritative, inerrant, fully and completely the Word of God; that we Christians call the bible. And Jesus our Lord is the greatest testament to the Word of God because He is the Word of God. over 700 prophecies filled in relation to Jesus spoken 600 to 700 hundred years before His Birth. In addition we have the letters of Eyewitnesses and their recorded words that have not been proven untrue. The Word of the bible has been and continue to be examined, mocked, scoffed, studied, read, quoted, and believed for over 2000 years by Christian faithful. There are more manuscripts for the bible over 40,000 of them that can be studied as they continue to be. More historical data and archeological finding about the God of the bible than there is writings of famous philosophers Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates who if he wrote anything please try to find it. dates are very important the in context to these well known philosophers Plato 428 to c. 348 BC. many years before the new testament writings found in the bible but not before the writers of the old testament 39 books in the old testament and over 40 different authors over a period not less than 1,500 years, many of whom never saw each other. yet it's unity and continuity are so apparent it is easy to think of it having just one author - and that none other than God Himself. Remember he alone keeps His Word.
It too is interesting to note the Variety of Occupational backgrounds of authors who are known"
two were kings David / Solomon
two were Priests Jeremiah/ Ezekial
Luke a Physician
Two were fishermen peter/ John
Two were Shepherds Moses / Amos
Paul Pharisee/theologian
Daniel statesman
Matthew tax collector
Joshua Soldier
Ezra scribe
the occupations of other are not known.
Your statement and question about : "
choose which ones were and were not going to be in the Bible.
Why do you accept their decisions ?"
Is a very good one and I think it desires respect.
this bring us to what is known as the " CANON OF SCRIPTURES" . That being said please know that I believe the Holy Spirit of God is more than capable to teach those who have relationship with the lord Jesus Christ, and as I try to explain why I have faith in Gods Word I must say it is ever settled for me that God is real and it is well known that many will attack the Bible because it is believed to be the word of God. why ? because if the bible is not the word of God then there is NO God. That is why it is important for all Christians to studied and be ready to give an answer to why they believe but it is not important for us as Christian to make other believe. They will accept it or they will not I choose to leave them in the hands of the Lord and keep my faith in God. What I don't know , I don't know and I am not able to fully remove any doubt to the existence of the Speaking God it is a walk of faith which I am not ashamed.
The word Canon comes from the Greek kanon, meaning " a measuring rod or reed. and signifies a rule , a standard. Hence, the Canon of the Bible consists of those books considered worthy to be included in the holy Scriptures. Canonization was the result of a centuries-long development, whereby only those writings that proved useful for faith and worship were elevated to such a role. now there is a whole lot to explain to your statement and question with hundreds of years to explain so please for give the snap shot in time.
The Apocrypha the word as usually understood means : "Apocryphal books" and refers to fourteen books which have been added to the Old Testament, and held to be a part of the sacred canon, particularly by the Roman Catholic Church. Protestants generally do not include these in the bible. the Septuagint ( LXX) contained the apochryphal books. Jerome included them in his Latin translation of the Old Testament, called the Vulgate. These books are not a part of the Hebrew bible. The Reformers were largely responsible for eliminating the Apocrypha from the Bible. because they contained things which are inconsistent with Protestant doctrine( e.g the doctrine of prayer for the dead and intercession to the saints).
why consider Canonization?
It is not difficult to understand that, at the time the canon was being considered, there were many books in existence which would lay claim to consideration. These writings were generally divided into what has been called the pseudepigrapha and the apocfrypha. there was a battle going on and many groups writers and heretical books which are considered false by Church fathers and many heretical doctrines held Gnostics who denied the incarnation of Christ; the docetics who denied the reality of Christ's humanity; and the monophysites, who rejected the dual nature of Christ are found in these books. over 280 of these books have been listed and grouped under the heading : gospel, Acts, Epistles. this is why we measure scripture in the light of other scriptures and accept certain writing over other that attack the standard or the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Deny Him your not authoritative, and labeled false and anti-Christ.
Christians believe in the Inerrancy of the Scriptures " meaning that in its original autographs the bible contains no mistakes. In the original languages in which it was written , it is absolutely infallible. - without error whatever. This has been the position of all the confessions of the great evangelical churches down through the years.
In contrast to this atheist, agnostics and liberal theologians have declared the Bible to be full of errors. Indeed there are those who teach "limited inerrancy", claiming the bible to be inerrant in the matters of faith and practice, but not necessarily so in scientific and historical matters. The problem with this position is, who is going to decide what is true and what is not? If one cannot have a positive faith in the infallibility of this book, how can we speak with final authority when it comes to matters of eternity?
The testimony to inerrancy
where did the doctrine of inerrancy come from?
the Scriptures themselves. it claims to be the inspired by God
" All scriptures is given by inspiration of God " 2Tim 3:16
2pet 1:21 Dt 4:2, and many many more.
this is just my opening statement as why the bible is the Word of God. I believe that Genesis to Revelation is fully and completely the Word of God because each of the 66 books written by men as the Holy Spirit enabled them to do so concerning all about man need for God and the plan for man by God and a relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and the testimony I have in HIM because HE saved me it is forever settled. God bless you I hope this helps ever man has to work out his salvation with reverence, humbleness.
Every knee shall bow and every Tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father.
