For if he that cometh
preacheth another
Jesus, whom we have not
preached, or if ye receive
another spirit, which ye
have not received, or
another gospel, which
ye have not accepted,
ye might well bear with him...
For such are false apostles,
deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the
apostles of Christ.
2Corinthians 11:4,13
Allow me to open with a mission statement to set the reason for such a study: "This study has as its commitment to contribute a sustainable understanding and defense for Biblical faith. The goal is to provide a ground for the new Christian believer and to improve Biblical foundation for the mature Christian believer, building responsible committed Christians enabling them to address adverse conditions and false doctrine(s)." How will one know that they have met the mission statement? Success requires a development of Biblical belief, a change to Biblical values, Scripture memorization, fellowship with a local Church, and other fellow Christian believers. Further, to become intentional evangelistic, prepared to spread the Gospel as commanded by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19-20). To become intentional in evangelism is not meant that everyone is to become a missionary, or pastor, or teacher in a Church or Christian School; while some are called to become evangelistic in that manner for most of us to be intentional is to be a daily witness for Jesus Christ, in our everyday dealings with our husband, wife, children, relatives, and friends, ready to give an account for your faith both verbally, and by action.
The many religious books, or Bibles that each religion has is that each have developed similarities to one another. One such similarity that is often pointed out as demonstrating that similarity is, each "Bible(s)" are inspired and are given by God to each ethnic, and that single element is in moral teaching(s). Every religious book has a moral element that excludes the right to murder, to steal, to commit adultery, to covet, etc. Does similarity denote inspiration by God? Those moral attributes that are taught, their similarities are important factors, but not decisive as to make each religious book be from the same God as inspired; that includes the Christian Bible. Therefore that single element cannot be used to prove which religious book is the correct inspired book from God. As moral as many ethnic groups are there is still such things as "sunning" babies that are unwanted, killing people for not believing in their religion, degrading of certain groups, as in India and the caste system, etc. Morality for some have one meaning and is exercised differently from other nations, or peoples, and for most moral people their morality is determined by their own feelings and desires, to meet the culture even in the changing climate of culture. For instance here in America in the 50's actors who were married could not sleep in the same bed; in our day this is not true, men and women who are not married not only sleep in the same bed they perform sex acts, not necessarily pornographic (as in XXXX rated material). Therefore there are varying degrees of morality and the culture of the day is the decisive factor as the quality and performance of morality.
There are other factors that determine whether or not any religious book is an inspired writing(s) from God. I will focus on the Christian Bible for we have determined that the Bible that has come down to us from ancient manuscripts is the object of our faith, that is in the general sense. That the Bible gives to us in this general faith knowledge of God as He is revealed in the Bible. Furthermore, the Christian Bible calls to us to believe that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah, the Savior foretold and who is the object of our saving faith, as He is revealed in the Bible.
To begin our examination, and discussion we must have some basic knowledge of the Bible. First, the Christian Bible consists of 66 books, 39 Old Testament books, and 27 New Testament books. These books were written over a large amount of time by some 40 writers. The dates I will give are close in proximately as I was not there (Some may disagree with that statement, Ha!). The first written Word of God was by Moses 1400 B.C. and by 500 B.C. all original Hebrew manuscripts which make up the 39 books of the Old Testament were completed. By the end of the first century A.D. all the original New Testament twenty seven books were completed. Yes, there are Apocryphal books (14) that we will discuss later. The compilation of the books of the Bible did not occur at one time, but over time with much discussion as to which books should be considered inspired by God and are to make up the Bible. Athenasius the bishop of Alexandria identifies the 27 books that make up the New Testament. Jerome translated the Hebrew and Greek writings that make up the 66 books of the Bible (382 A.D.) and the 14 Apocryphal books. by the year 500 A.D. the Bible had been translated into more than 500 languages. Does all this translation by some early Church fathers determine that what they translated is truly the Word of God, that the men who wrote those books, letters, give proof that the Bible is the Word of God, given to men by God? No! Do not shrink back from the facts, do not hide your head and acquiesce to believe what you have heard or been taught, as though the Bible has not had opponents due to the fact that we do not have the original manuscripts; furthermore that there are corruptions in documents that we do have. Yes, there was and is some damage to the copies handed down; therefore a requirement was necessary, textural criticism, a way to know and decide what was to be the canon of the Bible. This cannonization of the Bible will be addressed in future blogs. How does anyone determine if a book, a letter, is inspired by God? We don't want some tacit belief, do you?
Think upon this: If God created all that there is, and God is Holy, would He not control His creation for as God He does maintain the world. Therefore, it must be admitted that God would, in His control of His creation, that is especially of man to whom He has made in His image, communicate to His creation? God does not usurp the natural life of man but does communicate to man in the circumstances of life. God reveals Himself in the daily circumstances of life giving hope for the immediate, and what He has determined will be the future for mankind. This would be true as God is Holy, not just and attribute of God, but God is Holy, and by means of His Holiness He is Good. Being Good then He would give to man what man needs so that the know Him, and His purpose(s). Therefore, as God would inspire men to write what He desired for them to write, those principles that are eternal, then God would preserve that writing, no matter how man may corrupt any text, or misuse any text, He would preserve His word; this He promised: "god, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hat appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world" (Hebrews 1: 1,2). Paul in writing to Timothy wrote: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2Timothy 3:16). The Bible, those written words were admitted to be from God: "For whatever things ere written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15:4). Paul gives assurance that God has determined and has given us His Word: "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us,ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe" (1Thessalonians 2:13). Here are the words of Jesus: "For verily I say unto you, 'Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:18). So you might have a picture of a tittle think of a circle, you have written an "O", then put a tail at the bottom of the circle and cross the line and you have a "Q" that little line is a tittle and a jot is an apostrophe in Hebrew and is important in determining the Hebrew word. God has by His Son promised to never allow His inspired word to pass away, even if heaven and earth were to pass away.
This the beginning of this study, but we need to answer the question(s) of corruption, and how the canon was formed. This I will do and more in the upcoming blogs.
Unto thee will I cry,
O LORD my rock;
be not silent to me:
lest, if thou be
silent to me, I become
like them that go
down into the pit.
Psalm 28:1
Give Reverence To Our God
Richard L. Crumb
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