How did we get the 66 books of the Bible?

I made this post on another blog recently:

"Theonuestos" is Greek for "God-breathed". It is used in II Timothy 3:16 and translated as "inspiration".

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

I would say that "God-breathed" is Scriptural evidence of the supernatural nature of the Bible. Unless, of course, one doesn't think that God is supernatural - then His God-breathed Word would be no different than anyone elses.

In response, a person who claims he is a Christian said:

"All Scripture" ? And where in the pages of the 66 books of the Bible does it tell us that those 66 books are "all scripture"? Does it indicate that it means Genesis - Revelation somewhere?

No.

This is an example of the logical fallacy of making an unproven assumption (The Bible = All Scripture) and thereafter, everything you see only validates that (the bible SAYS "all scripture is God-breathed" therefore the 66 books of the Bible are supernatural and the only source of God's revelation).

God will and God DOES reveal God's Self however and whenever God chooses to. That would be my point.

You all are choosing verses as "proofs" that don't address the claims you're making.

In response, I have put this together to explain why I believe we have the 66 books of the Bible that God intended us to have, and that we can trust that we have God's full written revelation to us.

So the QUESTION IS:

How did we get the 66 books of the Bible we have today, and how do we know for sure that they are inspired by God?

The Old Testament canon that was accepted by the Jews was official before the New Testament books were written (by around 300 BC). Ezra, Haggai and Zechariah all participated in and led the council that determined the books of the Old Testament – all 3 of these men were Prophets of God. When Jesus and His apostles debated the Jewish theologians, they appealed to “the Scriptures”, implying the authority that the Jews acknowledged about the books of the Old Testament

In essence, Jews are in agreement on the first 39 books of the Bible. The so called Apocryphal books were rejected by the Jews and were never quoted from by the Jews or by Jesus Himself. That eliminates those books. Only the Catholic Church includes them as Scripture.

So what about the 27 New Testament books?

First of all, there were questions to be asked.

1. Was the book written by an Apostle or close associate writing under the authority of an apostle? The Apostles were given the authority to speak on behalf of Jesus – by Jesus Himself.

2. Did the first local churches accept the book? Had it been read by numerous and various New Testament Churches? Did they believe it to be inspired?

3. Did the early church fathers accept the books as Scripture? Did these disciples of the original Apostles quote from the book and consider it inspired? For example, a man by the name of Polycarp was a disciple of John the Apostle. If he knew that a book had been written by John, or knew that John has stated that Peter or Paul had written a book, that would point toward its inspiration. Don’t forget – many of these writings were being circulated while many of the Apostles were still alive – and those that knew them easily confirmed or rejected them as being inspired.

4. Did the content of the book agree with other accepted books of Scripture?


I have heard people say that we didn’t determine what books belonged in the Bible until hundreds of years after Jesus died on the cross, but that just isn’t true. Although the FINAL confirmation of the 27 books took place at the Third Council of Carthage in 397 AD, there was only minor debate before that time and the books were basically agreed upon in the first and second centuries. This council was mostly an “official” confirmation of the already accepted books of Scripture for the New Testament. They simply endorsed the general consensus of the churches of the west and of the greater part of the east.

Polycarp(AD 110) (the disciple of John mentioned above) included in his list all of the books from Matthew through I Timothy and also included 1 Peter and 1 & 2 John. These books are all cited in his writings – we don’t know for sure that he rejected the other books – they just weren’t cited in his writings.

Several years before, Clement of Rome (AD 90), who knew Peter personally, had also listed Titus, Hebrews, James, and 2 Peter.

Ignatius (AD 110), who was a follower of John, cited Philemon as Scriptural in his writings

Irenaeus (AD 130??), who was a disciple of Polycarp, included 2 Timothy, Jude and Revelation

The Mutorian Canon, which gives us the earliest (AD 170) existing list of New Testament books included the one remaining book from the above – 3rd John.


In addition, the writings of personal disciples of Peter and John verified all but one of the 27 books – that one that was not included was 3rd John. However, 3rd John was often grouped together with 1st and 2nd John and may not have been cited because of that.

The New Testament books that were originally at one point doubted, but later fully accepted as Scripture were Hebrews, James, 2nd & 3rd John, Jude, and Revelation.

The very fact that the early church fathers were so cautious because of their concern that no uninspired book be brought into the cannon should affirm the authenticity and God-breathed inspiration of the 66 books of the Bible we have today.

References:

Volume 1, Theology 201, The Doctrine of the Bible, Faith Bible Institute, John Thomas Yates

The Cannon of Scripture - F. F. Bruce

MLK Did Not Support Abortion

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not support abortion.

This is what Dr. King’s niece, Dr. Alveda King said recently during an event recognizing Black History Month.

“Abortion is a racist, genocidal act.”

Amen, sister. You go, girl.


Where are most abortion clinics located? In minority neighborhoods. Why is that?

Liberal Democrats - the self proclaimed champions of the oppressed minorities. What political platform supports abortion on demand. What policital party embraces abortion as a good thing - a choice to make - a right for every woman?

A few statistics to ponder:

Number of abortions per year: Approximately 46 Million
Number of abortions per day: Approximately 126,000

The number of blacks who were lynched between 1882 and 1968 was close to 3500.

Today is estimated that about 425,000 black babies are aborted each year.

White women obtain 60% of all abortions However, Black women are more than 3 times as likely as white women to have an abortion.

Women with family incomes less than $15,000 obtain 28.7% of all abortions; Women with family incomes between $15,000 and $29,999 obtain 19.5%; Women with family incomes between $30,000 and $59,999 obtain 38.0%; Women with family incomes over $60,000 obtain 13.8%.

How is is that abortion clinics are most prevalent in the black community? Could it be because a great many of the abortions performed on minority women end up being paid for by either the state or federal government? Why not? Huge amounts of tax dollars go into supporting abortion clinics anyway. It's not about choice, after all. It's about money.

For further reading:

Abortion Causing Black Genocide


Life Dynamics.com

Child Predators.com

Center for Bio-Ethical Reform

Salvation - Has Always been by Faith

Interestingly, I spoke at length with a pastor who believes as I do, that the Bible teaches salvation by grace alone. Then he said something that seemed odd to me. He believes that salvation was not always by faith. He believes that during the time of Moses, salvation was by faith AND works.

So I pondered this for a while, and did some study, and though I know what I believe, sometimes I believe God allows me to be challenged to be a Berean and make sure that what I believe really is what God teaches.

This brought me to Hebrews Chapter 11 – that great chapter that speaks of faith. I found what I knew in my heart to be true – salvation has ALWAYS been by faith, not of works, and never a mixture of faith and works.

Surley most Christians know Hebrews 11:1 by heart.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Probably most are at least familiar with the passage in Romans that says “…Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

But what about those before Abraham?

“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

And midway through the chapter it says, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”

God doesn’t change. The way of salvation doesn’t change. It’s always been by faith. Never by works.

The Green Religion - Is the sky really falling , or is that just snow?

Last year I posted this list of articles that seem to refute the global warming alarmists' cries.


Now, according to this, the earth is actually cooling, not heating.

Here's a few excerpts:

"China has its coldest winter in 100 years."

"Baghdad sees its first snow in all recorded history."

"Scientists ...link the cooling to reduced solar activity which they claim is a much larger driver of climate change than man-made greenhouse gases. The dramatic cooling seen in just 12 months time seems to bear that out. While the data doesn’t itself disprove that carbon dioxide is acting to warm the planet, it does demonstrate clearly that more powerful factors are now cooling it."

Hope Pope Gore has a backup plan if his position as head priest of the Green Religion doesn't pan out.

William F. Buckley Jr. Dies

William F. Buckley Jr. is dead at the age of 82.

In November of last year I posted this on William F. Buckley Jr.'s latest book, which I can't name because it uses God's name in vain.

I can't say for sure if this was his last book, but I can't help but wonder if God didn't decide to cancel Bill's subscription because of it.

I'm amazed when people claim to be Christians and then so flippantly blaspheme the Creator that they supposedly worship.

I wonder if Bill had it to do over at this point, would he?

A Backslidden Muslim is better than a Backslidden Christian

A backslidden Muslim is better than a backslidden Christian.

Ms. Green, you are a Christian. How can you say that? Don’t you believe (in fact, you have said, in so many words) that Christianity is the only true religion and all others are false? Don’t you believe that only Christians who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior will go to heaven? How, then, can you make the statement…

A backslidden Muslim is better than a backslidden Christian.

What is a backslidden Christian? It is a Christian who is not following the will of God as revealed to us through Scripture.

The Bible tells us, among other things
Not to commit murder ( Exodus 20:13)
To forgive others (John 8:7, Matthew 6:14-15, 18:21-22)
To love our enemies and in fact, pray for them (Matthew 5:44)
To be truthful to all (Exodus 20:16)
That men should love their wives as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25)

So technically, a Christian not honoring these passages would be backslidden.

Now let’s look at the Muslim religion.
It teaches, among other things,
Murder gets you rewards
Females in your family that commit sexual sin should be killed to protect the family’s honor
Infidels should be killed and not associated with
It is ok to lie to non-believers
Wives are possessions and should be treated as such

A Muslim who does not honor the above passages is backslidden, and is not really following what their religion teaches.

In worldly terms, then the backslidden Muslim is a better person than the backslidden Christian – because of the religion that they follow.

However, in God’s eyes, neither of them is any better than the other.

For there is no respect of persons with God. Romans 2:11


Thankfully, for both Christians and non-Christians, God is not a respector of persons. In other words, He sees two types of people – those who have been saved and those who have not. He does not prefer one over the other. He loves us all equally – saved and lost alike. He died for us all – saved and unsaved.

For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. I Timothy 4:10

So everyone has an equal chance to go to heaven.

Christians are no different than the lost as far as being sinners.

They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Romans 3:12

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23


The difference is that we’ve admitted who we are, and admitted there is nothing we could possibly ever do to earn heaven, so we accepted the free gift Christ gave us through the cross.

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:31

No one is saved through their good deeds.

Trust in Jesus is the reason – the ONLY reason we Christians are going to heaven, whether we are backslidden or not. And that is the reason that no Muslim can go to heaven - backslidden or not.

Judicial Activism

What is Judicial Activism?
What is a Judge’s Proper Role?

There is a great article here about Judicial Activism that not only explains the many ways Judges overstep their authority, but suggests things we can try to do about it.

The next president of the United States will be appointing judges not only to the Supreme Court, but other Federal courts as well. With McCain looking like the Republican nominee, I’m not sure it’ll make a lot of difference at this point. However, in light of the article I mentioned above, I thought I’d quote a Scripture I found the other day that speaks to those who would sit on the bench.


And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city, And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment. Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts. II Chronicles 19:5-7

I wonder how many judges ever read a Bible.

Pro Muslim or Anti-Muslim?

Which is it?

Am I a Christian biggot who hates Muslims? I have been accused of that frequently here on my blog.

Am I a propagandist for Muslims?

According to "Anonymous", I guess I'm both.

Kosova Independence

Could it be that I'm neither? How about I'm a Christian who longs for all men to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ before they die.

Making things Right

Here is an interesting story of a confession by a Youth Pastor. I would have to say that my gut feeling is that this man got saved at some point after the crime, and, knowing that the Holy Spirit convicts, he finally got right with God and society.
I'll bet he'll be an awesome witness in prison. Plus, maybe the family of the victim will have some sense of closure. What a horrible secret to carry around with you for 14 years.


From the ASSOCIATED PRESS:

HOUSTON – A newly ordained youth minister decided he could no longer keep his secret and admitted fatally stabbing a convenience store clerk 13 years ago.

Calvin Wayne Inman of Pasadena, near Houston, who served at the 800-member Elim Church, surrendered to police and said he committed the crime as a 16-year-old in 1994.

Mr. Inman, ordained as a youth minister this year, was arrested Wednesday and charged with capital murder. He is being held at the Harris County Jail without bail.

"It was a situation that was on his conscience," Ron Nissen, pastor of the Pentecostal church, told the Houston Chronicle. "He knows it's the right thing to do. His desire is to help other kids not make the same mistakes he did."

This month, Mr. Inman told authorities that he and a 13-year-old friend planned to rob a grocery store on Aug. 14, 1994. The store's clerk, Iqbal Ahmed, asked for identification, and Mr. Inman said he pulled a large kitchen knife and stabbed Mr. Ahmed in the chest.

Mr. Ahmed died at the store. The two teens ran, and the case remained unsolved.

Mr. Nissen said that Mr. Inman told him about the stabbing several weeks ago, and that he encouraged the 29-year-old to surrender.

Police said they interviewed Mr. Inman's friend, who acknowledged being involved in the robbery but not the stabbing.

Relying on 1994 juvenile laws preventing prosecution of people 13 or younger, police said they could not charge the friend.

What this man did years ago is inexcusable, horrible, and tragic. His coming out and admitting to it will probably cost him dearly - maybe even with his life. After all, there are consequences for our sin, even after we confess it.

But what is truly amazing, and what I thank God for every day, is that there is no person on the face of the earth, no matter how wicked they have been, or what atrocious crimes they have committed, who cannot be forgiven by God and made clean again. God is incomprehensible in His mercy and forgiveness. He is the only One Who can offer us not only salvation from our sins but Who can offer us an unimaginable glorious eternity with Him in heaven. There's nothing we can do to obtain either of those things because we are born condemned and in bondage to sin. Only Jesus can set us free. This youth pastor will have to pay his earthly debt to society for his sin. But through trusting in Jesus Christ, his spiritual sin has been paid for because Jesus Christ already took care of that for him on the Cross.

The Next Generation of Christians

The statistics tell us that we are losing our youth to humanism/atheism/secularism and all those other nasty “isms” so prevalent in today’s world. So it is extremely exciting to me when I see young people whom God has called to be the leaders of our next generation of Christians.

Here are a few that really give me hope for the future generations:

Mike Lofton – On a mission to expose the false doctrines of cults and how to witness to them.

A young Creationist who is a genius at articulating his beliefs and discrediting evolution.

A Christian band that seeks to bring young people to Christ through worship in song.



Some others that I admire and pray for regularly but who don’t necessarily have a web presence (first names only – you guys know who you are)

Heath - an awesome College pastor and a young man who seeks God daily in his walk and gets excited talking about Scripture
Ashley – a dynamic young woman who loves the Lord and has a passion to teach young women to be Godly women
Jason & Jessica - a couple that loves children and family, and a young pastor with a passion for God and youth
Neill - his music is his worship
Kevin - his music is his worship
Angela – Is going to be a Christian Attorney very soon! Go, girl!
Trey – sold out for God and will probably be a medical missionary some day (go Trey!)
Jonathan – A man who served out country to protect our freedoms and now serves God in protecting our youth from the world by teaching them to walk in the Spirit and seek God’s will for their lives.

There are many others, and I’m probably leaving someone out because of my limited memory cells (?). Young people, struggling through this anti-Christian world, but striving to be godly men and women. Denise, Jada, Lowry, Erin, Melissa, Amber, Abigail, etc. etc.


I thank God for each one of you, and how you are making a difference for Him in your generation. I pray your generation will serve Him better than mine has.

Kosova Independence

Well wishes and prayers go out to the people of Kosovo.















My husband and others were in this primarily Muslim country just last summer on a mission trip. They found the people of Kosovo to be warm, friendly, family oriented, and open to(or at least curious about)the Gospel.

Kosovo mission trip posts:

Kosova Trip Report

Kosova Trip Report #2

Kosova Trip Report Final

Obama's Socialist Connections

If I don't vote for Hussein Obama, or if I dare to criticise him in any way, some will say it's because I'm racist and don't want a black man in the White House.

But can't racism also include being FOR someone?

I have heard time and again, "Here's a chance for a Black man to be in the White House." That is a racist statement, just as much as "Here's a chance for a woman to be in the White House" is a sexist statement.

Of the three top contenders (those being Obama, Clinton, and McCain), I believe Obama to be the more dangerous of the three. Here's one of the reasons why:

An excellent article that compiles extensive data on Hussien Obama's socialist connections.

Praying for the Lost

Christian, do you have someone that you love and care for deeply who is lost? Most of us do. Sometimes it seems that they're never going to get saved, but we need to remember that the God we pray to loves that person even more than we do.

My mother prayed for me my entire life, and died while I was still an agnostic.
My husband and mother in law prayed for me for 12 years. I was a hard case - my husband has admitted to me that he had given up hope that I would ever be saved. My mother-in-law never gave up. Her fervent prayers were answered. God opened my eyes and I responded. And the day I received Jesus as my Savior, in another town that same day, God revealed to my mother in law that I had been saved. She already knew before my husband or I told her. I believe that was God's way of not only rewarding her faithfulness in prayer, but also it was His way of showing me that His grace is vast, His knowledge is perfect, and His presence is made known to those who trust Him. I also believe with all my heart that my Mom in heaven was told that I had come to believe.

If you are praying for someone lost, as I am, and are tempted to give up...don't.

God gave me a song to sing this morning that is a prayer for me to my God on behalf of my lost loved ones. I hope the words are a blessing to you and an encouragement to not give up. Cece Winans sings the song, much better than I as a matter of fact, but my heart is in it as much as anyone's.

He doesn't know his worth
Has the saddest smile on earth
But he denies it.
Love is reaching out to heal
But he won't let it in.
He defies it. He defies it.

He's not ready. He's not on his knees yet.
He's too strong to be weak.
Show him mercy, he's not on his knees yet.

Let him break, please make it better
Put the pieces back together...

He thinks that he's alone
I have walked the road he's on
I know he's searching.
Looking everywhere but up
He can't fill his empty cup
So he keeps hurting, he keeps hurting.

He's not ready. He's not on his knees yet.
He's too strong to be weak.
Show him mercy, he's not on his knees yet.

Let him break, please make it better
Put the pieces back together
Lord, help him please
He's not on his knees.....

...yet.

Don't stop praying for the lost. I'm thankful I had someone praying for me all those years.


"...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16

Stinkin' Louisiana Politics

When I voted on 2-9-08, there were several things I was not allowed to vote on that were actually on the ballot. For instance, I live outside the city, but the mayoral race was being decided, and the candidates were on my ballot, as well as were city councilmen. But the machine blocked my being able to vote for these offices. I know - I tried just to see.

So if these machines are able to block my vote for mayor and city councilman, then why, after several men had actually dropped out of the race, was I given the option to vote for them for president? Why were their slots not blocked as well?

Huckabee won the state primary, with a 43% to 42% lead over McCain. Would Huckabee's win not have been higher had those who voted for non-candidates been forced to vote for someone else?

There were 69,594 votes cast for Huckabee.
There were 67,551 votes cast for McCain.

BUT

There were 1,593 votes for Giuliani
There were 10,222 votes for Romney
There were 1,603 votes for Thompson
There were 107 votes for Tancredo.


Granted, the 1593 votes for Giuliani probably would have gone to McCain. But you'll never convince me that the other 11,932 votes would not have gone primarily to Huckabee.

What does that mean in Louisiana politics?


"All of Louisiana’s national convention delegates will be uncommitted, except that if a presidential candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the February 9, 2008 Presidential Preference Primary, state party rules require 20 of Louisiana’s at-large delegates to support that candidate on the first ballot of the national convention. If no presidential candidate receives a majority on February 9th, the at-large delegates will be uncommitted."

If Huckabee had received 50% of the popular vote, Louisiana would not be sending all uncommitted delegates to the national convention.

From what I understand, this scenario was repeated in states all over the country. And the truth is, if these non-condidates had not been on the ballot, Huckabee could well be neck in neck with McCain for delegates.

I don't know what is the greater idiocy - that people would not be intelligent enough to know that the person they were voting for was no longer running, or that the powers that be would allow the voting machines to accept votes for non-candidates.

The Religion of Peace trains Children to be Terrorists

Islam's alternative to Bible School.

The Religion of Peace trains children to be terrorists.

Islam:

[an-Nisa' 4:89] They long that ye should disbelieve even as they disbelieve, that ye may be upon a level (with them). So choose not friends from them till they forsake their homes in the way of Allah; if they turn back (to enmity) then take them and kill them wherever ye find them, and choose no friend nor helper from among them,

Christianity:
[Matthew 5:44] But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

A Month of Musings not Written

This month sure flew by. I can't believe it's been that long since I posted anything. I can't possible catch up on everything that I've wanted to post on individually, so I've decided to do a synopsis on the posts I "would have written" had I had the time.

The Republican party no longer represents conservatives.

The New World Order is a real objective and our leaders are steadily leading our country in that direction.

Hillary scares me because of what I know about her and her sidekick Bill.

Obama scares me because I don't know much about him, but what I do know scares me.

There are still idiots out that that think Islam is a peaceful religion.

Don't buy anything from China.

I have serious doubts that there is really such a thing in children as bi-polar disorder.

God is dealing with me in more areas of my life right now than he ever has before and I don't like it, but I know it's for my own good - to make me more into whom He wants me to be.

I thought I knew what love was 20 years ago when I married - but I didn't have a clue - in fact, I didn't know it was possible to love a mate as much as I love mine.

I hate insurance companies. All of them - life, health, auto, disability, etc. etc.

Our public schools have become a breeding ground for homosexual and anti-Christian activism.

If Pharmaceutical companies had their way, every man, woman, and child in America would be on 5 or 6 different medications for their entire lives.

Racism is an ugly and sinful trait. It divides those who might otherwise be able to unite in a common cause against the real enemies.

And so that's some of the thought processes I've been experiencing over the last few weeks. I'll get back into writing very soon.