Featured Why Not In The Canon?

No, not #2. "Changes lives" is too subjective and is an invitation for loons to think their opinions are authoritative. The books of the New Testament were written by the Apostles, or are approved by the church under the Apostles: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, James, Jude, and Paul. Even though there is some dispute, all these men were Apostles, except Mark and Luke. Mark and Luke were close companions to the Apostles.

Books left out of the Bible don't pass the above qualification.

 

No problem, I have many items out there myself.

HankD

 

Try logging out then sign back into BB, go to the location you typed it and it might magically re-appear.

Has been known to happen.

HankD

 

Hi Smyth, see point # D, in post # 3. It is indeed one of the tests for inclusion in the cannon.

 

I disagree with post #3. I think the only thing anyone need concern themselves about when wondering what book should be in the Bible is whether or not it's an authentic work of an Apostle or one of their very close associates.

 

The basic truth on the canon of scripture is that they were received from pretty much the start as being the very books of God unto us, and those so called "excluded" books NEVER were recognized by the Jews nor the early Church as being inspired from/of God!

Jesus and the Apostles all saw the OT as being the canon versions the Jews had in their times, and the early church only accepted to ones that we now have in the NT canon...

The catholic church did NOT create/mandate any of that, just accepted what was already recognized for centuries, and the other books came in as a way to directly uphold wrong catholic theology during reformation era!

 

Hi Smyth, the question was not what our individual basis for inclusion might be, but what were the tests for inclusion used by those who contributed to our list of inspired books.

 

All I know is that it was great growing up with one Bible version. When we opened them at church everyone had the same words they were reading. When someone said do you have a bible, it meant the same to everyone.

Not knocking the newer versions, as I use the NKJV and NASB for study, along with KJV.

 

Think some of the main criteria used were"

Either written by an Apostle, or one known to be used by him, like Luke/Mark
Spoke with authority/conformed with accepted prior revelations from God
No doctrines/practices against established truths
Accepted and used early on in church as received from the Lord
Were alluded to/quoted by other recognized Apostles

At the time of the official conormation of canon works, those books that met all of the above had already been received and used as inspired early on in the church!

Church just confirmed what had been "unofficial" held for a long time!