Why is it believed that only the Bible is the word of God? After all, it is compiled by the Church - not by God directly. So, as followers of Christ, should we not look to include external texts to help ourselves to understand God? Jesus told his own wisdom on his own authority - to be like Christ would mean to do the same, no? We should not reject the wisdom and truth in the bible but i believe we should always be trying to expand upon it. Just as science helps us to undrrstand God's creation, non-biblical texts or so-called 'pagan' religions can also help us understand God right?
The principle to remember is that " A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." Galatians 5:9 How much error/leaven must you know, to know truth? None. While God exposes the leaven as opposition to himself, he always exhorts us to reject it at the slightest appearance.
"After all, they are inspired by God to some extent too right?" Your assumption is not "after all", but inspite of all known revelation. That is, clearly God has spoken to the world through his revelation of himself in the middle east. To want something other/more is to slight the importance he "has" revealed.
American Treasury agents are given genuine currency to study carefully, and thereby, they have the ability to better detect counterfit currency.
The bible I.E. the scriptures are the only writings which testify of the Messiah and how man should believe in God and what man should believe spiritually, that you can take to the bank.
Hello, the Bible is a collection of books that were considered canon, or inspired by God. To be deemed as such it had to meet rigid criteria. You can easily search in a few seconds what criteria was used for canon.
Thats only for the new testament. Im making a claim for books outsude of the testaments. I.e. we can have the new and old testament as the bible. But why not have another area of texts where we can interpret the word lf God through other cultures? After all, they are inspired by God to some extent too right? Its not like God chose the middle east to be the source of all wisdom. Surely then it is up to us to seek the word of God in areas other than the bible without throwing the bible away obviously
Bahss, what other 'books' are you thinking of referring to, to learn more of God? Have you read any of those books, such as the Quran, Bhagavad Gita, Tripitaka, Adi Granth, etc.? Or are you thinking of the Deuterocanonical Books (or the Apocrypha)?
Of the former group of books I mentioned, even though God is mentioned, also man's shortcomings, a means of salvation, & a future existence, I wonder what you would gain from them given that in each one of the doctrines mentioned, the view of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism & Sikhism is not only different from the Judeo-Christian teaching & understanding, but also in opposition to it. If you could first study those religions, how they were formed, their teachers/teaching, & the end of their faith, you might just at that point discover how far removed they are from biblical teaching.
In respect to the Apocrypha, again they were generally written in those silent years of the Bible & into the period after Christ. And these were not included in the Canon of Scripture because of their doubtful authorship, origins, declared 'truths' or even verses that are in opposition to accepted Writ. What we have in the Bible (NT) are from authors that are known & have been in direct contact with the Lord Jesus & given that bases, any other Scripture, whether from the Apocrypha or from other religions, must be approached cautiously or even totally rejected, lest our own understanding of God's Word is polluted with error. Not everyone has that ability to identify errors - he must know the Bible very well first. I do see value in the Apocrypha but one would never see me refer to them to support or exegete what is given to us in the Bible.
And yes, God did choose Israel to be the recipients of His Word & Law, to the exclusion of all other tribes & peoples in the world. What we have now is indeed God's Word & that Word was brought into the World in Jesus, Who then taught His disciples, who would teach others also, including us today.
The Bible contains a HUGE amount of truth ,Jesus is aaall over the old testament ,if i ever think that i have completely understood and fully appreciated the Bible in aaall its truth and perfect beauty i might have a look at some other religious books too but my guess is it will take me my whole life of regular reading to realy appreciate it and i will still have not fully understood everything ,the Bible is a very very deep well of wisdom and love and truth ,its more than enugh for me to be getting on with for the rest of my life .
The principle to remember is that " A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." Galatians 5:9 How much error/leaven must you know, to know truth? None. While God exposes the leaven as opposition to himself, he always exhorts us to reject it at the slightest appearance.
"After all, they are inspired by God to some extent too right?" Your assumption is not "after all", but inspite of all known revelation. That is, clearly God has spoken to the world through his revelation of himself in the middle east. To want something other/more is to slight the importance he "has" revealed.
American Treasury agents are given genuine currency to study carefully, and thereby, they have the ability to better detect counterfit currency.
Of the former group of books I mentioned, even though God is mentioned, also man's shortcomings, a means of salvation, & a future existence, I wonder what you would gain from them given that in each one of the doctrines mentioned, the view of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism & Sikhism is not only different from the Judeo-Christian teaching & understanding, but also in opposition to it. If you could first study those religions, how they were formed, their teachers/teaching, & the end of their faith, you might just at that point discover how far removed they are from biblical teaching.
In respect to the Apocrypha, again they were generally written in those silent years of the Bible & into the period after Christ. And these were not included in the Canon of Scripture because of their doubtful authorship, origins, declared 'truths' or even verses that are in opposition to accepted Writ. What we have in the Bible (NT) are from authors that are known & have been in direct contact with the Lord Jesus & given that bases, any other Scripture, whether from the Apocrypha or from other religions, must be approached cautiously or even totally rejected, lest our own understanding of God's Word is polluted with error. Not everyone has that ability to identify errors - he must know the Bible very well first. I do see value in the Apocrypha but one would never see me refer to them to support or exegete what is given to us in the Bible.
And yes, God did choose Israel to be the recipients of His Word & Law, to the exclusion of all other tribes & peoples in the world. What we have now is indeed God's Word & that Word was brought into the World in Jesus, Who then taught His disciples, who would teach others also, including us today.
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