The Bible is a really a library of 66 books (39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament).  It was written over a period of 1,500 years and 40 generations and God used more than 40 different authors from different walks of life.  It has hundreds of topics yet it reflects harmony and continuity in the unfolding story of God’s redemption of man.   No other book has been so attacked but has survived and thrived.  Its existence is the strongest evidence of God’s hand over its development and delivery to us today – it is a miracle in and of itself.  But how did it come together to what we know today and why were some books excluded?

Old Testament
The Old Testament that we have today is the same as what the Jewish people recognized in ancient times.  However, in the Jewish scripture, the books are ordered differently and are divided into 3 groupings: 1) The Law (Torah or Pentateuch); 2) The Prophets; and 3) The Writings (or sometimes referred to the Psalms after the first book in the grouping).  Jewish scripture has Genesis as the first book and the last book as Chronicles.

Many of these books such as the writings of Moses (the Pentateuch or first 5 books of the Bible) were recognized as authoritative from the start as the author was recognized as God’s authority. Other books took more time.  The Pentateuch and Prophets were recognized earlier (exact times are disputed) and the Writings took a little longer.  However, the Jewish scriptures were essentially set by the 2nd or 3rd century BC such that the Jewish scripture available in New Testament times is the same as what we have today.   We could discuss this in a lot more detail, but suffice it to say Jesus and New Testament writers recognized the authority of the Jewish scriptures (our Old Testament).  In Luke 24:44, Jesus referred to “the law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the Psalms” and validated the 3 sections of the Jewish scriptures.  In Luke 11:51/Matthew 23:35, Jesus said “from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah”.  In so doing, Jesus confirms his witness through the extent of the Old Testament.  Abel is the first martyr (Gen. 4:8), Zechariah is the last martyr named (2 Chronicles 24:21).  Genesis is the first book and Chronicles is the last in the Jewish scripture.  Jesus is saying from Genesis to Chronicles.  The New Testament writers also made numerous references to the Old Testament as sacred scripture.  In short, in holding that the New Testament is inspired, one has to accept the Old Testament.

New Testament
Relative to the New Testament, the formal process of ultimate recognition of our New Testament books was gradual and continuous covering a period of roughly 350 years.  However, most of the New Testament was recognized early on by many in general practice.  As an example, Clement of Rome wrote to the Christians in Corinth around AD 95 and referenced various New Testament books such as Matthew, Luke, Hebrews, Romans, Corinthians, I Timothy, Titus, I Peter, and Ephesians.   The apostles’ writings became widely read in public meetings by the middle of the 2nd century.  In the last half of the 2nd century we see lists of New Testament books and these books held a place along side of the Old Testament as “scripture”.  They were even made subject of commentaries.   The 3rd century saw the collecting of books into a “New Testament” including the sifting process that separated them from other writings.  In the 4th century, conclusions were made about the New Testament canon indicating formal acceptance by the whole church.  Ultimately, the Synod of Hippo (AD 393) formerly listed the 27 books of the New Testament, but it did not confer authority that the books did not already long before possess.

Why Other Books Are Excluded
The deaths of the apostles elevated the importance of their writings and the need to preserve what the apostles had reported.  Our early Church fathers were uniquely positioned to validate the authenticity of scripture and did a tremendous service for us today in identifying those writings that carried the divine authority. They knew the truth of the gospel and recognized writings that were consistent with that truth and which could be validated as to apostolic authorship.  Before any formal councils, the early church leaders evaluated whether the writings of their day carried the authority of the apostles.

The early church fathers rejected other writings that were either inconsistent with the gospel truth or were of questionable authorship.  Post first century, there was an increasing circulation of books on Jesus that were not in accordance with the apostles’ teaching (heretical) and/or were not written by an apostle even though one of the apostles’ names was ascribed to the work (pseudonymous). The early Christians became increasingly concerned about identifying authentic works of the apostles or those entrusted with their teaching (i.e., Mark for Peter, Luke for Paul). These early church leaders were not uncritical or naïve.  They were alert to false writings after warnings by Jesus, Paul and other apostles to be wary of false teachers (1 John 4:1).

There have been recent finds of other ancient texts such as the Nag Hammadi texts in 1945 or the Judas and Mary Magdalene “gospels”.   These ancient writings are essentially inconsistent with New Testament doctrine.  Many deny the divinity of Jesus and/or his physical resurrection – truths that are fundamental to New Testament doctrine.  Others contain nonsensical or fanciful stories. As they proclaim ideas outside of the scope of New Testament doctrine and/or their authorship could not be collaborated, they were not considered for inclusion in the New Testament canon.  In other words, under a standard of truth, these writings and that of the New Testament are mutually exclusive.  If one is true, the other cannot be true.

At this time, Biblical Scripture is closed with no opening for other books for inclusion. Through out this miracle of the compilation of God’s Word, God’s hand has guided the process.  Ultimately, the books we have are what He has intended.

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It is difficult when we look side to side. There are invariably those who seem to be prospering more. So the question comes to mind, if God loves us all the same, why do some have more?

In the Book of Exodus the people gave offerings to build the Tabernacle. Some gave gold, some silver, but some gave yarn or rams skins. In our eyes there is a difference; the gold and silver are more valuable. But, in God’s eyes each was just as important as the other.

In Acts Peter and John tell a lame man that they have no silver or gold, but they will give him what they have. Peter commands him in the name of Jesus to stand up and walk. The power of Christ in them was much more valuable.

Our lives here do not consist of how much money we have, but rather how well do we know Christ and how well do we make Him known.

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Wow! These are huge questions and many people wrestle with them. We could write books on this subject and many people have; but let us give you a shortened answer by looking at John 11. This is the story of the death of Lazarus.

Mary and Martha were sisters who knew Jesus, loved Jesus, and followed Jesus. Their brother was gravely ill. So the two sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

Now the Bible records that Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He loved them, but He stayed where He was for two more days. Jesus didn’t come to answer their request on purpose. Why? If He loved them, if He cared, why would He wait?

Mary and Martha could have deduced that either Jesus didn’t care about them or this life, or, that He was powerless to act. None of which was true.

By the time Jesus came Lazarus was already dead. The sisters  hearts were broken. Martha said, “If only You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Martha already knew that Jesus could have healed her brother. She believed that someday her brother would be raised in the resurrection and given eternal life. But, what Martha did not know was that Eternal Life was standing right in front of her.

Jesus allowed their pain and suffering. He even wept with them because their grief caused Him pain. But Jesus wanted them to know them to know Him better. He was revealing a new facet of Himself. Jesus is the Resurrection. He is Eternal Life. The pain Mary and Martha were experiencing gave way to a greater love a deeper understanding, a new intimacy with their Savior as Jesus then raised Lazarus to life.

God cares so very much about this life. He loves us beyond our ability to comprehend. And He allows everything we have to go through to deepen our relationship with Him.

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No. Genesis chapter 1 gives us the account of the first week of creation. In Genesis chapter 2, we have a more detailed description of God’s creation of man. God formed only one Adam. He caused him to go to sleep and then from the rib out of his side, God created the first woman. From them came all other human beings.

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It is interesting that Jesus was asked almost this same question by the Pharisees, only they did it to trap Jesus. They asked it in reverse: “Should we pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

Let’s look at Matthew 22:15-22 for our answer. Jesus asked for the coin used to pay the tax. They gave Him a denarius and Jesus asked, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?”

Of course they said “Caesar’s”. The image stamped on the coin identified to whom it belonged. Historically a ruler would create money with his image and then everyone knew it was that ruler’s money.

Jesus said to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. Jesus’ answer is brilliant because the Caesars claimed to be God. Jesus was saying with these few short words that they were not. He also communicated another truth which was that the image stamped on something identified ownership. The coin belonged to Caesar because his image was on it, and Jesus said to give to him what was his. But then Jesus said to give to God what was His. Genesis 1:27 says that we have been made in God’s image. Everything we see, everything we have, everything we are belongs to him. So the very first thing we need to give to God is our hearts, our lives, our whole selves.

A tithe is not given because the church needs the money. It isn’t even given because there are poor. We give because we love the One who created us and stamped His image on us and then gave His very life to save us from our sin.

The Children of Israel were asked to bring the firstfruits of their crops as an offering to God. What this showed was that they trusted God that He would provide more to come. Giving reveals our hearts. It helps us understand if we really trust God or not. Do we truly believe He can take care of all of our needs?

In Mark 12:41-44 Jesus talks about the rich and their giving. They threw the money into the temple treasury, a rather proud gesture. They gave large amounts out of their abundance. It didn’t reveal that they were trusting God, but rather, that they were trusting in themselves.

A poor widow put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. It was all she had to live on. For the last 2,000 years, she has been the example of one who really loved and trusted God. If you were to ask her today if it was worth it, I think her answer would be “Absolutely!”

This is the one area that God says to test Him. Malachi 3:8-12 says that He will throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room for it. So test Him. Begin to give and see what God will do.

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I love Ruth Graham’s response to this question. She said that if she and Billy always saw things exactly the same way, one of them would be unnecessary.

Marriage is two people becoming one flesh. The two bring balance to the family. Marriage is submission on the part of both people.

Ephesians 5:21 says “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ”

Remember that the most powerful tool we have to get on the same page is to pray!

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In order to properly answer this question, we need to go back to creation in Genesis 1 and 2. When God created man, He breathed into him and man became a living being. God is eternal and so that breath made Adam an eternal being. So, when people die, that soul continues to live.

So where does the soul go when life ceases here?

The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that to be absent from the body meant he would be at home with the Lord. He said in Philippians 1:21, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” And then in verse 23 of that same chapter, Paul says that he is torn because he desires to depart and to be with Christ, but it was more necessary for him to remain here.

In Luke 23:42, 43, two criminals were crucified with Christ. One said, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

We read about Stephen, the first Christian to be killed for his faith in Acts 7:54-60. As he was dying, he saw heaven open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

So, for the person who has trusted Christ as Savior, the answer to the question is…

He goes immediately into the presence of God.

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We have to remember what the assignment is here. Jesus is telling His disciples that they are to go and preach the good news. He then goes on to explain that there will be signs that accompany that assignment.

And these things did happen.

The early church was filled with the Holy Spirit and their language broke into the known languages of the day and all who were there heard the Gospel proclaimed in a way that they could understand. That day 3,000 men were baptized.

Later on Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake, raised a young man from the dead, he was left for dead himself. He was imprisoned, beaten, shipwrecked.

The church went through great persecution.

The Apostle John was exiled to the island of Patmos where he wrote the book of Revelation.

Peter was crucified upside down.

And through it all the good news of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection went out.

What this passage is telling us is that God can use every circumstance…even those things that are meant to harm us to get out the Gospel.

Paul wrote in Philippians 1:12 “Now I want you to know brothers that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.”

We are not called to be on mission trips but rather we are called to be on mission…every day in every circumstance. We need to be looking for ways to share the gospel.

This passage does not mean that I am to drink a glass of lye or stick my hand into a nest of cobras. In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not start the fire in the furnace, they just went through it. This passage is telling us that what God carries us into, He will carry us through.

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Most likely when we reach heaven we will discover that in many instances, He has. We have no idea how often He has stopped something that would be terribly hurtful.

In the book of Genesis, a young man named Joseph was sold by His brothers as a slave. He ended up in the household of Potiphar. The difficulties that he faced there are not recorded but Joseph remained faithful to the Lord. Over time he moved to the most powerful position that a slave could have. He directed Potiphar’s household…until Potiphar’s wife propositioned him. When he refused, she accused him of attempted rape.

It appears that for his righteousness, he was thrown into an Egyptian prison. We have no idea the horrors he experienced there. We don’t know how long he was there but we do know that he was faithful to God. He rose to a position of leadership even in the prison.

One day he met two members of the Pharaoh’s household and was able to interpret dreams for them outlining what would happen to them in the days to come. Their dreams came true and one of the men assured Joseph that he would speak to the Pharaoh on his behalf.

He did not…at least not for two years. Finally Joseph was released and made the second highest ruler in all the land.

At the end of the book of Genesis, Joseph sums up what the purpose behind his life had been. His brothers had come to him knowing that they had caused all of this pain by selling him into slavery.

Were they wrong to do it? Absolutely!

Did God use it? Absolutely!

Joseph puts it like this in Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Malachi 3 compares God to a refiner of gold. This is a lovely comparison because it helps us to understand why we go through difficult trials. A refiner heats up the gold, melts it and then stands near to skim the impurities away that rise to the top as the gold melts. The hotter the fire, the closer he stands. He knows that the gold is refined when he can look at it and see his face reflected in it.

All of the trials, hurts, heartaches, grief that we face God can use to remove the impurities in our lives. He does not cause them but He does use them. The hotter the fire, the closer He will stand. He knows that the process is complete when He can see His face reflected in us.

Because of that, I have told Him that I will embrace whatever He puts in my path, if it will make me look more like Him.

Sometimes our greatest hurts become our greatest testimony and the Gospel goes out.

When we go through the fire, we need to look for His face because He is right there. One day we will be able to say with Joseph to whatever it was that brought us pain…”You intended to harm me but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

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David wrote in Psalm 40:8 “I desire to do your will, O my God…”

When we ask this question we are in good company. There are many people who long to know God’s will.

But how do we know?

One thing to remember is that God’s will never contradicts His Word. His plans for our lives will align with scripture. The second part of Psalm 40:8 addresses this: “…your law is within my heart”.

We need to spend time studying the Word of God. Many times during a quiet time in the Word, God will speak to our hearts and reveal something to us. We need to read it, study it, and memorize it.

We also need to remember who God is. He is the one who knows the end from the beginning and leads us to accomplish His plan for His glory. That means that we cannot tell God that we deserve health, happiness, or prosperity. Sometimes those are sacrificed to accomplish a greater good in our lives and in the lives of others.

We need to pray…and wait. When we ask for Him to help us to understand the direction that he wants us to go, He will let us know.

James 1:5 tells us “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously without finding fault, and it will be given him.”

Be aware that God’s will for our lives is often times different from the world’s plan. It is an upside down Kingdom where the greatest are the servants, where weakness is strength and giving is the way to receive.

Seek wise counsel.

Who are the wise?

Proverbs 11:30 tells us that “he who wins souls is wise.”

Two things of which we can be sure regarding the will of God: We are to know Him and make Him known.

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