PaulSacramento wrote:Oh it doesn't, but WE are the "markers" for it's usefulness not it in of itself.
That seems like a truism to me. It was hardly accidental, indeed, it was
intentioned.
One wonders how it was done BEFORE the bible ever came to be…
Who said the scriptures weren’t in existence?
Which scriptures are you ( or in this case the writer of 2Timothy) referring to?
Certainly NOT the NT that wasn't even in existence yet.
I’d say the original documents were inspired. And yes, this means New Testament scripture!
2 Peter 1:21
21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
“Moved” here means to carry, to bring forth.
1 Timothy 5:18
18 For the Scripture says, Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain, and The worker deserves his wages.
Here’s a view on 1 Timothy 5:18
http://www.ukapologetics.net/07/rhodesinspiration.htm
1 Timothy 5:18
In 1 Timothy 5:18, the apostle Paul joins an Old Testament reference and a New Testament reference and calls them both (collectively) Scripture (Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7).
It is not unusual that - in the context of first-century Judaism - an Old Testament passage was called "Scripture" in the New Testament.
But it is highly significant that a New Testament book was called "Scripture" so soon after it was written.
We must emphasize that only three to six years had elapsed between the writing of the Gospel of Luke and the writing of 1 Timothy (Luke was written around A.D. 60; 1 Timothy was written around A.D. 63). Yet, despite this, Paul does not hesitate to place Luke on the same level as the Old Testament (the Book of Deuteronomy).
Good article, too.
Christ did that Himself, I don't have to. Lets not forget what John wrote and Christ said: You search the scriptures looking for me but you refuse to come to Me and they speak of me ( I am paraphrasing of course and no I am not suggesting that you are not coming to Christ, just that I have seen where many take scripture OVER Christ).
This takes nothing away from the inerrancy of the scriptures. Not sure what the relevance here is, Paul.
I give the Bible all the authority I feel it has, no more and no Less.
As we all do. As an example: Some may read the bible and say it advocates hate and revenge and even violence, I don't see that bible having that authority, not when Christ said to love even our enemies.
Paul, it doesn’t matter what authority you feel the Bible has; the scripture itself testifies to its inerrancy.
Anyone who says the Bible *advocates* revenge and violence ought to read more scripture.
More from the link:
New Testament References Where the Writers Claim
Divine Authority for their Writings
1 Corinthians 2:13
In 1 Corinthians 2:13 the apostle Paul said he spoke "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."
In this passage Paul (who wrote a huge portion of the New Testament) affirms that his words were authoritative because they were rooted not in fallible man but infallible God (the Holy Spirit). The words were taught by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit here is the Spirit of truth who was promised to the apostles to teach and guide them into all the truth (see John 16:13).
1 Corinthians 14:37
In this verse Paul says, "If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." Paul's writings have divine authority because they are "commandments of the Lord," not the words of fallen man.
1 Thessalonians 2:13
In 1 Thessalonians 2:13 Paul says, "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."
Again, the reason why Paul's words were authoritative is that they were rooted in God, not in man. God used Paul as His instrument to communicate His word to man. Regarding this, note the following summary formulated by the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church in 1961:
It is significant that Paul, while holding to the view of a canon of God-breathed writings which constitute "the oracles of God," claims for his own teaching, either oral or written, equal status.
The word that he preached was not "the word of men" but "the word of God" (1 Thess. 2:13).
That which he wrote was "the commandment of the Lord" (1 Cor. 14:37).
He that does not obey the writing of the apostle is to be disciplined (2 Thess. 3:14).
If any man preach or teach any other gospel than that which Paul proclaimed, he is to be accursed (Gal. 1:8-9).
When Paul speaks as an apostle of Jesus Christ to the churches it is "Christ that speaketh" in him (2 Cor. 13:3).
Paul did not learn his gospel at the feet of men but rather received it "through revelations of Jesus Christ," Gal. 1:12, some of which were "exceeding great" (2 Cor. 12:7).
