[GCFL-discuss] Authority

[gcfl-discuss at gcfl.net]

Dear Dajas,

The authority of Scripture does not come from the fact that it appears in
the Bible, but that it was revealed by God.

Jesus did not have a book called The Bible. Neither did Paul, when he
wrote that Scripture is perfect. The book that we call the Bible was
assembled in the 4th century, and no, it is not all or nothing. It is a
number of church leaders' best judgment as to what was or was not
authoritative. Certainly there may be authoritative Scripture that was
left out, and there may have been less than authoritative materials
included. You have not answered whether it is a Bible of 66 books, 72
books or 83 books that you accept as "all or nothing."

Consider the book of Job. A large number of chapters in this book are
definitely NOT authoritative except in the negative: at the conclusion,
God pointedly rejects the commentary of Job's friends and neighbors as
NOT pleasing in His sight. If you quote something out of Job 8 as
authoritative because it is in the Bible, you would go very badly astray.

Jesus saw Satan fall as a thunderbolt from heaven. True enough, I looked
it up and he said that. What does it have to do with Peter's commentary?

The Bible is an excellent source of inspiration on how to live and what
to live for, and insight on what God's purpose and plan for us is. It is
a terrible reference for engaging in theological polemics, because it was
not provided for that purpose. The ways of God are not our ways.

Siarlys


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