Thank you for this thoughtful and helpful explanation of how the early churches recognized the biblical writings. I especially appreciated the reminder that the early believers were not simply creating Scripture according to their own preferences, but were carefully recognizing writings that were consistent with the Hebrew Scriptures, the teaching of Jesus and the apostles, and the faith that had been handed down to the churches. That gives us a deeper appreciation for the unity and trustworthiness of the Scriptures we have received. Jesus Himself said, Your word is truth (John 17:17), and 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. I also love the Bereans in Acts 17:11, who examined the Scriptures daily to see whether what they were being taught was true, showing us that Christians should not be afraid to examine, study, and carefully consider what they believe. The connection between the Old Testament Scriptures, the words of Christ, and the teaching of the apostles is so important, because the whole story of Scripture ultimately points us toward Jesus Christ. As Jesus said in Luke 24:27, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. May the Lord give us a deeper hunger for His Word, wisdom to understand it rightly, and humility to treasure the Scriptures that have faithfully proclaimed the truth of God from generation to generation. 🙏❤️
Thank you for this thoughtful and helpful explanation of how the early churches recognized the biblical writings. I especially appreciated the reminder that the early believers were not simply creating Scripture according to their own preferences, but were carefully recognizing writings that were consistent with the Hebrew Scriptures, the teaching of Jesus and the apostles, and the faith that had been handed down to the churches. That gives us a deeper appreciation for the unity and trustworthiness of the Scriptures we have received. Jesus Himself said, Your word is truth (John 17:17), and 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. I also love the Bereans in Acts 17:11, who examined the Scriptures daily to see whether what they were being taught was true, showing us that Christians should not be afraid to examine, study, and carefully consider what they believe. The connection between the Old Testament Scriptures, the words of Christ, and the teaching of the apostles is so important, because the whole story of Scripture ultimately points us toward Jesus Christ. As Jesus said in Luke 24:27, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. May the Lord give us a deeper hunger for His Word, wisdom to understand it rightly, and humility to treasure the Scriptures that have faithfully proclaimed the truth of God from generation to generation. 🙏❤️