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The Bible itself in many places states that we are to not add or subtract, not to go beyond.
The Bible also states that God's word was not "interpreted by the prophets who wrote it but that holy men of God were moved along by the Spirit when they wrote.
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But this is just circular logic. It was counsels, Jewish temple priests before them, etc who determined what made up the Bible/sacred scripture & they have changed it since. Is the Apogrypha holy or not? Can I sing songs not in the Bible? Can I say prayers not in the Bible? Which version was final?
God caused the true scriptures.
God decided what was scripture and what was not.
None of us have any say in the matter.
If God decided that a book which is considered "apochryphal" is scripture then it is. If God decided that a book which is considered canonical is not scripture then it is not.
But how will I know? There are many Bibles available to me. Some have 66 books, some have 73, and there is one in Ethiopia with I think 80+! So how do I know which Scriptures are the ones God decided count and how do I know which ones don't? Obviously I wouldn't want to get that wrong either way.
Those who find it difficult to distinguish between the real and the false will indeed find this a difficulty.
But God has told us that there are many false teachers and that Satan presents himself as if he were a minister of light.
Mar 14, 2025 18:39Just as there was a Joseph Smith, and a Mary Baker Eddy, and a Ellen G. White so also there were writers of false scriptures in ancient times.
I have no problem seeing the difference between the biblical text and the "Book of Mormon".
Same is true of much older books.
But God is the judge not me
You seem to be having a pretty hard time with this yourself to be honest because all you can tell me is I am wrong, and I should use the Bible, but you don't know which Bible that should be, so, once again we are at square one. How do I make sure I am worshipping God correctly? Where is the info?
What makes you think that I do not know what the Bible is?
You seek to muddy the discussion by suggesting that there is confusion as to which books are legitimate and which are not.
Like Jesus, I'm refusing to respond to questions which are obviously intended to be traps.
Because there is. There is more than one version of the Bible floating around and some contain books that the others do not and some removed books that the others did not. Only one can be real. Let me make this easier for you: which Bible do YOU read?
"Bible which You read" (by which you meant me) is not the criteria upon which Jesus judges.
If I were to suggest that my opinion is the criteria then I would be making the same mistake as those who centuries ago decided that they were the arbitrators of validity for the whole world.
