Christian Challenge International

"Ask the Pastor"

We frequently receive questions in email from people about doctrine, practice, etc. From time to time we will post the questions and the answers here on the web page. If you'd like to submit a question, simply email our pastor at Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org or use the form below.

October 20, 2003

> Deceiving and being deceived?
>
> .... All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
> for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
> righteousness, 3:17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly
> equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy

Susan,

The New Testament of the early church was actually what we call
the Old Testament. The early Jewish Christians could just as easy
preach Jesus from the prophets as we to do with our added
assistance with the apostolic writings. The message would be exactly the
same.

As for the apostolic writings, these became treasured possessions
of the Church because of the apostles' connection with Jesus Christ.
He had given them the responsibility for laying the foundation of the
Church, that is, laying out the new covenant for God's new people
in Christ. And so the apostolic writings took on the nature of
sacredness early on. Thus the Bible became one book. The Holy Spirit placed
His seal on all the writings, from Genesis to Revelation.

> So how can men take this passage of scripture out of context and
> then state that all of Paul’s writing to be also scriptures?

It comes back to 'sacredness' that God Himself placed upon the
Book. You may not be aware that even the Old Testament as we
know it today was not fully canonized by the Jews until after the
death of Jesus Christ. There were a number of other books that
were eventually excluded from the Jewish canon, but they were held in
favor by the Jewish peoples of that time. How did the Hebrew Bible
come to have only the books it has? We have to look to
providence.

For example all the apocrypha that is now included in the Catholic
Bible, of which they consider to be of second importance, were
actually included in the ancient Jewish translations called the
Septuagint. These other books were afterwards excluded from the
Jewish canon of Scriptures. The Lord had to have had His hand in this, just
as He had his hand in the apostolic writings there were to guide the
church into her future.

> It doesn’t make logical sense even if Paul wrote the epistles and
> Peter stated: 3:14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these
> things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and
> blameless; 3:15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is
> salvation-as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom
> given to him, has written to you, 3:16 as also in all his epistles,
> speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to
> understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own
> destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scripture, 2 Peter

You quoted a good source. Peter himself recognized that the Holy
Spirit was resting upon the writings of Paul.

> Are these kind of people deceived and deceiving others if we accept
> Paul's statement that scriptures were only the Old Testament?

What Paul was saying is that all divinely inspired Scriptures give
witness to Jesus Christ. While he did have the former writings in
view, Paul was also aware of his own apostolic commission. He
knew that what he had to say was directly from the Holy Spirit.

Perhaps the key in all this can be placed under the term 'divine
providence.' It didn't take God's people long to realize that the
apostolic writings carried the same anointing as those of the
prophets of old. Jesus Himself said this would be the case. Keep in mind that
He said of them, "Whatever you bind on earth will have been
bound in heaven." This is a legal expression that had to do with apostolic
authority. (Belonged to the apostles alone.)

Hope this helps a bit.

Blessings,

Buddy

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Lawrence "Buddy" Martin
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org