jojo50,

Thank you...:) This particular scripture is very enlightening. I would not have a love affair with the Bible if I did not think it was not the inerrant word of God. For Christians this is the most fundamental foundation for faith. We do not arrive at this conclusion through intellectual means of comparing various beliefs, religions, reasonings or other books. Ephesians 2:8 informs us...."For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith---AND THIS NOT FROM YOURSELVES, it is the GIFT of God...". 'And this not from yourselves', in this instance, is directly referring to faith. People confuse this and think that it is referring to grace and then proceed to offer it as proof that salvation comes by grace. It is, of course, true that salvation comes solely by grace but in this instance the reference is to the origin of faith. So that for those of us who believe we understand that by an act of grace God has given us faith.....and that faith manifest itself by our belief in the inerrant word of God as given to us in the Bible. I thank God for this act of grace.

It almost pains me to hear people talk about the prophets and speak about what they have told us like they were just ordinary men with their own ideas and concepts of God. The prophets(and the rest of the Bible) were speaking the word of God which was given to them by the Holy Spirit. Revelation 19:8...."Worship God ! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." This is a clear indication that the words of the prophets were actually the words given to them by Jesus. One should go back to the opening words of the Gospel of John...."In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." The 'Word' is only capitalized to demonstrate its divinity....it is synonymous with Jesus and is referring to Him.

Now in relation to the canonization of the Bible......I read from John 14:26...."But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything that I have said to you." I must believe as an act of faith that the ones responsible for the canonization of the Bible were informed and directed by the Holy Spirit and, therefore, were in agreement with Christ(the Word). Many other books can contain truth and wisdom but they do so without the express authority of the Spirit. Sort of like ….'in God we trust, all others pay cash'.....:) Deuteronomy 4:2...…"Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it"......these were the words of Moses, speaking as a prophet of God(i.e. informed by Jesus....see Rev. 19:8).