If you want to know what really happened, are you going to rely on rumors or at least eyewitnesses and the people involved?

This is similar to historical records as well… for the most reliable and authentic information, you want records from eyewitnesses and those involved first-hand. The further removed, the greater chances of error in those records.

While the Apostles and other disciples were trying to share the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles, there were these other letters also being passed around that were not true.

Letters were circulating and being copied, but which ones were true and reliable?

These needed to be confronted and a standard needed to be placed for which letters were authentically true!

When you are trying to know Jesus, you are not wanting to find false information; you want the truth about Jesus the Son, God the Father, and His Holy Spirit!‌

God revealed Himself through writings and we need to know which ones are inspired from God through the Holy Spirit!

Authentic, True, and Authority to Write:

-Divine Inspiration (Holy Spirit)‌

-Apostles Authority (Mt 28:18-20; Acts 2:42; Mt 16:19; Mt18:18)

-Eyewitness Accounts (or disciples/students of eyewitnesses)

“The ultimate test [of canonicity] is whether a book is inspired by the Holy Spirit: “all Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Tim 3:16 NASB). Bruce Metzger insightfully observes, the canon is not an authoritative collection of books, but a collection of authoritative books. It is not a church council’s authority that makes them a part of Scripture. It is the inspiration and authority of the books themselves. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate test of truth." - Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook

Concluding Notes:

-We’ve looked at how God inspired writers to write these books and letters, to be shared for generations to come.

-We heard how Jesus gave authority to the apostles to also write the teachings of Jesus and for the church through the Holy Spirit.

-We heard how there were fake writings going around that needed to be confronted and the early christians needed to know which letters were actually inspired from God.

-We heard how the Spirit guided us to discover which writings were inspired by God through the Spirit.