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Tests for Inclusion in the Canon

From the writings of biblical and church history we can discern at least five principles that guided the recognition and collection of the true divinely inspired books. Geisler and Nix present the principles as follows (Geisler/Nix, GIB, 223-231):

1. Was the book written by a prophet of God? "If it was written by a spokesman for God, then it was the Word of God."

2. Was the writer confirmed by acts of God? Frequently miracles separated the true prophets from the false ones. "Moses was given miraculous powers to prove his call of God (Ex. 4:1-9). Elijah triumphed over the false prophets of Baal by a supernatural act (1Kin. 18). Jesus was 'attested to...by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him' (Acts 2:22)....[A] miracle is an act of God to confirm the Word of God given through a prophet of God to the people of God. It is the sign to substantiate his sermon; the miracle to confirm his message."

3. Did the message tell the truth about God? "God cannot contradict Himself (2Cor. 1:17-18), nor can He utter what is false (Heb. 6:18). Hence, no book with false claims can be the Word of God." For reasons such as these, the church fathers maintained the policy, "if in doubt, throw it out." This enhanced the "validity of their discernment of the canonical books."

4. Does it come with the power of God? "The fathers believed the Word of God is 'living and active' (Heb. 4:12), and consequently ought to have a transforming force for edification (2Tim. 3:17) and evangelization (1Pet. 1:23). If the message of a book did not effect its stated goal, if it did not have the power to change a life, then God was apparently not behind its message." (Geisler, GIB, 228) The presence of God's transforming power was a strong indication that a given book had His stamp of approval.

5. Was it accepted by the people of God? "Paul said of the Thessalonians, 'We also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God's message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God' (1Thess. 2:13). For whatever subsequent debate there may have been about a books place in the canon, the people in the best position to know its prophetic credentials were those who knew the prophet who wrote it. Hence, despite all later debate about the canonicity of some books, the definitive evidence is that which attests to its original acceptance by the contemporary believers." (Geisler, GIB, 229) When a book was received, collected, read, and used by the people of God as the Word of God, it was regarded as canonical. This practice is often seen in the Bible itself. One instance is when the apostle Peter acknowledges Paul's writings as Scripture on par with Old Testament Scripture. (2Peter 3:16)

The Christian Canon (New Testament)

Tests for New Testament Canonicity

The basic factor for recognizing a book's canonicity for the New Testament was divine inspiration, and the chief test for this was apostolicity. "In New Testament terminology," write Geisler and Nix,"the church was 'built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets' (Eph. 2:20) whom Christ had promised to guide into 'all the truth' (John 16:13) by the Holy Spirit. The church at Jerusalem was said to have continued in the 'apostles' teaching' (Acts 2:42). The term apostolic as used for the test of canonicity does not necessarily mean 'apostolic authorship,' or 'that which was prepared under the direction of the apostles.'" (Geisler / Nix, GIB, 283)

They go on to state, "It seems much better to agree with Louis Gaussen, B. B. Warefield, Charles Hodge, J. N. D. Kelly, and most Protestants that it is apostolic authority, or apostolic approval, that was the primary test for canonicity, and not merely apostolic authorship." (Geisler / Nix, GIB, 283)

N. B. Stonehouse notes that the apostolic authority "which speaks forth in the New Testament is never detatched from the authority of the Lord. In the Epistles there is consistent recognition that in the church there is only one absolute authority, the authority of the Lord Himself. Wherever the apostles speak with authority, they do so as exercising the Lord's authority. Thus, for example, where Paul defends his authority as an apostle, he bases his claim solely and directly upon his commission by the Lord (Gal. 1 and 2); where he assumes the right to regulate the life of the church, he claims for his word the Lord's authority, even when no direct word of the Lord has been handed down (1Cor. 14:37; cf. 1Cor. 7:10)." (Stonehouse, ANT, 117-118)

John Murray observes, "The only one who speaks in the New Testament with an authority that is underived and self-authenticating is the Lord." (Murray, AS, 18)

Books accepted as meeting this standard of canonicity...

The Gospels:

Matthew
Mark
Luke
John

The History:
Acts

The Pauline Epistles:
Romans
1&2Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1&2Thessalonians
1&2Timothy
Hebrews
Titus
Philemon

The General Epistles:
James
1&2Peter
1,2&3John
Jude

The Prophecy:
Revelation

Author: Josh McDowell
The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict
pp. 21-25

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