BOOK-GOD'S WORD?
What Makes a Book the Word of God?
In recent years, there has been a growing fascination with so-called “lost books” of the Bible. Social media discussions, podcasts, documentaries, and even popular Bible applications have prompted many people to ask questions about books such as the Apocrypha and the Book of Enoch. Some claim these books were removed from the Bible. Others insist the church hid certain truths from believers for centuries. Yet before we can honestly discuss those books, we must first ask a much more important question: What makes a book Scripture? This is the real issue. The question is not whether a book is ancient, religious, or interesting. The question is whether or not God inspired it.
The Bible repeatedly teaches that Scripture did not originate in the thoughts or philosophies of men. Paul wrote, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (2 Timothy 3:16). Peter likewise declared, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21). These passages help us understand that Scripture possesses authority because its source is God Himself. But sadly, Many people unknowingly approach the subject from the wrong direction. They assume a book becomes Scripture because a church accepted it, a council agreed on it, or a translation included it. Yet the biblical pattern is the opposite. God inspired His Word first, and faithful people later recognized that authority. Men do not grant divine authority to Scripture. They acknowledge the authority already present within inspired revelation.
Truth does not fear examination; it demands it. Genuine truth is established upon evidence, and that evidence must be honestly examined before one can determine what is true and what is false. Christianity was never intended to rest upon blind faith fueled by emotion or fearful avoidance of opposition. The Bereans were praised because they examined the evidence for themselves. “…they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). Likewise, Paul instructed the church in Thessalonica, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Not every religious writing is inspired Scripture. Throughout history, there have been poems, histories, visions, philosophical writings, and devotional works containing religious themes without possessing divine authority. Even the Bible itself occasionally quotes uninspired sources. Paul quoted pagan poets in Acts 17:28 and Titus 1:12, yet no one argues that those writings belong in the biblical canon. Thus, a quotation alone does not establish inspiration.
Inspired Scripture bears identifiable marks of divine authority. The prophets repeatedly declared, “Thus saith the LORD,” because they spoke by divine revelation rather than human opinion. Inspired writings also remain consistent with previously revealed truth because God does not contradict Himself. Finally, Scripture was recognized by God’s people for the authority inherent in it. Romans 3:2 states concerning the Jews, “Unto them were committed the oracles of God.”
As we move forward in this series of articles, we will carefully examine books such as the Apocrypha and the Book of Enoch. Some contain valuable historical information. Others provide insight into Jewish thought during the centuries between the Old and New Testaments. Yet usefulness and inspiration are not the same thing.
So the question remains: Did God inspire these books? That question cannot be answered merely by tradition, popularity, age, or inclusion within a printed collection. It must be answered through careful examination of the evidence and the marks of divine authority. After all, faith is built upon evidence (Hebrews 11:1). And remember, Truth does not fear examination; it demands it.
~ Casey Clement