Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 4/21/2004

Question
You have probably been asked this many times, but I would
like to hear a good answer.  I understand that it wasn't until
three centuries after Christ that a church council decided
what books would make up the New Testament.  This
means that the christian communities lived for three
centuries without the New Testament.  They must then
have relied on tradition and teachings of their leaders.  
There is no record that Jesus ever wrote anything (except
once in the dirt) which indicates that the Christian faith
wasn't founded on a book. He founded a church, not a
book.

Where am I wrong?

Answer
Hi Karl

Thank you for this great question.  Your question is simple and to the  point, "Where am I wrong?"  I will try to answer that specifically.  Because God's Word is the truth upon which all Christianity is founded.

1.  God's Word is sufficient for all doctrine.

2 Timothy 3:16
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

2.  God is the author of all scripture, using men who were moved by the Spirit as one moves a pen to write a document.

2 Peter 1:19-21
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 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.  

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

3.  Jesus proclaimed the power of scriptures!  By the way.... evedently they did have some scriptures, and were not without truth as you say until the third century!

John 17:17
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Matthew 4:4,6,7,10; 11:10; 21:13; 26:24,31
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written,  He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.  

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.



13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

24  The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Over and over Jesus uses the powerful term, it is written!!  Jesus read scriptures and they spoke of Him, and even in the Old Testament, one could find the truth about the coming Messiah.

Acts 10:43
43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

4.  The Apostle Peter spoke of scriptures, and he also refered to Paul's writings as scriptures.  There were New Testament Scritpures before the third century.

2 Peter 3:14-16
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

5.  It is the perfect word of God that provides the faith that will save a soul.

Romans 10:17
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

1 Peter 1:23
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

6.  There is historical evidences that church grups such as the Waldenses and other first and second century groups used the Textus Receptus (Recieved Text from the Greek) in their litergy.  The assumption that there were no scriptures until the Roman Catholic Church said there were is a flawed one.  I hope that I have helped you, and I am sorry for the late response.

In Christ,
Pastor Don