How do we know that certain books of the bible should not have been included?

[yellowbo]

I know all about the council of nieces (s) and all that, but how do we know for sure these guys were on the up and up, and they just didn't put books in or not include them to suit their own agendy?

Just curious and not questioning the bible.

[jnemec]

Psa 12:6 The words of the LORD [are] pure words: [as] silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.


Psa 12:7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

I wouldn't worry so much about whether men had their own agenda. Just realize that God has His and He promises us that He will preserve His word and He has done it.

[allforHim]

All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and work according to His purpose! :): So even something thats not of God will be turned to good for us. No need to worry.

[watchingthesky]

To believe otherwise, to me, says that somehow we have to believe that a 'bunch of meddling men' could overcome the Sovereign Will and Purpose of God Almighty. It wouldn't matter if they were all liars or whatever. God has completely and total control over His Word. He -chose- to reveal that Word through mortal man as proof of His Glory through the ages (among many other reasons).

Whatever God wanted in is in. :):

That's my peace when reading the Bible. God's in charge, not the people who 'decided' what Books got in.

God bless!

[bunnymom321]

Well, I have been taking online courses with Koinonia Institute and it has really enlightened me on the the absolute truth and the design of God's plan throughout the Bible. Each book authenticates another as you dig in deeper. Also, you see words that are repeated in the same use throughout the Bible, such as the lamb being used throughout God's Word to represent cleansing of sins, ultimately leading to the Lamb of God, Christ sacrificing His life for all of our sins.

One thing that really impressed me in these classes is that when you translate the Hebrew names of the geneology from Adam to Noah you get the gospel of Christ, showing me that God's hand is in all that we read. Here's the translations :

Geneology of Genesis 5
Adam-Man (is)
Seth-Appointed
Enosh-Mortal
Kenan-Sorrow; (but)
Mahalalel-The Blessed God
Jerod-Shall come down
Enoch-Teaching
Methuselah-His death shall bring
Lamech-The Despairing
Noah-Comfort, Rest

[sracer]

I know all about the council of nieces (s) and all that, but how do we know for sure these guys were on the up and up, and they just didn't put books in or not include them to suit their own agendy?

Just curious and not questioning the bible.
For the Old Testament, the Dead Sea Scrolls that were recognized as the Word of God were prefaced with, "It is written". Those scrolls match perfectly to the Protestant Old Testament. Also, Jesus spoke about the righteous Abel and blood of Zechariah... (Mat 23:35) He helped defined the canon. Abel was the first martyr (Genesis) and Zechariah was the last in 2 Chronicles, which if you put the OT books in chronological order, would be the last. Abel = A, Zechariah = Z... A to Z... the whole thing. ;):

For the New Testament the Roman Emperor Diocletian made pronouncements that Christian places of worship were to be destroyed, Christians imprisoned, and Christian Holy writings destroyed. The list of NT writings compiled by Diocletian matched the list compiled by Athanasius (an early church leader)... both lists match the Protestant NT.

That's it in a very brief nutshell.

[jtcornpone]

I know all about the council of nieces (s) and all that, but how do we know for sure these guys were on the up and up, and they just didn't put books in or not include them to suit their own agendy?
Do you mean the Council of Nicea? With all due respect, it had nothing to do with selecting the Biblical canon. Dan Brown is fond of making that claim, but as you may have heard, his grasp of ancient history is positively atrocious.