Isaiah 6:5 Sermon: Seeing Ourselves in the Light of God

November 23, 2008 - Community Church of Exeter, Exeter, NH - Sermon on Isaiah 6:5 "Seeing Ourselves in the Light of God" (audio)

Luke 11:33-54 Sermon: Be Real

November 16, 2008 - Grace Baptist Church, Cheshire, CT (church website) - Sermon on Luke 11:33-54, "Be Real" (The Fine Print of Discipleship?) (audio)

Our Help Is Here: a Meditation on Psalm 46

by Doug Smith (The following was originally published as three articles at SharperIron.org - part 1 - part 2 - part 3. The audio sermon is available here.)

Psalm 46:1-11 (NKJV)

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth.

¹ God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. ² Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; ³ Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah.

⁴ There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. ⁵ God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. ⁶ The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

⁷ The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

⁸ Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has made desolations in the earth. ⁹ He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.

¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

¹¹ The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

When you are in trouble, it is a blessing to know that help is available. It is a great blessing to know that it is on the way. And it is an even greater blessing to know that your help is here.

The blessing of help in time of need is magnified even more when others are involved. If you have had vehicle trouble with a van full of small children, you know what I mean. And if you have not experienced such a thing, you can surely imagine it or relate a similar circumstance where help is needed, not just for an individual, but for a group.

In our spiritual lives, as individuals and as groups—particularly local churches—we experience crises. The world, the flesh, and the devil are set against our having joy in Christ and glorifying God in all circumstances. Persecution and temptation—external opposition, internal strife, and disappointments—threaten to shake our faith. We need help, and help is available. But God’s Word has better news for us than that help is on the way. When we turn to Psalm 46, we see the good news that our help is here. In unstable and uncertain times, we can have stability and certainty because God is our help, and He is here.

The book of Psalms functioned as a songbook and prayer book for Israel. The psalms reflect much about the experience of God’s people—joy and thanksgiving as well as repentance, complaints, and cries for help. Some psalms clearly indicate the event that is addressed in the psalm. For example, Psalm 51 describes David’s repentance after being confronted about his sin of adultery. Others, such as Psalm 46, do not tell us the exact occasion for which they were written. However, Psalm 46 is one of the eleven psalms with the inscription “Of the Sons of Korah.” It is especially appropriate that we take a brief look at the background of the sons of Korah as we consider this corporate psalm of God’s help for His people in troubled times.

Numbers 16 is the record of Korah’s organized rebellion against Moses. After the congregation of Israel separated from the rebels, God caused the ground to swallow up Korah and his followers alive to show His judgment against them. But according to Numbers 26:9-11, there were sons of Korah who did not die. Though not part of the Aaronic priesthood, the Korahites (also descendants of Levi) served in the temple. According to 1 Chronicles 9:19, they were still in existence after the Babylonian exile. Their background in being spared while their rebellious ancestor perished should have made them thankful to sing praises to God for His present help in trouble.

As we look at Psalm 46, let those of us who are believers be grateful for God’s salvation and look to Him to see that our help is here. We will notice three different emphases in this psalm. It teaches us about the people of God, the person of God, and the presence of God.

Our Help Is Here: Help for the People of God

The corporate nature of this psalm is evident throughout its eleven verses. Notice the references that indicate this nature:

v. 1 God is our refuge and strength.

v. 2 Therefore we will not fear.

v. 4 the city of God

vv. 7, 11 The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Many psalms are worded in the first person singular with “I” and “my” and “me,” but this is one of the corporate psalms, worded with we and our and us (6 instances). The corporate nature of this psalm reminds us that our relationship with God is not merely an individual relationship that has no relevance to our relationships with others. Rather, it changes the dynamics of our relationships to others. When we become God’s children, we find that we have brothers and sisters. I am not an only child to God, and neither are you. All God’s people are part of a larger group.

But before we discuss the importance of the group, let me ask you this: Do you have a right relationship with God? Have you been forgiven of your disobedience and reconciled to Him? God created this world, including you and me, for His glory to display His character. Yet Adam and Eve—and you and I—have rebelled against God. Our sin has rightly been called cosmic treason; disobeying God is equivalent to seeking to dethrone Him and enthrone ourselves as the king of our lives. This treason deserves eternal punishment. Yet in His great mercy, God sent His Son, Jesus, the eternal Son of God, who was born of the virgin Mary, lived the perfect life that God requires and that we could never live, and died on the cross in the place of sinners, bearing their punishment. He rose from the dead and lives forever. He promises to pardon and rescue rebels like you and me if we will turn from our sin and trust Him for our salvation. If you do not have assurance that you are part of the people of God through faith in Christ, I beg you—trust in Him today.

If you have turned from your sin and trusted in Him, then you have the certain hope and assurance of salvation in Christ. But He has not saved you for yourself; you are part of a larger body, the church.

If you are trusting in Christ, part of following Jesus means to identify with His people. We do this identification through baptism or the immersion into water as an ordinance of the church in order to testify to the world that we are dead to sin and raised to walk in newness of life in Jesus Christ. To identify with God’s people, we should also join ourselves to a local congregation, becoming members of a local church, where we can participate in the decisions of the congregation and also be subject to its discipline. We take gathering with the church seriously. We attend so we may grow from the preaching of the Word and partake of the Lord’s Supper. We also fellowship and encourage and warn one another, being involved in the lives of others.

If you know Christ but have not been baptized or joined a local church, let me urge you to obey God in these areas. Do not be afraid or ashamed to be publicly united to other believers. In our individualistic society, many do not value commitment. But to please God, we must value commitment to one another and love Christ and one another enough to identify ourselves as His people.

As God’s people, we understand that our Lord’s concerns extend not just to our individual problems, but to the problems we face corporately, particularly in local churches. Whether with your local assembly or with persecuted believers gathering in Saudi Arabia or Sudan, God, our Help, is there. He is a very present help in trouble.

Our Help Is Here: Help from the Person of God

God is clearly the subject of this psalm. Twenty-five different references to Him appear throughout these eleven verses. We see a divine name or title eleven times (God, the Most High, the LORD of hosts, the God of Jacob, the LORD), a metaphorical description five times (refuge, strength, help), and deity pronouns nine times (I, He).

This God who is our Help is the God who made heaven and earth. As the Most High, there is no God or power above Him. This God is the LORD. Notice in verses 7, 8, and 11 that the word “LORD” is in all uppercase letters. This use designates that the original Hebrew has the word for the most sacred name of God—Jehovah or Yahweh. It is probably derived from the same name that God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14, when He revealed Himself as I AM WHO I AM. This God has the power of self-existence, needing nothing outside Himself to exist. He has all the resources of life in Himself, whereas we need food, water, oxygen and other external circumstances to live.

God’s sacred name not only refers to His self-existence but also speaks of His covenant relationship with His people. This God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and—as focused on in Psalm 46—Jacob—is the same God for the Korahites, for the Israelites, for the first-century believers in Christ, and for you and me. The God who showed mercy and faithfulness to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has not changed—His people can still count on Him. Notice that this sacred name is paired with “of hosts” in verses 7 and 11. This reminds us that God is omnipotent and commands all the powers of the universe. This self-existent, faithful, promise-keeping, all-powerful, exalted creator God is our Help!

The metaphors in Psalm 46 indicate our dependence on God. He is our refuge, the One we run to for shelter. We trust in Him to protect us. He is our strength. Apart from Him, we are weak and faint. We have reason to fear if He is not our refuge and strength in trouble. He is also our help, providing the aid we need in our distress. This God is our fortress who protects us in troubled and unstable times—our stronghold and safe place. He is our defense. We do not need to fear trouble. We can trust God.

God’s names, titles, and descriptions remind us of His character, but we also learn about Him through His works. This God dwells with His people and helps them “at the break of dawn” (v. 5)—not a second too late. He opens His mouth and unleashes His omnipotent decree: “he uttered his voice, the earth melted” (v. 6). When He thus speaks, compliance is the only option. None can withstand His judgment. Regardless of your view on global warning, we haven’t seen anything yet! God will one day speak, and the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and “the elements will melt with fervent heat” (2 Peter 3:12 NKJV). The psalm mentions the desolations God has brought on the earth. We can see astonishing things today that show the power of God. The Grand Canyon shows evidence of the catastrophic effects of the power of God. Hurricanes, tornados, and volcanic eruptions are just glimpses of the infinite strength of the Almighty. This God has power to stop wars, break the bow, shatter the spear, and burn the shields with fire.

God says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (v. 10). Calm down. Quiet your troubled soul. Make certain that you truly know that God is God and that He will be exalted in the earth. Consider the greatness of God, Who is the permanent, powerful, preeminent protector of His people. We should not fear trouble if we know Him. We should not fear to take the gospel to those near and far away, even if they react with hostility. God is our refuge and strength, and He will be exalted in the earth. Our Help is here.

Our Help Is Here: Help in the Presence of God

Notice how Psalm 46 emphasizes the presence of God: “God is…a very present help in trouble” (v. 1). He is “in the midst of” the city of God (v. 5). He is “with us” (vv. 7, 11).

It is not unusual to experience a period of waiting for help to arrive after we call for it. We may know that it is available, and we may know that it is on the way; but it is another thing altogether to know that it is here. It could be available but not come to us. It could be on the way but encounter a roadblock.

God is not just potential Help or Help who might arrive—He is already on the scene. The child of God never has trouble in which the Lord is not present, ready to help. He dwells among His people in their midst. He is with us even now.

God has always desired to be among His people. He walked with Adam and Eve in the garden before they sinned. He manifested Himself to Abraham. He dwelled with His people in the tabernacle and later the temple. Jesus Christ Himself is the fulfillment of the temporary dwelling places God made use of. John 1:14 tells us that “the Word became flesh and dwelt [tabernacled or pitched His tent] among us.”

Knowledge of God’s presence should encourage us. His river makes the city of God glad. He was with Joseph in the midst of all his trials (Gen. 39:2-3, 21, 23). God’s promise of His presence encouraged Moses and Joshua and the returned exiles who rebuilt the temple (Ex. 3:12, Josh. 1:5, Hag. 1:13; 2:4). God has also promised to be with believers today. Jesus Christ, when charging His disciples with the Great Commission, told us, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). The unchanging one, Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, has promised never to leave us so we can say with boldness and confidence, “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Heb. 13:6).

This God dwells with you if you are a believer. He dwells in a special way in the midst of His called-out ones, His church. If you are trusting in Him today, you can be encouraged that God is with you, a very present Help in trouble. Our Help is here.

Conclusion

It is a great encouragement when needed help arrives. But the help of God is far greater and more necessary than any human help we may need. We all need God’s help every day in the troubles of this life. We are tempted to fear and worry when the circumstances we face seem like the earth shaking and mountains falling into the sea. When things threaten to change life as we know it, we need the help of God to survive the storm. It may come. Things may change. But God, the only source of stability in unstable times, is unchangeable.

The sixteenth-century Reformer and German pastor Martin Luther wrote a famous hymn based on this psalm. We know it as “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” Luther faced many trials from the world and the devil as well as his own flesh. It is written of Luther that,

In the darkest times he used to say, “Come, let us sing the 46^th Psalm, and let them do their worst. He says, “We sing this Psalm to the praise of God, because God is with us, and powerfully and miraculously preserves and defends his church and his word, against all fanatical spirits, against the gates of hell, against the implacable hatred of the devil, and against all the assaults of the world, the flesh and sin. ¹

God’s help is promised to His people forever. But there are those who will not survive storms and calamity and judgment. Friend, if you are not looking to Christ today, you are in trouble and great danger. You do not know when you will draw your last breath. God will judge all people with His perfect justice. He requires perfect obedience to His commands, but we have all failed in this regard. The penalty for such an offense against the infinitely high dignity of God is eternal, conscious torment in hell. Yet because of His great love, God sent His Son Jesus, who perfectly fulfilled the requirements of His holy law to take our punishment if we trust Him. If you forsake your sin and efforts to make yourself acceptable to God and simply trust in the One who has done the work for you, you will find a very present help in trouble.

Are you facing fear and anxiety? “God is our refuge and strength, avery present help in trouble” (v. 1). Our Help is here. Are you discouraged? Our Help is here. Are you tempted? Our Help is here.

Uncertain, unstable times should serve as a reminder to look to the certain, stable, faithful God. “Be still, and know that [He is] God” (Ps. 46:10). He can be trusted. He is our refuge and strength. Encourage one another with this truth from Psalm 46—our Help is here.

Notes:

^{1. William S. Plumer, Psalms: a Critical and Expository Commentary with Doctrinal and Practical Remarks – Geneva Series Commentary (Carlisle, PA: the Banner of Truth Trust, 1975), 522-523.}

1 Timothy 1:1-7 Sermon: The Target of Christian Teaching Is Love

November 9, 2008 - Pilgrim Baptist Church, North Brookfield, MA (church website) - Sermon on 1 Timothy 1:1-7, "The Target of Christian Teaching: Love" (audio)

Matthew 16:13-20 Sermon: The Identity Question (Who Is Jesus?)

November 2, 2008 - Crosspointe Community Church, Hudson, NH (church website) - Sermon on Matthew 16:13-20, "The Identity Question (Who Is Jesus?)" (audio)

Romans 8:3-8 Sermon: "What We Couldn't Do, God Did"

October 26, 2008 - Grace Haven Baptist Church, Manchester, NH (church website) - Sermon on Romans 8:3-8, "What We Couldn't Do, God Did" (audio) (manuscript)

Isaiah 55:1-13 Sermons: God's Invitation - Why We Should Listen and Respond

October 19, 2008 - Calvary Reformed Baptist Church, Exeter, NH (church website) - Two messages on Why We Should Listen to God's Invitation and Respond to Him:

sermon on Isaiah 55:1-7 (audio) (manuscript)

sermon on Isaiah 55:8-13 (audio) (manuscript)

Micah 6:6-8 Sermon: What Does God Want from Me?

October 12, 2008 - Hillside Baptist Church, Pembroke, NH (church website) - sermon on Micah 6:6-8 (audio) (manuscript)

Ephesians 6:1-9 Sermon: Living for Christ at Home and at Work

October 5, 2008 - Rumney Baptist Church, Rumney, NH (church website) - sermon on Ephesians 6:1-9 (audio) (manuscript) (arc)

Philippians 2:1-11 Sermon: Humility - the Pathway to Unity

September 28, 2008 - Community Baptist Church, Whitefield, NH (church website) - sermon on Philippians 2:1-11 (audio) (manuscript)

Psalm 46 sermon: Our Help Is Here

September 21, 2008 - Crossway Community Church, Methuen, MA (church website) - sermon on Psalm 46 (audio) (manuscript)

Isaiah 6 Sermon: Look Up, Look In, Look Out

September 14, 2008 (p.m.) - Island Pond Baptist Church, Hampstead, NH (church website) - sermon on Isaiah 6 (audio) (outline)

The point of the sermon: a proper view of God, self, and ministry is essential to serve Him faithfully, particularly in difficult times.

Ephesians 1-3 Overview Sermon: Our Spiritual Wealth in Christ

September 7, 2008 - Grace Baptist Church, Merrimack, NH (church website) - Overview sermon of Ephesians chapters 1-3 (audio) (manuscript)

NECEP 2008

I have been blessed with the opportunity to participate in the internship program of the New England Center for Expository Preaching, based out of New Hampshire. I plan to post some updates from time to time (and may use this particular post to provide links to sermon audio as able), but I will be quite busy over the next 3 months with sermon preparation, other assignments, and ministry. I would appreciate your prayers that this would be a profitable experience for myself, our director, Dave Ricard, the other intern, Neil Jackson, and the people to whom we minister.

Sermons

September 7, 2008 - Grace Baptist Church, Merrimack, NH (church website) - Overview sermon of Ephesians chapters 1-3 - "Our Spiritual Wealth in Christ" (audio) (manuscript)

September 14, 2008 (p.m.) - Island Pond Baptist Church, Hampstead, NH (church website) - sermon on Isaiah 6 - "Look Up, Look In, Look Out" (audio) (outline) [The point of the sermon: a proper view of God, self, and ministry is essential to serve Him faithfully, particularly in difficult times]

September 21, 2008 - Crossway Community Church, Methuen, MA (church website) - sermon on Psalm 46, "Our Help Is Here" (audio) (manuscript)

September 28, 2008 - Community Baptist Church, Whitefield, NH (church website) - sermon on Philippians 2:1-11, "Humility: the Pathway to Unity" (audio) (manuscript)

October 5, 2008 - Rumney Baptist Church, Rumney, NH (church website) - sermon on Ephesians 6:1-9, "Living for Christ at Home and at Work" (audio) (manuscript) (arc)

October 12, 2008 - Hillside Baptist Church, Pembroke, NH (church website) - sermon on Micah 6:6-8, "What Does God Want from Me?" (audio) (manuscript)

October 19, 2008 -Calvary Reformed Baptist Church, Exeter, NH (church website) - Two messages on "Why We Should Listen to God's Invitation and Respond to Him":

sermon on Isaiah 55:1-7 (audio) (manuscript)

sermon on Isaiah 55:8-13 (audio) (manuscript)

October 26, 2008 - Grace Haven Baptist Church, Manchester, NH (church website) - Sermon on Romans 8:3-8, "What We Couldn't Do, God Did" (audio) (manuscript)

November 2, 2008 - Crosspointe Community Church, Hudson, NH (church website) - Sermon on Matthew 16:13-20, "The Identity Question (Who Is Jesus?)" (audio)

November 9, 2008 - Pilgrim Baptist Church, North Brookfield, MA (church website) - Sermon on 1 Timothy 1:1-7, "The Target of Christian Teaching: Love" (audio)

November 16, 2008 - Grace Baptist Church, Cheshire, CT (church website) - Sermon on Luke 11:33-54, "Be Real" (The Fine Print of Discipleship?) (audio)

November 23, 2008 - Community Church of Exeter, Exeter, NH - Sermon on Isaiah 6:5, "Seeing Ourselves in the Light of God" (audio)

The Canon of Scripture – Video, Audio, and Outline

I recently presented a lecture on the canon of Scripture at our phase one CAPS training in Kermit, West Virginia. The video is from it (677 MB). The audio file (8 MB) is from the September 2007 version of the lecture I gave in Happy, Kentucky.

Right-click here to download audio (.mp3 format).

CLICK BELOW FOR DOWNLOADABLE HANDOUTS

.doc of this outline (viewable below in part in this post; helpful chart in the download)

.pdf of Mark Dever preaching rotation

.pdf of Mark Dever preaching schedule

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THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE: AN OUTLINE AND SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

WHY THE CANON MATTERS

I. How can we know what books are the Word of God?

II. What books should be read in public worship?

III. What books are worth dying for?

IV. Why do Protestants not count the Apocrypha as Scripture?

V. Who decides what books belong in the Bible?

VI. What should we think about writings like the Book of Mormon and the Gospel of Judas?

VII. Are there books in the Bible that should not be there?

VIII. Are there books that should be added? What if we found another writing of Paul?

DEFINITION OF CANON

I. Background of the word:

a. Hebrew – qaneh – reed or stalk

b. Greek – kanon – rod or reed

c. English – cane

II. Usage of the word

a. Outside Scripture

i. “common word for anything that was the measure by which others were to be judged” (B. Edwards)

ii. the “absolute standard for pure language” for ancient Greeks (Westcott)

b. In Scripture

i. 1 Kings 14:15 – “a reed” and Job 40:21 – “the reed”

ii. 2 Corinthians 10:13, 15-16 – “the rule which God hath distributed to us”

iii. Galatians 6:16 – “walk according to this rule”

iv. Philippians 3:16 – “walk by the same rule”

c. In the church after the apostles

i. Clement of Alexandria may have used it to refer to the Old Testament

ii. Athanasius used it to refer to the entire Bible (OT & New Testament)

III. Meaning of the word: “a collection of books that are fixed in their number, divine in their origin and universal in their authority” (B. Edwards); not “an authoritative collection of books” but “a collection of authoritative books” (B. Metzger) received (not determined) by the church; “the list of all the books that belong in the Bible” (Grudem)

THE CANON OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

For we have not an innumerable multitude of books among us, disagreeing from and contradicting one another [as the Greeks have] but only twenty-two books, which contain the records of all the past times; which are justly believed to be divine…no one has been so bold as to add anything to them, to take anything from them, or to make any change in them.

– Josephus (A.D. 37-100)

I. These books date from around 1400 B.C. to around 435 B.C., and are prophetic, consistent with previous revelation, and were recognized/accepted by God’s people.

II. Concept of canon in the OT

a. Ten Commandments - Written on stone; Archived in the ark of the covenant

b. More writings added by Moses (Deut. 31:24-26), Joshua (Josh. 24:26), and others (1 Sam. 10:25, 1 Chron. 29:29, 2 Chron. 20:34, 26:22, 32:32, Prov. 25:1, Isa. 30:8, Jer. 30:2, Dan. 9:2)

III. A Theological Basis for the OT Canon

a. Deut. 18:15-22 - ongoing prophetic office – these words needed to be preserved for future generations

b. 1 Kings 22:8-13 – Josiah and the book of the law

c. Neh. 8:8 – the book of the law preached

d. Malachi 3:1-4; 4:1-6

IV. Concept of OT canon in NT

a. Luke 24:44 – 3 fold division

b. Luke 11:49-51 – Abel to Zachariah would correspond to Genesis to 2 Chronicles (Hebrew order)

c. 2 Corinthians 3:6-11 – reading of the old covenant, Moses

d. No arguments about canonicity of OT in NT; seems to be commonly understood

e. No other literature is quoted in NT as authoritative (except for some apostolic writings); many quotations prefaced with: “It is written,” never referring to books outside the Jewish or Christian canons

V. Other evidence

a. Apocrypha - Prologue to Ecclesiasticus – threefold division

- 1 Maccabees 4:45-46, 9:27 – no more prophets

- 2 Esdras 14:44-48 – 24 books distinguished from others

b. Septuagint (LXX) – translated around 250 B.C.; a body of books was obviously recognized

c. Dead Sea Scrolls – includes all books except Esther as well as additional books; commentaries were written only on books that are in the Jewish canon

d. Other writings: Josephus, Philo, Babylonian Talmud, other Rabbinic literature

VI. What about the Council of Jamnia?

a. Some scholars taught that the canon was not closed until A.D. 90 at Jamnia.

b. However, the council at Jamnia did not determine the canon, but discussed legitimacy/interpretation of controversial canonical books: Esther, Proverbs (particularly 26:4-5), Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Ezekiel

VII. What about the Apocrypha?

a. Numerous quotes from OT in NT, but none of the Apocrypha

b. Josephus: “From Artaxerxes to our own times a complete history has been written, but has not been deemed worthy of equal credit with the earlier records, because of the failure of the exact succession of the prophets.” (Against Apion)

c. Problems: not accepted by Jews; no Hebrew original; Came to be used through inclusion in LXX; doctrinal and historical inconsistencies/contradictions

d. Denied by many early church leaders, including Melito of Sardis (A.D. 170) and Athanasius (A.D. 367). Jerome included it in the Latin Vulgate because of Augustine (and even he did not give them the same status as the OT).

e. First official declaration calling them canonical was in 1546 at the Council of Trent of the Roman Catholic Church (deuterocanonical, because added later)

THE CANON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

There must be no hesitation to state again the [books] of the New Testament; for they are these: Four Gospels: according to Matthew, according to Mark, according to Luke, and according to John. Further, after these, also [The] Acts of [the] Apostles, and the seven so-called Catholic Epistles of the Apostles, as follows: One of James, but two of Peter, then, three of John, and after these, one of Jude. In addition to these there are fourteen Epistles of the Apostle Paul put down in the following order: The first to the Romans, then two to the Corinthians, and after these, [the Epistles] to the Galatians, and then to the Ephesians; further, [the Epistles] to the Philippians and to the Colossians and two to the Thessalonians, and the [Epistle] to the Hebrews. And next two [letters] to Timothy, but one to Titus, and the last [being] the one to Philemon. Moreover, also the Apocalypse of John. . . . – Athanasius (ca. A. D. 296-373)

I. A.D. Mid-40s/early 50s to A.D. 95. They were written by apostles or associates of the apostles, are consistent with previous revelation and were recognized/accepted by God’s people.

II. Concept of canon in NT

a. Apostolic parallel to prophets: Eph. 2:20, 2 Pet. 3:2

b. Apostolic reception of revelation: 1 Cor. 2:9, 13, 14:37

c. Circulation of letters to other churches: Col. 4:16, 1 Thess. 5:27

d. NT recognition of NT Scripture

i. 2 Pet 3:15-16 (recognizes Paul’s writings as Scripture)

ii. 1 Tim. 5:17-18 (recognizes Luke as Scripture along with Deuteronomy)

III. A Theological Basis for the NT Canon

a. Promise of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-34; “Old covenant had a body of literature; we should expect the new to have one as well” (R. Plummer)

b. Luke 22:20

c. Deut. 18:15 – another Prophet, idea of succession

d. Heb. 1:1-3

e. John 14:26, 16:13-14 – promise of Spirit to teach and give understanding

f. Warning of Rev. 22:18-19

IV. Need for NT canon

a. Need to know what was authoritative to read in worship

b. Need to have the true teaching of the apostles and not false doctrine

c. Need to know which books to die for

V. Debate over recognition of canon

a. Classifications: homologoumena, antilegomena, and notha

b. Lists:

i. Muratorian Canon – all but 4

ii. Marcion (A.D. 144) – rejected OT and much of NT; retained Luke’s writings and 10 of Paul’s

iii. Athanasius (A.D. 367) – 27 books

iv. Council of Carthage (A.D. 397) – 27 books

v. Other lists include Origen (A.D. 240), Eusebius (A.D. 313)

VI. What about other books?

a. Apostolic fathers (many in agree with Scripture but not same quality as Scripture); recognition of NT in Epistle of Barnabas, 2 Clement, Didache

b. Gnostic Gospels (contrary to Scripture with later dates as well) – examples:

i. Gospel of Thomas (and foolishness of Jesus Seminar)

ii. Gospel of Mary Magdalene (and foolishness of Da Vinci Code)

VII. Should we expect any additions to the canon?

• Grudem states it well, saying that it is difficult “to understand how our sovereign God could have faithfully cared for his people for over 1,900 years and still allowed them to be continually deprived of something he intended them to have as a part of his final revelation of himself in Jesus Christ.”

SINCE THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE IS GOD’S COMPLETE

WRITTEN REVELATION TO MAN, WE SHOULD:

1. Read and study the whole Bible for the purpose of knowing and obeying Him.

• Use a Bible reading plan like M’Cheyne’s or a devotional book like D. A. Carson’s For the Love of God (2 volumes) that will help you go through the whole Bible.
• Use an accurate translation.
• Memorize God’s Word!
• Learn and practice proper hermeneutics.
• Acquire good tools for study.
• Obey what you learn!

2. Preach the whole Bible.

• Acts 20:20, 27 – Keep back nothing profitable; declare the whole counsel of God.
• 2 Timothy 3:16 – all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable…
• 2 Timothy 4:1-4 – Preach the Word.
• Expositional preaching is a must.

i. The Bible is the authority, so the text, not the preacher, must dictate the message. (Mark Dever: The point of the passage is the point of the message.)

ii. Have a goal and create a plan for preaching through the Bible; rotate through different genres of Scripture (law, history, poetry, prophecy, gospels, epistles, etc.).

iii. Preach overview sermons on an entire book of the Bible (the forest) and sermons on smaller units (the trees), but always consider the context of the whole Bible when preaching the parts of the Bible.

3. Trust the sufficiency of the whole Bible.

• It is sufficient to equip us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17).
• It is the rule for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) in:

i. Our prayers, privately and privately

ii. Our personal lives

iii. Our relationships with others

iv. Our church

1. in serving one another in the body

2. in corporate worship

a. include substantive public Scripture readings

b. order other elements of the service in light of the Word

3. in polity (church government)

4. in pastoral ministry, including counseling

5. in relating to unbelievers

v. Being the instrument of God’s Spirit to save people and grow them to maturity.

RESOURCES FOR STUDY ON THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE

Books and Articles

· “Bible Formation and Canon” in the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Edited by Chad Brand, Charles Draper, and Archie England. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2003. pp. 200-202.

· Bruce, F. F. The Canon of Scripture. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1988. (Standard Reference on this topic)

· Carson, D. A. and Douglas Moo. An Introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. pp. 726-743.

· Dockery, David S. and David P. Nelson, "Special Revelation," in Daniel L. Akin, ed. A Theology for the Church. Nashville, TN: B & H Academic, 2007. pp. 164-171.

· Edwards, Brian. Why Twenty-Seven? – How Can We Be Sure That We Have the Right Books in the New Testament? New York: Evangelical Press USA, 2007. (EXCELLENT)

· Geisler, Norman L. and William E. Nix. A General Introduction to the Bible. Revised and Expanded. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1986. pp. 203-320.

· Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: an Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994. pp. 57-72.

· Hill, Andrew E., and John H. Walton. A Survey of the Old Testament. 2^nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000. pp. 388-396.

· House, H. Wayne. Chronological and Background Charts of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1981. pp. 16-24 (16-17 gives NT dates written, 22 gives canon in 1^st 4 centuries, 23 gives Patristic quotations).

· McDowell, Josh. The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1999. pp. 17-32.

· Metzger, Bruce M. The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1988. (Standard reference on this topic)

· Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology: a Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1988. pp. 105-109.

· Trueman, Carl. “The Marcions Have Landed! A Warning for Evangelicals.” Evangelicals Now, March 2003. Online: <http://www.e-n.org.uk/2105-The-Marcions-have-landed.htm>

· Walton, John H. Chronological and Background Charts of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994. p. 12 (gives chronology of books).

· Wegner, Paul D. The Journey from Texts to Translations: the Origin and Development of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1999. pp. 100-164. (GREAT REFERENCE)

· White, James R. Scripture Alone: Exploring the Bible’s Accuracy, Authority, and Authenticity. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 2004. (very helpful, especially on Gnostic gospels)

Websites

• www.Bible.org <http://www.bible.org/topic.php?topic_id=87>
• Bible Research <http://www.bible-researcher.com/canon.html>
• Monergism – links to articles on the canon of Scripture <http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Bibliology/Formation-of-the-Canon/>.
• Bruce, F. F., The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? Online book at <http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/ffbruce/ntdocrli/ntdocont.htm>.

Resources for conforming our lives to the canon of Scripture

• Carson, D. A. For the Love of God: a Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God’s Word. 2 volumes. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2006. Visit http://www.christwaymedia.com/sampledevotional.htm to sign up for a free daily email.

• Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s Bible Reading Calendar - free .pdf download at http://www.mountcalvarybaptist.org/extra/documents/McCheyne Bible Reading.pdf

• Ryken, Philip Graham, Derek W. H. Thomas, and J. Ligon Duncan III. Give Praise to God: a Vision for Reforming Worship. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed, 2003.

• Spinney, Robert G. “Looking for God in All the Wrong Places: an Appeal for Word-Based Corporate Worship.” Hartsville, TN: Tulip Books, 2006. Free downloadable .pdf file at http://www.hartsvillereformedbaptist.com/gbc_rob_worship.pdf