Jhn 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Jhn 4:24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.
Blessings Brothers,
Many years ago there was a song with the following line:
"... you hear what you want to here, and see what you want to see."
I believe this line is very applicable to my post on "The 49 Books of the Bible".
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/nov2005/johnc115.htm
I happen to pray over every line I compose and try to be as precise as possible, especially in areas that may cause controversy. Though the Lord seems to keep me in the center of controversy these days. LOL! Brother Matt, you may be surprised to realize that neither did I add or subtract from your beloved "66" books. I actually stated, "... but you will discover that his 49 books are the same writings as our present 66 books." Am I, as you say, "... question(ing) if you really have Gods word," when I write the following:
"Two criteria which all writings must possess, is that they do not contradict previous "Words of God," and that they have the confirmation of the Holy Spirit within the "born from above" receiver/reader. "
I had the above versus in John 4:23 - 24 in mind when I wrote that. The Scriptures are the Truth, and as you correctly indicated that they can be manipulated by a "serpent". That is why we are given the Spirit, which leads us into all Truth and shows us Yeshua/Jesus. The Lord can anoint the words written in the telephone book if he so desires to give us revelation. My post simply indicates that a revelation from the telephone book may be of value, but of less authority than the scriptures.
In my original post, I intentionally tried to avoid declaring any specific writing as belonging to scripture or not. I actually stated, "This is a highly debated subject, which is extremely important and sometimes very boring." Maybe the word "futile" should have also been added. What I did want to present was a "pattern." Maybe because of my background in science, I am very aware of how orderly our Creator is in all His works. Frequently his patterns are a signature of His hands touch, just like Satan and man have their own signatures.
Jovial stated:
"Trying to assess whether or canon is right or wrong based on how many books it SHOULD have due to some sort of mystical thought process (e.g., it OUGHT to have 49 books because that's 7x7 and that means.....) doesn't solve any disputes over what should and should not be canon."
My intention was never to "solve any disputes", that would be futile. Hey Joe, that "OUGHT" is your word, and not mine. I stated, "49 books, 7 X 7; now that matches the character of the God that I know." I am simply showing that our God is a God of order. Is this "some sort of mystical thought process"? Well, no more than the multiple examples you presented of attempts to contain the scriptures within twenty-two books. The pattern of, " to the Jew first, then Gentile," would also be recognized as a signature of God's work. It demonstrates a pattern. No different than dividing each "Testament" into three parts.
Luk 24:44 And he said unto them, These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.
Luk 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
There is nothing mystical about it. And what does "66" books indicate? It tells me that man has been messing with it. As a beloved Brother has stated, "Some of our modern "divisions" are rather arbitrary in this manner. "(Jovial). I really could care less of the opinions decided by a group of political/religious/"experts" on this topic. Because:
Jhn 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
Jhn 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
I do have one final question of Matt. Please show me in the scripture (your "66" books) where "66" (or any multiple of six) is associated with righteousness or God. (By the way, that serpent that was used to represent Christ in the wilderness, had to be broken in pieces. 2Ki 18:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.)
Shalom, John