Hello, John and Doves,Today, we have the Tanakh and the Brit Chadashah. Who determined the length and breadth of Holy Scripture?It is written,"LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."Before a letter was written down by man, God had already determined every word of His Word.It is written,9"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,10Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure...."
Now, to the real question, "How can I recognize the Word of God when I see it?""The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit."Only through the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) can we apprehend and then appreciate the meaning of the verse,"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right."In other words,7"The law of the Lord is perfect,refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
10They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
This brings us to:
"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
And that, in a nutshell, is how we Christians discern the Word of truth.The Word has its own inimitable signature, for it is the Word of God.~Blessings,Mike