The Spoken Word and the Written Word are the Same

outsidethecamp

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Their spoken word and written word is the same.

1 Thess 2:1 - Paul reminded the church in Thessalonica that "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe."

II Peter 1:12-15 - presents a powerful affirmation that what the apostles taught orally was then codified in written form as the same message: "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance."

From Peter's words we can see the following:

1. Gospel truths taught orally can soon be forgotten.
2. They had already been taught those truths that Peter repeats in written form for several reasons.
  • To remind them of truths already embraced.
  • To "stir them up" to the meanings of and the practice of those truths.
  • To preserve those truths beyond the life span of the apostles.
  • To give permanent form to the truths taught.
  • To let them know that after the death of the apostles there will be no other source of knowledge about the Gospel truth.
I John 2:20-21 - The apostle assures Christians that they have from the apostles all the truth (what they "heard from the beginning" vs. 24). He then says: "I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth."
  • The "truth heard from the beginning" relates to the oral teaching of the apostle.
  • What John now writes has 3 basic purposes:
To confirm truths already taught.
To warn about the "lies" of the Antichrist.
And to give a permanent record of the truth.

1 Cor 15:1-4 - Paul repeats the message the Christians in Corinth had heard
- Paul is saying that the gospel:
  • Had already been preached to them.
  • They had received apostolic testimony.
  • They we "standing in" the message.
  • They were saved by it.
  • Then why did Paul repeat it? For the same reasons Peter and John repeated in written form what they had taught orally.
The Written Word was Confirmed by Apostolic Signature and Internal Evidence

The churches of New Testament times recognized the apostolic origin of the books they received.
  • Read Romans 16 for the list of names in Rome that could confirm the Pauline authorship of the book - as could the beloved sister Phoebe - who delivered the book.
  • 1 Corinthians 1:1 - The epistle was written from Ephesus and bore the testimony of Sosthenes - the former ruler of the Jewish synagogue in Corinth.
  • Colossians 4:18 - "The salutation by the hand of me Paul."
  • II Thess 3:17 - "The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write."
  • Gal 6:11 - "Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand."
  • John 21:24 - "This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true."
  • Eph 6:21 - "But that you may know my affairs, Tychicus the beloved...shall make known to you all things, whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose." The personal representative of Paul to Ephesus confirmed the validity of the book.
  • Philippians 2:25-28 - "I count it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus...your minister to my needs..." It was the "minister" of the Philippian church to Paul's needs that verified the Pauline origin of the letter.
  • 1 Peter 5:12 - "By Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I account him, I have written to you briefly." Again, it is the personal acquaintance that verifies the letter.
One thing is certain! There is not a person alive today that can give one fact of Jesus' life, or supply one word of His teaching that is not already contained in scripture. There is not one word or deed known to any man except that which the apostles recorded for us on the pages of the New Testament. In fact, from dozens of scriptures, it is evident that what the apostles taught orally and verbally are exactly the same things that they, in turn, wrote down in Scripture.
 
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outsidethecamp

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We place emphasis on the Scriptures because Jesus Christ and the Apostles emphasized the Scriptures.
There is no precedent in the OT that the God of the NT (who is the same God of the OT) does not direct His revelation to be written down and thus to pass it on in written form.

As you can see in this next verse there is no "tradition" of handing anything down "orally". (Many more scriptures)
Act_15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Rom_16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

The emphasis is on reading the scriptures and keeping that which is written down.
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Hab_2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
Mat_24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

There is no such thing as extra-biblical revelation that is on the same level of authority as the Scriptures!!

There are also no Apostles today on the same level of Authority as the Apostles that God inspired to write down His words. (reference)

In order to change God's word by introducing NEW WORDS, there must of necessity be a redefining of what a modern day Apostle is. That redefinition, is that an Apostle today has the same authority as the original men that wrote the New Testament to write NEW revelation from God.

Look at the emphasis that Paul puts on reading his epistles. I have obviously not listed ALL the scriptures both in the OT and the NT that place such a strong emphasis on reading the Scriptures. Jesus Himself was always saying, "Have ye not read where it sayeth in the Scriptures?" Where did Jesus and the Apostles continually say, "remember what Isaiah told Jeremiah, who told Ezekiel, who told Daniel, who told Malachi that God said.....?" No! It is absolutely a ridiculous concept and God doesn't play the "Telephone Game". No matter how sincere and trusting you are, the words get changed when you play the Telephone Game and when the words are changed, the meaning is changed.

Eph_3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

Col_4:16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

1Th_5:27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

And of course I don't need to really say this but will just in case anyone thinks we are engaging in Bibliolatry. The Letter by itself without the Spirit kills. Only the Spirit of God can give the "Letter", (Scriptures) life!

There is no life in extra-biblical revelation that is on the same level of authority as the God's Holy Scriptures.
 
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Biblicist

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. . . One thing is certain! There is not a person alive today that can give one fact of Jesus' life, or supply one word of His teaching that is not already contained in scripture. There is not one word or deed known to any man except that which the apostles recorded for us on the pages of the New Testament. In fact, from dozens of scriptures, it is evident that what the apostles taught orally and verbally are exactly the same things that they, in turn, wrote down in Scripture.
It's one thing to say that everything that we know about Jesus is to be found within the Scriptures; but it is another thing when it comes to our walk in the Spirit where the Holy Spirit guides and directs our pathways, now these things are definitely not contained within the Written Word.
 
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