What should I pay attention to if I want to know whether a given piece of text is divinely inspired?

[Daniel Marsh]

Before you read a book you should understand the teaching behind the book.

Here is a statement that you should understand.

"The Bible teaches that Jesus was not created but was rather the Creator. “In [Jesus Christ] all things were created: . . . all things have been created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). The doctrine of the eternality of Christ is one of the distinguishing marks of biblical Christianity.

While Jesus is held in high esteem by Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others of various theological beliefs, those groups teach that Jesus was a created being. "

Was Jesus created? | GotQuestions.org

The above statement would remove them from the ranks of Christianity and put them in the ranks of the enemy so why read their books?

 

[Daniel Marsh]

Also, I like you guys, and the SDA folks on here are generally kind, and decent.

 

[Daniel Marsh]

read to here

 

[BobRyan]

Before you read a book you should understand the teaching behind the book.

Here is a statement that you should understand.

"The Bible teaches that Jesus was not created but was rather the Creator. “In [Jesus Christ] all things were created: . . . all things have been created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). The doctrine of the eternality of Christ is one of the distinguishing marks of biblical Christianity.

While Jesus is held in high esteem by Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others of various theological beliefs, those groups teach that Jesus was a created being. "
...

amen!

 

[BobRyan]

"I choose to believe the Bible because it is a reliable collection of historical documents written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses which report supernatural events in fulfillment of specific prophecies claiming that they are words of divine origin, rather than human in origin." --Voodie Baucham

Amen!

Jesus is God the Son -- the second person of the Godhead

 

[throughfiierytrial]

Epistemologically speaking, when a Christian is faced with a given piece of text, manuscript, book, etc., how does he or she go about deciding whether the material at hand is divinely inspired or not? What features of the text itself, or about its origin, or about whatever might be relevant do Christians pay attention to in order to decide if the piece of text they have in front of them was divinely inspired? For example, let's say someone is handing out cards with quotes from the Book of Mormon, and I receive one. What should I do in order to decide if the quote I received is divinely inspired?

If you are asking what would one do if not yet a believer I'd advise to check for contradictions and the overall logic of thought...God has superb and sublime logic. Also what prompts you to go to these texts or writings?...most often spiritual problems I would guess, if so, are you getting answers?
If you are a Christian Bible believer you will see errors or deviation from the Word of God. Only the Word is inspired by God.

 

[coffee4u]

Epistemologically speaking, when a Christian is faced with a given piece of text, manuscript, book, etc., how does he or she go about deciding whether the material at hand is divinely inspired or not? What features of the text itself, or about its origin, or about whatever might be relevant do Christians pay attention to in order to decide if the piece of text they have in front of them was divinely inspired? For example, let's say someone is handing out cards with quotes from the Book of Mormon, and I receive one. What should I do in order to decide if the quote I received is divinely inspired?

The only divinely inspired text is scripture.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Trust the words contained in scripture and from nowhere else.

So if you receive something like a card with a quote on it, take it to scripture and see if scripture upholds it.

 

[BobRyan]

If you are asking what would one do if not yet a believer I'd advise to check for contradictions and the overall logic of thought...God has superb and sublime logic. Also what prompts you to go to these texts or writings?...most often spiritual problems I would guess, if so, are you getting answers?
If you are a Christian Bible believer you will see errors or deviation from the Word of God. Only the Word is inspired by God.

I agree with a lot of what you have posted there.

Can we agree that God is never limited to "not speaking" - not even at the time of Paul??

. Notice that when testing the teaching of Paul in Acts 17:11 "they studied the scriptures daily to SEE IF those things spoken by the Apostle Paul - were SO" -- and that was the OT scriptures - but what they did not do is say that "only the OT text can be inspired". The sola scriptura test did not require them to go that far.

So there we have non-Christian Jews and gentiles in Acts 17 - testing a total stranger's teaching (the teaching of Paul) - "sola scriptura" and they are accepting his teaching even though he claims to be inspired and even though their own church magisterium condemns Paul.

 

[1watchman]

The answer to the original (OP) post, should be: "Bible-only" --that being provided one knows what that means (i.e. without private interpretations, by forgetting "all the counsel of God" and be "rightly dividing the Word of Truth" as God says.