The Concept and Importance of Canonicity
By Dr. Greg Bahnsen
Antithesis I:5 (Sept./Oct., 1990)
Scripture as Final Authority
The Christian faith is based upon God’s own self-revelation, not the conflicting opinions or untrustworthy speculations of men. As the Apostle Paul wrote: “your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (I Cor. 2:5).
The world in its own wisdom would never understand or seek God (Rom. 3:11) but always suppress or distort the truth in unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18, 21). So Paul concluded that “the world in its wisdom did not know God” (I Cor. 1:21), and he set in sharp contrast “the words which man’s wisdom teaches” and those which “God revealed unto us through the Spirit” (I Cor. 2:10, 13). In light of that contrast, we need to see that the apostolic message did not originate in persuasive words of human wisdom or insight (I Cor. 2:4). The light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ was, as they said, “of God and not from ourselves” (II Cor. 4:6-7). Paul thanked God that the Thessalonians received his message “not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God” (I Thess. 2:13). As Peter wrote, “no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit” ( II Peter 1:21). Paul said of the sacred writings which make us wise unto salvation that every one of them is “God-breathed,” inspired by God (II Tim. 3:15-17).
It is for this reason that the Scriptures are profitable for our doctrine, correction, and instruction. We must pay attention to the message which is divine – and all of it, as Jesus said: “Man shall live… by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). But God’s people must not submit to uninspired words of men. “Thus says Jehovah of hosts, Hearken not unto the word of the prophets… speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah” (Jer. 23:16). Nor should God’s people allow their faith to be compromised by any philosophy which is “after the tradition of men… and not after Christ” (Col. 2:8). Christ Himself condemned those who “have made void the word of God because of [their] tradition” (Matt. 15:6). Human philosophy and human traditions have no place in defining the Christian faith.
The message of the Christian faith is, therefore, rooted in and circumscribed by God’s own revealed word — not the authoritative words of men. Where is God’s Word found? “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son” (Heb. 1:1-2). God verbally revealed Himself in many ways: from His personal address to Adam or Abraham to the inspired preaching of Jonah, Amos, or Ezekiel. He also sent His word in writing to His people: from the tablets of the Mosaic law to the written message of Isaiah or Jeremiah. Even the word of God which was originally delivered orally needed to be reduced to writing in order for us to know about it and for it to function as an objective standard for faith and obedience. The word of false teachers was to be exposed by the previously inscribed law (Deut. 13:1-5) or written testimony (Is. 8:20)…
