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 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:
The churches of New Testament times recognized the apostolic origin of the books they received.
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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.
- The "truth heard from the beginning" relates to the oral teaching of the apostle.
- What John now writes has 3 basic purposes:
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 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.
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