Can you please tell me what biblical canonisation is?
Answer:
In a nutshell, it was the process the early church leaders used to determine which books of the Bible were to be considered part of the Holy Word of God.
Some of the very tough criteria included:
- Authorship – A book had to be written by an apostle or a close associate of an apostle. For example, Mark was not an apostle, but was a close associate of the Apostle Peter.
- Nature of the Book – Does the message of the book agree with the content of divine revelation in the Old Testament? Does the book reflect the character of the person and work of Jesus Christ and agree with the existing apostolic writing?
- Universality – Is the book being read and practiced in the churches throughout the Body of Christ? This criterion addresses the degree to which the people of God recognize and accept the authority of the book under consideration.
- Inspiration – The word inspiration literally means “God-breathed.” Does the book have a spiritual character that agree with the Holy Spirit who indwells all believers?