The all-wise, all-powerful God had an opportunity to provide all that man would need in His Scripture? Did He do it? Can we know?
In the verse immediately after the affirmation that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” the Holy Spirit made it clear that God has breathed out all Scripture, so “that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). If I am complete and thoroughly equipped by Scripture, what am I missing? What else do I need? If there is something that I need outside of the 66 books to be complete, then this verse cannot be trusted.
Peter makes a similar declaration in 2 Peter 1:2-3. He says that we have “the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,” yes, “the knowledge of” Christ in His Divine revelation in Scripture. Then He says, “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.” What a very interesting pronouncement to make! One of the “exceedingly great and precious promises” that has “been given to us” (in v. 4) is that He has “given to us ALL things” that “we need for a godly life” (NIV). When a person sets out to live a life pleasing to God, is there something outside Scripture that he needs to find, or does he truly have “all” God provides?
Bible certainty #3: The truth of God’s Word has been once for ALL delivered. This is clearly taught near the end of the New Testament, in the book of Jude. The inspired penmen wrote to exhort his fellow Christians to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). “The faith” is God’s “one faith” (Eph. 4:5), which is the fullness of “the gospel” (Gal. 1:11+23), God’s objective body of truth which we must obey (Rom. 1:5; 16:26), continue in (Col. 1:23; 2 Tim. 4:7), and never abandon (1 Tim. 4:1; 6:10, 21).
“Once for all” is a key phrase, which means that the something, which has been done, has been done for all time and is not repeatable. The same expression is used in Hebrews 9:26 of the incarnation of Christ, in Hebrews 9:27 of our physical death, and Hebrews 9:28 of Christ’s offering for our sins (see also Rom. 6:10; Heb. 7:27; 9:12; 1 Pet. 3:18). These things will not be done again! There are no amendments to be added to these things! They have been done “once for all,” just as “the faith” has been “once for all delivered.” There are no other deliveries (i.e., revelations) from God that will be given outside of His inspired Scripture. That gives great assurance that, when any person picks up a Bible to read, he has the full and complete revelation of God to mankind in his hands, which is perpetually valid and requires no repetition or amendment. (More next week)