Text: My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me (John 10:27). When you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
A book of the Bible is canonical because it is inspired by God and that determines canonicity. The early church recognized inspired scripture as the text above indicates. In addition, Paul recognized Luke as scripture in 1 Timothy 5:18 and Peter recognized his collection of Paul’s writing of scripture as canonical in 2 Peter 3:16.
Very early church leaders such as Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp, Hermas, Didache, Papius, Irenaeus, Diogentus, Justin Martyr and Tertulian, like the apostles, recognized which books of the Bible were canonical and treated them as the authoritative and inspired Word of God. In fact, nearly the entire New Testament can be compiled from their profuse quotations of Scripture. Muratorian listed 23 of the 27 books of the New Testament as canonical in 170 AD and Athanasius is the first to list all 27.
The biblically based early church recognized, witness to, and was the servant of the canon and not the mother, judge or master of it. Let us follow their example. Canonicity is the inspiration and authority that designate a book as part of the rule or standard of faith and practice (from Dr. Norman Geisler).
Calvary Chapel of Richmond is a local fellowship of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know Christ and be conformed to His image by the power of the Holy Spirit through the continuous study and application of God's Word.
