14) Most of the books of
the New Testament were written to address very specific problems in the early
Church, and none of them are a systematic presentation of Christian faith and
theology. On what biblical basis do Protestants think that everything that the
apostles taught is captured in the New Testament writings?
The Question misstates Protestant belief to set up a straw man.
Bible Christians believe the New Testament captures everything the apostles
taught that remains undiminished by the addition of the traditions of men.
Only in the 66 books of the Protestant Bible can we find the Word of God,
without confusion, without change, without division, without separation, the
divine nature of which being in no way diminished by the fact it was
transmitted via human authors.
We further believe all necessary to be made wise unto salvation is there, as it
is written:
2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which
are able to make thee wise unto(EIS) salvation
through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The preposition EIS ("unto" kjv) is
literally "into" and can be diagrammed as:
----{---- Salvation----}
EIS goes into the realm of salvation
Had Paul believed as Catholics do, that scriptures teach "about" or
point "toward" salvation, then Paul whould
have used either the preposition PERI, "about" or PROS, “toward”:
PERI ("about")
----{salvation}----
Or
PROS ("toward")
---- {Salvation}
God wrote EIS.
So it is apostolic doctrine the Old Testament can make wise unto salvation,
provided its testimony about Jesus is believed.
We see that proposition proved in our inerrant historical record:
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they
received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures
daily, whether those things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed; also
of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men,
not a few.
When the Old Testament testimony Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God is
believed....it made wise unto salvation.
It is written:
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works.
Paul is explicit, God wrote the Bible "in order that" (HINA) the man
of God be perfect, fully equipped."
This means the Bible is both materially AND formally sufficient as
Scripture could not accomplish this transformation if it cannot be correctly
understood.
Only intelligible words are profitable.
Incredibly some argue the addition of the NT proves the OT was lacking, that
Paul must be wrong. Then God is wrong for Paul's words are now Scripture.
However, the argument is non sequitur....it does not follow from a generous
host offering more food to his guests that they were starving to death.
The argument is inconsistent with objective facts: 1)Paul's
"all scripture God inspires" would include the New Testament; 2)What
is explicit in the New Testament is also found in the Old Testament, either
explicitly or implicitly.
Others argue "man of God" refers only to the Pope and Magisterium. However, it is elementary anyone born of God
is a "man of God", anyone begotten by His Word clearly was made wise
unto salvation by it:
KJV James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we
should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures
KJV 1 John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and
every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
This is confirmed by Paul's usage here. The antithesis being
"men not of God" in contrast to Timothy, a "man of God."
1 Timothy 6:10-12 10 For the love of money is the root
of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith,
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But thou, O man of God,
flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love,
patience, meekness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life,
whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before
many witnesses.
He is part of a class of persons, the saved class, the contrast is not of a
laity/clergy which was dissolved in the New Covenant (Matt 23:8):
Hebrews 8:10-11 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put
my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them
a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 And they shall not teach every
man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying,
Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Revelation 1:5 And from
Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead,
and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us
from our sins in his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be
glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall
see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds
of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith
the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
__________________
The times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth
all men every where to repent:
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the
door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.-kjv