Is the Bible Complete, or Is it Still being Written?

(Dr. Norman Geisler from our series “Is the Bible Unique, or just Another Religious Book?”)

Jesus Confirmed the Old Testament

Jesus and the New Testament writers confirmed the Old Testament: they quoted from almost all the books; they referred to all the sections of the Old Testament; they used phrases like “Law and the Prophets” that always refers to the Old Testament. But how do we know the New Testament?

Jesus Promised the New Testament

Well, Jesus promised the New just as He had confirmed the Old. He said in John 14:26 and John 16:23 the Holy Spirit is going to lead you, the apostles, into all truth, bring to your remembrance whatever I have taught you”

1. Now, whatever the apostles taught was Spirit directed. Jesus said so.
2. The New Testament is what the apostles taught.
3. Therefore, the New Testament is Spirit-directed.

Jesus promised that He would give the New Testament. The apostles claimed this power, and they wrote it. The only place in the world you will find a record of apostolic teaching is in the 27 books of the New Testament—no more, no less. There is no other book known to mankind that the apostles wrote, and every book that they wrote under the inspiration of God we have in the New Testament.

Why the Canon Is Complete

Therefore, with the end of the New Testament, with the end of apostolic teaching, we have the full and final revelation of God. Because Jesus said, “I will lead you to all truth,” not just some, all truth, “necessary for faith and practice will be given to you.” The New Testament is the record of what was given to them; therefore, the New Testament completes the Canon, finishes the Bible.

And when the last apostle wrote the last book, referring to his book but indirectly to the whole Bible, he said, “Don’t add to it; don’t take away from it, because the Bible is the complete Word of God.” [Revelation 22:18-19]

Two Questions for Anyone Claiming New Revelation

So, if somebody comes along today and says, “I have a new revelation from God,” ask him two questions. Number 1: How old are you? If they’re not 2,000 years old, if they didn’t live in the apostolic period, they don’t qualify. Why? To be an apostle you had to be an eyewitness of the resurrection, Acts 1:22. 1 Corinthians 9:1, “Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen our Lord? Didn’t I show you the signs of an apostle?” 2 Corinthians 12:12 Paul said if they aren’t 2,000 years old, they’re very, very late on saying that you should accept their revelations.

Number 2: Can they raise the dead? Now, I know a lot of contemporary evangelists who raise Cain, you know; take their coat and swing it around, knock people over and people faint. But can they raise the dead? Can they heal Joni Eareckson Tada? Can they instantaneously cure all kinds of sicknesses? If they don’t have those kinds of powers, they aren’t apostles. And if they aren’t apostles or associates of apostles that they gave those kinds of powers to, they aren’t qualified to write books that should be added to the Bible.

The Bible Is Sufficient

If you listen to a lot of the televangelists today, you would think that we should all be getting a Bible with a lot of white pages in the back or a loose-leaf Bible to add all this new stuff. No. The Bible is sufficient. The Bible is complete. Jesus confirmed the Old; promised the New; the Apostles wrote it, and we’ve got it.