Part 1: Evidences
Is the Bible the complete and final word from God to mankind? What is the evidence supporting the Bible's claim of divine and unique origin? The Apostle Peter tells us in Second Peter, Chapter 1, Verse 21:
For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
This accounts for the inspiration of the Old Testament. We must note here that the Biblical meaning of the word prophecy is teaching. Jesus promised His disciples in John Chapter 16, Verse 13:
But when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.
Thus, guided by the Holy Spirit, the apostles and prophets of the New Testament revealed, recorded and confirmed the will of Christ. The signs and wonders the apostles performed proved the truth of their words forever. Their individual writings became the New Testament. Paul affirms this in Second Timothy, Chapter 3, Verse 16:
All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
In part, the book of Jude in Verse 3 reads:
. . .I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
Jude's statement is that revelation from God is complete, perfect, and final. From it a man can learn everything he needs to know about what God would have him do. We find encouragement and instruction in every verse of the Bible. This also shows that mankind needs no additional word from God.
Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was to guide the Apostles into "All Truth." In John, Chapter 14, Verse 26, Jesus said:
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Jesus kept this promise, study chapter 2 of the Book of Acts.
The above verses show that the Apostles were given the whole truth. Nothing remains for later teachers or prophets to reveal.
Paul, in Acts Chapter 20, Verse 27 affirms:
For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole Will of God.
In Second Peter, Chapter 1, Verse 3, the Apostle contends:
For His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.
These statements clearly show that there is no need for revelation from God after the close of the New Testament. The Book of Revelation, Chapter 22, Verses 18 through 19, reads:
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will take away from him his share in the Tree of Life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
The Bible is the standard by which all men are to walk religiously. We will also be judged by that standard.
Peter admonished, in First Peter, Chapter 4, Verse 11, in part: If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.
Paul, speaking to the Galatian church scolded them very strongly:
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! Galatians 1:6 through 9.
Thus it is true that the Bible is the one, single standard by which we are to live and the only source from which we are to speak. Jesus warns, as recorded in the Book of John, Chapter 12, Verse 48:
There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.
While picturing the judgment scene, John mentions two books, the Bible, and the Book of Life (Revelation, Chapter 20, Verse 12). We will be judged with the Bible as the standard and the Book of Life as the record of our lives.
A careful study and proper understanding of the Bible will establish that there will be NO LATER OR ADDITIONAL REVELATIONS FROM GOD!