What is the Canon?

What is the "canon"? The "canon" is the list of all the books that belong in the Bible. Check out the sites below for several good discussions on the canon.

What has intrigued me in my recent study about the Word is how the Word speaks of itself. 2 Tim. 3:16: "All Scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness." Psalm 19:7: "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple." Psalm 119:152: "Long ago, I learned from Your statutes that You established them forever." Psalm 119:160: "All Your words are true." John 5:39: "You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; but it is these that speak of Me." Romans 1:2: "the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures." Many verses could be added to this list of the Scripture exalting itself.

One could argue that it is circular reasoning to claim that a book is God's Word because the book itself claims it is God's Word. But what is noteworthy is that the Bible confidently, unabashedly speaks of itself as God-breathed, perfect, trustworthy, established forever, true, speaking of Jesus, holy, etc. Such confident claims from the Bible only reinforce other clear reasons to accept the Bible as God's Word. I hope you'll dive into the discussions in the links below.

http://www.desiringgod.org/Search/?search=apocrypha&x=0&y=0

(When you get to this page click on the first title that says, "Why We Believe the Bible," for the first discussion. A second discussion can be found by clicking on the last title that says, "Tested By Fire." Once that opens, go to Appendix 2.)