How is scripture admitted to canon? Just as even modern ideas from psychology, they must be internally consistent. In order for thoughts to be realistic, each premise must be consistent with the ones before. No one would accept a field of psychology if it was self-contradictory, and neither would religious adherents.
Since Holy Scripture is the very word of God given to men who wrote it down, scripture that contradicts God is false doctrine.
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..."Note that all scripture, not just some of it, is divinely inspired. Literally, this means, "every Writing [is] God-breathed" (YLT). God doesn't contradict Himself. What is written down from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 is the plan. Furthermore, canon is limited by God himself:
Revelation 22:18 "If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."To be honest, there was other Old Testament Scripture. The Septuagint was written before the time of Revelation. Seventy Jewish scholars took a few hundred years, and finished in 132 B.C. Simon Magus was not born in that time to tamper with what was written. All Holy Scripture in the Septuagint is Christ-centered - the Messiah. Those writings surely were inspired because Christ Jesus fits the description written down to even his birth and death! Those scholars included over this long period all the writings which were internally consistent, leaving out only writings which were either written later, or were redundant.
Canon means "authorized". The seventy used only that scripture which they deemed the very Word of God. Hence, Holy Scripture at the time of Jesus was authorized by God and validated by Jesus who neither refuted it, or corrected it, but quoted it as His very own words. Jesus knew the Old Testament thoroughly because he is the Word who said what was written. Jesus never one time added to nor took away what was written therein, not even adding compatible scripture such as Jubilees nor Enoch. If Holy Scripture was divine truth, according to Jesus, who are we to question it? We are not God, and our gods are limited in knowledge!
Because of cults, the New Testament was a little more difficult. Gnostic's ideas were already in written circulation. Satan had his scribes busy denigrating the real Jesus. With their writings, Jesus kept his Name but lost his divine identity. His body which ascended to heaven, was never even on the cross, according to the Gnostics.
The catholic Church which was the forerunner of all other churches, were "defenders of the faith". Representatives of the early church developed creeds to combat heresy. The catholic (universal)Church determined what was considered canon. Although the Roman Catholics claim that it's origin commenced with Peter, the official Roman Catholic Church evolved in 380 A.D. with the Council of Thessalonica when the Nicene Creed was written. The papacy was formalized with Rome's bishop as church head at the time of Constantine ca 312 A. D. (Wikipedia). Although, even some Bishops of Rome had some Platonian/Gnostic ideas, most theologians to this day regard the Nicene Creed as a true representation of Christ and Christianity.
Later on, even Martin Luther desired to remove canon with which he disagreed, but failed. What is in the Bible remained in the Bible, and not added to, according to God's plan. What we have as canonical scripture is extant because God wanted it that way!
Cults either add to or take away from scripture. We are all familiar with Mormonism and Islam which added new books - the Book of Morman and the Quran, respectively. Those two books are not canon, not even deuterocanonical - not part of the Hebrew Bible, but are pseudographical - false canon! A characteristic of most cults are extraneous doctrine, some even the writings of their "church" theologians. In fact, Islam and Mormonism has much in common except for the era in which they were created!
If I write something which denigrates the divinity of Christ, it is false commentary. I strongly endeavor to present the truth about Christ. Sometimes, due to the mysteries of God, most commentators fail to know all there is about the "nature" of God. I do not as well, but I know who he says He Is, and the truth of the gospel. The Nicene Creed made it clear, and we owe the early bishops, not the Roman Catholic Church for that creed.
Over the years, the Rome's catholic church has deviated from the internal consistency of Holy Scripture. I'm not denigrating Catholicism, but their doctrine is different than mine since I am a "protestant" - protestor of Roman Catholicism. So don't take offense, but our belief systems are much different. Luther pointed that out at Wittenburg Church with his Ninety-five Theses. With time, denominations were formed with more refinement of scripture. It was not scripture, however, which changed, but church or denominational doctrine. That is a major point because canon never changes, but man's thoughts do!
It is mankind's input into Holy Scripture which produces falsehoods. Unfortunately, over the years, the Pope of Rome, rather than a "defender of the faith", became a loose cannon! Now, the papacy is infallible but Christ is, and another god(dess) is worshiped in the name of Mary. As such, the English immigrants to America desired to exclude those of the "Catholic Superstition", according to their charter.
Is the Catholic Church a cult? It's not my place to say that. I do disagree with Marianism, transubstantiation, paedobaptism, papal infallibilty, indulges, priests' sacramentals, praying to saints, purgatory, and many other things, but their doctrine is still Christ-centered for the most part. However, their practice of tolerance has legitimatized paganism. I find that to be heretical. As such, Catholicism may be more lukewarm, being neither hot nor cold, and is possibly the path to the apostate church of the tribulation period.
If Roman Catholicism is apostate, so, then, are many mainline protestant churches which deny the inspiration of Holy Scripture, the nature of Jesus, and their tolerance of sinners as members of the church body. When churches condone abortion and homosexuality, they are no longer God's Church. You can name them; I'm just pointing that out! Their doctrine may be pure, but their practices are immoral. They have taken away from scripture, and I believe many of them are no more than cults! You be the judge:
“The Pope takes the place of Jesus Christ on earth…by divine right the Pope has supreme and full power in faith, in morals over each and every pastor and his flock. He is the true vicar, the head of the entire church, the father and teacher of all Christians. He is the infallible ruler, the founder of dogmas, the author of and the judge of councils; the universal ruler of truth, the arbiter of the world, the supreme judge of heaven and earth, the judge of all, being judged by no one, God himself on earth.” (Quoted in the New York Catechism)
“We confess that the Pope has power of changing Scripture and of adding to it, and taking from it according to his will.” (Roman Catholic Confessions for Protestants Oath, Article XI.).
One thing a cult always has is a strong leader who sells the idea that their word is as applicable as God's word. Even a United Baptist member once told me that when his grandpa prophecies, it's as valid as if Moses spoke! I don't know if his church believes that, but he spoke it with authority! Strong leaders get innocent people to drink the Kool-Aid, so to speak - just as Jim Jones did in Guyana.
The most prolific cult, in that they have deceived even mainstream churches, are Unitarian-Universalists (UU). Look at them, and you'll see what global "Christianity" looks like in the near future. They have added all religions and their writings to scripture. They are reprobate in their disobedience, not even believing the First Commandment. They, although friendly as can be, are as heretical as any sect can get, yet mainstream churches mingle with them in ecumenical activities!
The UU, as do the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, grow by loving people, at least they use that technique. When people are desperate is when cults seem to always be there to lift up. That in itself is good, and other churches should mimic that. However, if it is merely to get them into the church, it's false love. Christians are called to get them into heaven!
Cults focus on works rather than grace. That brings me to the church. I have used "Church" in capitals several times. That is the true Church - the body of believers everywhere. I belong to the Church because I accept the atoning blood of Jesus who died in my place. Many cults do as well, but they add to that works - things we must do beyond belief to be saved. "Social justice" denominations and those with a "liberation theology" - focus on those morally oppressed. Those two issues are more people centered than Christ-centered, and are works. Of course, we must do good works but not at the expense of neglecting God's grace!
On the other end of the spectrum are those who neglect the idea of spiritual change, and submit that the Christian can live for the devil yet belong to Christ. That is antinomianism where grace is taken to the extreme, and people live guiltless in sin! I believe that five-point Calvinists can end up being antinomialists if they're not careful. That's a trick Satan plays: he uses grace even to disguise sinful living!
Most cults believe that you must be part of their church to be Christian. Throughout history, the Roman Catholic Church fostered that idea. One Pope said that other gods are a way to heaven, but Christ is the super way. That is univeralism, and is false teaching! Jesus is the Way and only Way to be saved but in this modern age, others see that as very intolerant. In fact, liberal denominations belief that evangelicals are intolerant for believing that. Those accusers are cults!
Some Churches of Christ believe their church is the Church. Jehovah's Witnesses do, and so do most cults. On the flip-side, are those who believe that any church is okay or even no church, and that doctrine is not of concern.
I think you see how far we've come! Doctrine means nothing to Satan. His only desire is that we disagree with Jesus's teachings! He used Simon Magus to start the distortion, and with movies such as The De Vinci Code, his doctrine is still going strong! When archeologists dug up the 52 Gnostic gospels in Nag Hammadi, Egypt in 1945, symbolically Simon Magus was resurrected. His doctrine was revived, and even Christians everywhere have become doubters. In effect, their god is Simon, just as he claimed to be! The words of Simon are still thorns in the flesh of Christians everywhere. We must defend our faith as strongly as the apostles did, even against those who were at one time "defenders of the faith"!
The cult of Simon lives on. Gnosticism is still in competition with Christianity. Cults are their Simons.
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