Is the Bible Enough?

Note, this is part of a series on the Importance of the Word.

Is the Bible enough? This article argues that although the Bible doesn't record many things, and some things were specifically left out, what has been written down is fully sufficient for life and godliness.

“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
John 20:30-31

“And there are also many other things which Jesus did,
the which, if they should be written every one,
I suppose that even the world itself could not contain
the books that should be written. Amen.”
John 21:25

According to these verses, there were "...many other things..." and "...many other signs..." which Jesus did, that God chose not to have recorded. He said and did many other things that were "real life" historical events, but God, in His infinite wisdom, chose not to have them recorded. Please notice again...

“...many other signs... which are not written in this book...”

“...many other things... if they should be written...”

So, then:

First, many other things that happened were not written.
Secondly, some words were revealed to man, in the past, which were not even written down and subsequently not included in our Bible.
“And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not”.
Revelation 10:4

In this passage God did allow John to hear these voices and understand them. He was commanded, however, to "...write them not...". The end result is that we have the letter that John wrote to the seven churches, but we do not have the words of these voices written down. This verse relates a similar incident:

“How that he was caught up into paradise,
and heard unspeakable words,
which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”
2 Corinthians 12:4
Whoever this man was, he heard some words and described them as "unspeakable" and "unlawful to utter", but we do not have these words written down or included in our Bible.
Thirdly, we have a record of many things that God did allow man to write down, but were not included in the Bible. For example, in the New Testament...
“And when this epistle is read among you,
Cause that it be read also in
the church of the Laodiceans;
and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.”
Colossians 4:16
We do not have this letter written to the Laodiceans. In the Old Testament...
“Now the acts of David the king, first and last,
behold, they are written in the book of Samuel
the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet
and in the book of Gad the seer,”
1 Chronicles 29:29
We do not have the book of Nathan or Gad, nor do we have the books of: the wars of the LORD (Numbers 21:14-15), Ashur (Joshua 10:13), Jasher (2 Samuel 1:18), Shemaiah (2 Chronicles 12:15), Iddo (2 Chronicles 20:34), or Jehu (2 Chronicles 20:30).

In summary...

Many other things that happened were not written down.
Some words, revealed by God to man, were also not written down.
Many things that were written down were not included in the Bible.

The things that were written down, however, were written for a specific purpose. Consider the following...

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime
were written for our learning,
that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures
might have hope.”
Romans 15:4

“Now all these things happened unto them for examples¹:
and they are written for our admonition,
upon whom the ends of the world are come.”
I Corinthians 10:11

The things that we have in the Bible were written for our learning and our admonition.

“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God:
but those things which are revealed
belong unto us and to our children for ever,
that we may do all the words of this law.”
Deuteronomy 29:29

According to this verse, God has allowed some things to remain "secret" and he has "revealed" certain things to man in order that man would respond in a positive way to them. This verse tells us that as we approach the Word of God, we should always ask Him what it is He would have us to do in response to His revelation to us. Remember, some things happened that were not written, some words were spoken that were not written, and some things were written but not included in our Bible. Therefore, the things that we read in the Bible are "revealed" for a purpose: that we might do, or act, or respond to what He is saying.

“According as his divine power hath given unto us
all things that pertain unto life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him
that hath called us into glory and virtue.”
II Peter 1:3

Finally, this verse tells us that what we do have is "all things that pertain to life and godliness". Regardless of the need of our life, somewhere in the written word of God, there is some revelation of God that will give us what we need to live and live godly. Yes, some things happened that were never written, some words were spoken that were never written, and some things were written that we do not have access. However, please know that what we do have is more than sufficient because through the knowledge of God revealed there we have everything we need to live godly.

Conclusion

We have all that we need for life and godliness in the word of God.

Footnotes

1. ensamples

Is the Bible Enough?

Conclusion

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Footnotes