Why 27?

How can we be sure that we have the right books in the New Testament? In recent days the composition of the New Testament has again been questioned. From the false accusations found in The Da Vinci Code book and film and the widely reported Gospel according to Judas, Brian Edwards shows that there is a need for believers to know why there are only 27 books in the New Testament. He does this skilfully, asserting that the inclusion of these books was never really in doubt. One of the greatest influences that forced the early church to identify the books of the New Testament canon was the spread of deviant cults in the first two centuries after the death and resurrection of Christ. The literature of these cults, more often than not claiming to be authentic sayings from the apostles, compelled the church leaders to establish the parameters for what properly belonged to the body of accepted literature – the New Testament canon.

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