HOW DO WE KNOW THE NEW TESTAMENT IS THE WORD OF GOD?IntroductionThere is much debate about the accuracy and inerrancy of the Scriptures. Concerning this debate there is an underlying question of whether or not the New Testament is considered part of the canon or whether it is actually given by inspiration from God. How did the books found in the New Testament get there? Who decided which books to add or remove? Do we have all the books we should have? Many ask these questions, but Christians are not equipped to answer them. For centuries, Christians have claimed to possess absolute truth, to be saved through faith alone, and to affirm that the Scriptures are inspired by God. Despite these claims, many Christians are unable to clarify the origins of what they rely on all their faith. The questions posed above are profoundly significant because they have eternal consequences. They have consequences because to trust and obey God there must be certainty in the accuracy of God's Word. This testament will attempt to answer the question: How do we know the New Testament is the Word of God? Definitions To determine whether the New Testament is the Word of God one must understand how the New Testament was formed. It is very important to understand the terms that make up the process and physical existence of the New Testament and the Bible. When referring to the Bible, many people use different terms to mean the same thing. Scripture The word Scripture means “writing” or “writing of truth.” The New Testament provides a very specific definition and purpose of Scripture. The Bible says that all Scripture is inspired by God and is good for c...... middle of paper...... Spirit who inspired the writings.BIBLIOGRAPHYCarson, D.A., and Douglas J. Moo. 2005. An Introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.Keener, Craig S. 2003. The Gospel of John: A Commentary. Massachusetts: Hendrickson.Law, David R. 2010. Inspiration. Bloomsbury Publishing.Lea., Thomas D. and Black., David Alan. 2003. The New Testament is background and message. Nashville, Tennessee: Published by B&H Academic.The Holy Bible, The New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Orr, James. 1956. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans. http://www.internationalstandardbible.com/S/scripture.htmlSmyth, Kevin. 1940. The criterion of New Testament inspiration. Catholic biblical quarterly 2 : 229.