There are different seasons in the year to fish, hunt, to Ski or surf. Yet it seems that the Bible is always in someone’s high powered scope. Recently, it has been raised to a new intensity with various TV specials, movies (Da Vinci Code) and books (Jesus Dynasty, the Jesus papers) challenging whether the Bible is accurate or there are pieces missing. No, I’m not talking about Mormonism or some new religious cult, but the general public driven by Gnostic sympathizers and semi educated liberal critics who seem to want to change the word as well as history. You will find that many new books with modern day challenges of the historical Jesus and the records from the manuscripts are making up their presentations from myths. They are going to sources that are false. We have often heard Jesus went to Tibet, Egypt, India and even Central America after He rose from the dead (Mormonism). Seems Jesus went everywhere but the where the Bible says He went – to heaven.

Matt 5:18 Jesus speaking “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (NKJ)

The Bible states “It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law” (Luke 16:17).

Psalm 119:89 “Forever, O LORD, your word is settled in heaven.”

John 6:68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Likewise the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:104-105 “Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

God’s word is as sure as God Himself. For one to believe in God they must believe in what He said, that which is written and found in the Bible alone. The Bible is been known to be historically, archeologically and prophetically accurate. No other book that claims to be from God comes close in these categories. There have been over 25,000 sites have been discovered by archaeology pertaining to the Bible, thousands of individuals and events have been proven to be true from the Scriptures.  There are approximately fifty three thousand manuscripts that are part or the whole of the Greek New Testament, this is more than any other piece of ancient literature. So why are there so many people questioning its authenticity as if none of this exists?

The question that is now being asked is not a new one- what is God’s word? Which books are to be included in the Bible.

There are many so called lost books that people are now believing that they were intentionally not included in the Bible in the early church. This is accurate and there are numerous reasons for this. In the beginning the church took its time to insure the right ones were accepted the church. They delayed their recognition and took their time to make sure a book was inspired by God and not from man. This way the Church was able to reject false books that wanted infiltrate Christianity and water down the truth committed to the apostles. and there were a lot of books circulating, increasing over a few hundred years.

We find that even 2 Peter in the early church had a very long wait to be part of the canon. Even Eusebius the historian in the fourth century said, “But the so-called second Epistle we have not received as canonical, but nevertheless it has appeared useful to many, and has been studied with other Scriptures” (Eusebius 1:193).

Luke writes (1:3( “it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus. “Luke was aware of other written (and oral) sources based on eyewitnesses and those that were not. He used some of the reliable sources to compile his gospel. One can only imagine the tales of miracles that followed the apostles, exaggerations or things attributed to them that they never did or taught. Luke’s concern was to take all the accurate information and put it together in a sequential order (Luke 1:1-4). All that is recorded as Scripture is authorized by and from God through His hand picked men.

The Apostle Peter, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, writes, “knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. For prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:20-21).

Nothing in the process of canonization relates to a conspiracy to silence the truth (as Dan Brown or others insinuate). Because the churches were spread out and communication was slow, the assembling and recognition of the New Testament books took much more time than it might in our modern day. This of course included the copying of the texts and distributing them. Many of the books that were rejected did not claim to be the Word of God nor cite the word of God (the Old or New Testament) as the other books that were already delivered to the church. They obviously conflicted with the already revealed body of Scripture in their hands. Unbiblical concepts such as prayers for the dead in 2 Macc. 12:45-46 showed them that they were not inspired by God. They also had obvious historical or prophetic inaccuracies. Jesus' statements were also inaccurate. These books were recognized as not inspired, or authentically written by either a Jewish Prophet or an Apostle. Since they were not in harmony with what was already delivered as our Bible they were not included in the canon.

The New Testament writings quote the Old Testament to show their fulfillment or meaning. Let me give you a practical example. If you were present or an event of great magnitude happened during the time you live you would have firsthand information on it.

Jn.5:45-47; quoting Ps 40:7 Then I said, “Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. ”

Even Jesus said: “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life (John 5:39) They speak of me.

Luke 24:44-45 Then He (Jesus) said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”

Luke 4:21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing,” quoting Isa.61. This was prophesy of the Messiah and His work among the people.

Jesus said (Mark 12:10) “Have you not read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, quoting Ps.118:22. Throughout the apostles writings in both the Gospels and the letters they constantly quote and refer to the Old Testament as being a fulfillment and a reference point. In fact many of these instances have deep profound meaning besides their historical content. In this particular Scripture it was tied to a feast day that they were commanded to to observe. And the other portions become prophesy of whom they are actually rejecting.

Acts 1:16 “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas” (referring to Ps. 41:9).

There are at least 250 quotes from Old Testament books contained in the New Testament. All Old Testament books are quoted as authoritative by the New Testament writers except Esther, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon (however Jesus does mention Solomon and his wisdom). Only the books contained in Old Testament are quoted as authoritative, no other books are cited as divinely inspired (Matthew 5:17-18).

However, we do have other books mentioned that are not necessarily found separate from the Old Testament-The Book of the Wars of the Lord (Num. 21: 14); Book of Jasher (Is not this written in the Book of Jasher? Josh. 10: 13 “Behold it is written in the Book of Jasher.” II Samuel, 1: 18); an ancient work which relates directly to Biblical historical times and events. However, it has its internal problems, for example Terah, Abram's father, was the commander-in-chief of Nimrod's army.

Many believe that a number of these separate books are already incorporated into the Old Testament Scripture. There are those who hold to a missing letter of Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:9) and a missing epistle to the Colossians that was written from Laodicea (Col. 4:16). A lot of Paul's phrases are strung together but clearly not written with a theme like his other epistles. Remember God is the author of the Scripture man is the instrument. Since God is the creator of all things and holds all things together he certainly is watching over His Word. We have in our hands is exactly what we need to have, no more or less.

Jude mentions Enoch’s prophecy which is also in the Book of Enoch (1 Enoch 1:9 ). Jude 1:14-15 “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, “to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

But though it contains a prophecy attributed to Enoch it does not put a stamp of approval on the book.

Then there are unathentic books that claimed to be of Peter. The Apocalypse of Peter, purported visions of heaven and hell, given to Peter. This was called “spurious” even by Eusebius. The Acts of Peter appeared at the end of 2nd century. It contained a love affair of Peter's daughter. A conflict with Simon Magus the modalist, who claimed to be the Holy Spirit; it also contains the “Quo vadis” story.

The Bible we have today- Even the whole Bible we have today is not in the exact order that the Jews put the Old Testament books in. However it does contain the same books. The earliest known attempt to list the received books is the Muratorian Canon discovered in 170 in Italy it is the oldest whole Bible manuscript (it was missing Hebrews, James 1 and 2nd Peter). It was Origin (185-253 AD) who placed the gospels in order that we have today.  Irenaeus (A.D. 185), acknowledged twenty-one books; Hippolytus (A.D. 170-235) recognized twenty-two books. Before the year 200 AD, 21 of the 27 books were secure in the canon. They were known throughout the world wherever believers were.

The earliest complete list is that of Eusebius (who died 340 AD). He distinguished the books universally received in the church from those (six of them) accepted by the majority of churches. He divided the New Testament into three parts- The fully accepted books, disputed books and Heretical books. They already knew what was right and wrong.

Since those books claimed divine authority, the church had to examine these carefully and either accept or reject them. By doing this they defined the inspired canon that already was known as authentic. We know this because of the early church pastors (called bishops) like Clement of Rome, in his Epistle to the Corinthians (A.D. 95), quotes from, or refers to, Matthew, Luke, Romans, Corinthians, Hebrews, I Timothy, 1 Peter. As do numerous others. They do not quote from the majority of these books that are now resurfacing or being popularized (with only a few exceptions).

One of the principle founders of the Harvard Law School had set out to disprove the biblical testimony of the eyewitnesses on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  He was certain that a careful examination of the internal witness of the Gospels would dispel all the myths at the heart of Christianity.  Yet he was surprise when he took an unbiased objective look at the evidence.

Simon Greenleaf notes in The Testimony of the Evangelists the accepted rule of evidence relative to ancient documents, the “ancient documents” rule: “Every document, apparently ancient, coming from the proper repository or custody, and bearing on its face no evident marks of forgery, the law presumes to be genuine, and devolves on the opposing party the burden of proving it to be otherwise.”( Simon Greenleaf, The Testimony of the Evangelists: The Gospels Examined by the Rules of Evidence Administered in Courts of Justice 16. )

 At the Council of Nicea- Athanasius who was debating on the deity of Christ against the heretic Arius, drew his arguments from the 27 books used in the Eastern Church and said that these books are the springs of salvation, do not add or take away from them. Kelly the historian writes, The first official document which prescribes the twenty-seven books of our new Testament as alone canonical is Athanasius’s Easter letter for the year 367, but the process was not everywhere complete until at least a century and a half later (Kelly, pp.59-60). By the Council of Laodicea 363 AD the church decreed on the canon that was to be read in the churches, the question on the book of Revelation was left. Later, the Council of Hippo (393 A.D.) recognized and also approved the twenty-seven books. The Council of Carthage (397 A.D.) affirmed that only those canonical books were to be read in the churches. Other books  were being circulated at the time and came afterwards but the canon was closed so they were no longer a threat. So ended the dispute of any new books being added to the canon. It took over a century to have the various church representatives rule on it, though these books were accepted at least a hundred years before by the majority of the church without any council.

The word pseudepigrapha is a Greek word meaning falsely super-scribed. The Book of Enoch is a pseudepigraphical work. The Pseudepigraphal books are a collection of writings composed between 200 BC and AD 200 that are not considered inspired. A list of these would be the Epistle of Barnabas, the First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, the Second Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, The letter of the Smyrnaeans or the Martyrdom of Polycarp. The Shepherd of Hermas, written about A.D. 100 to 140, the “Pilgrim's Progress” of the ancient church, which made use of James. Of all the books written this  book contains numerous similarities of other New Testament books. There is the Gospel of Thomas (140-190 AD), The Psalms of Solomon, The Odes of Solomon, The Testaments of the twelve Patriarchs, the Second Baruch, the Third Baruch, the Books of Adam and Eve etc..

There are upwards of 60 books and they all cannot be quoted but I will quote a few of these representations to illustrate the reason why they were rejected.

The books of Enoch are a group of fragments, from various authors. Some estimate to be written in the 1st and 2nd centuries B.C., Containing revelations that were given to Enoch and Noah. It speaks of the Coming Messiah and the Day of Judgment (Jude 14 supposedly lifts a portion of this.)

In chapter. 20 we find the Lord dwells tenth heaven. It also says there are seven heavens (30:2-3) and angelic hosts God created the souls of men before the foundation of the earth (23:5); there are problems with this book. There are other incongruities with the Bible: “Have courage, Enoch, do not fear; the eternal God sent us to you, and lo! You shalt to-day ascend with us into heaven, and you shall tell your sons and all your household all that they shall do without you on earth in your house, and let no one seek you till the Lord return you to them.” In chapt. 68: 1-3 Enoch was born on the sixth day of the month Tsivan, and lived three hundred and sixty-five years. He was taken up to heaven on the first day of the month Tsivan and remained in heaven sixty days. He wrote all these signs of all creation, which the Lord created, and wrote three hundred and sixty-six books, and handed them over to his sons and remained on earth thirty days, and was again taken up to heaven on the sixth day of the month Tsivan, on the very day and hour when he was born.”.

Other writings besides the Apocrypha, originated in the 2nd century B.C. and the 1st century A.D., were “Apocalyptic” in nature. The writer would assumed the name and rewrite history in terms of prophecy. They are composed of mostly visions purporting to come from ancient personages of Scripture.

Assumption of Moses was written by a Pharisee, about the birth of Christ. Contains prophecies attributed to Moses when he was about to die, which he entrusted to Joshua.

Their were four Infancy Gospels: “The Birth of Mary,” a work written in the middle of the second century; “The Protoevangelium of James,” written about the same time; the first “Gospel of Infancy,” composed about A.D. 400; which narrates the birth of Mary to innocents. These were stories circulating at the beginning of the 2nd century ends in the 5th.

These so-called infancy gospels were written later on to fill in the details of the early unrecorded years of the life of Christ. “The Second Infancy Gospel,” which was found to be a fragment of the Gospel of Thomas. These works include stories of Jesus forming clay figures of animals and birds which He makes walk, fly, and eat. Another account has a child who runs into Jesus and falls down dead. These examples of the fanciful stories found in the accounts. They are proven that they were taken from apocryphal writings. Muslims often make use of these to try and infer that the Bible is inaccurate.  Gospel of Psuedo Matthew was a 5th century forgery of Matthew that mentions the childhood miracles of Jesus. Mohammed used these stories of Jesus childhood not knowing they were untrue.

The beginning of virgin worship surfaced in the 4th century - The work- the passing of Mary which describes her ascension to heaven along with frivolous miracles. St. John is wisked to her supernaturally said to her: How shall I alone perform thy funeral rites, unless my brethren and fellow-apostles of my Lord Jesus Christ come to pay honour to thy body? And, behold, on a sudden, by the command of God, all the apostles were snatched up, raised on a cloud, from the places in which they were preaching the word of God, and set down before the door of the house in which Mary dwelt.” After Mary dies, Jesus ordered the archangel Michael to bring the soul of St. Mary. Michael rolls the stone from the door of the tomb; and the Lord said: Arise, my beloved and my nearest relation; thou who hast not put an corruption by intercourse with man, suffer not destruction of the body in the sepulchre. And immediately Mary rose from the tomb, and blessed the Lord, and falling forward at the feet of the Lord, adored Him, saying: I cannot render sufficient thanks to Thee, O Lord, for Thy boundless benefits which Thou hast deigned to bestow upon me Thine handmaiden. May Thy name, O Redeemer of the world, God of Israel, be blessed for ever.

Nativity of Mary was found to be a deliberate forgery in the 6th century to further worship of Virgin Mary. It contained stories about daily visits of angels, during Papal growth it became quite popular.

It was Luke who stated he interviewed the eyewitnesses and received a complete understanding to write an accurate account which we hold in our hands today. In contains details of Mary and the conception and birth of Jesus. These accounts do not agree.

As Christianity, the church grew, everyone wanted to get in on it and be important. We find that there were numerous writings produced after the apostles penned down the scriptures. The “Lost Books of the Bible” may be a catchy phrase for today's textual critics but it is not something we find from history.

The gospel of Thomas (called the fifth gospel) is another 2nd century writing that gives stories of fantasy of Jesus from his 5th to 12th year of childhood and is antithetical to the revealed record, it is known as a Gnostic forgery among true believers that are scholars of ancient manuscripts. Because it challenges the revealed record of the other gospels. When carefully examined alongside the other gospels and writings it hardly is recognizable as the Words of Christ. There are some similar phrases, but there are others that are so far off that one can only conclude that someone took it upon themselves to write it. Here are some examples:

Gospel of Thomas, begins by saying: “These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down . . . Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death.” In other words if you really know these words, then no sickness or death will befall you. This extreme can be found in modern Gnosticism in the church through latter rain teachings as some have taught they will become immortal before the resurrection.

The “living Jesus” as he is called in the Gospel of Thomas says to his disciples: if those who lead you [no doubt orthodox Christianity' I say to you, “See, the Kingdom is in the sky,” then the birds of the air will precede you. If they say to you, “It is in the sea,” then the fish will precede you. Rather the kingdom is inside of you.... When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living Father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty.”

These are the secret words which the living Jesus spoke, and Didymus Judas Thomas wrote them down.

And he said: He who shall find the interpretation of the words shall not taste of death. Jesus said: The man aged in his days will not hesitate ask a little child of seven days about the place of life, and he shall live. For there are many first who shall be last, and they shall become a single one.

Such profound silliness found in the Gnostic family of manuscripts, they has no comparison to the practical wisdom Jesus actually taught.

There is even the unbiblical teaching of pantheism seen in this work- Jesus said: I am the light that is over them all. I am the All; the All has come forth from me, and the All has attained unto me. Cleave a (piece of) wood: I am there. Raise up the stone, an ye shall find me there.

Gnostic Gospel of Philip “You saw the Spirit, you became spirit. You saw Christ, you became Christ. You saw the Father, you shall become Father.” (Gospel of Philip) “But one receives the unction of the [...] of the power of the cross. This power the apostles called “the right and the left.” For this person is no longer a Christian but a Christ”

This is direct opposition to everything the Bible teaches of Jesus being the only Christ.  This becomes a new age view which is exactly what the ancient Gnostics were. The Gospel of Philip also taught for one to go beyond spiritual “into perfection,” the sacrament of the Chrism (anointing) was necessary, which is superior to baptism. For this reason, it is fitting to baptize in the two, in the light and the water. Now the light is the chrism. “There was the water anointing and the fire anointing. It goes on to say “He who has been anointed possesses everything.” Could this be the beginning of the health and prosperity movement, from Gnostics?

Gospel of Mary hints of this Gnostic pantheism when it predicts that all things “exist in and with one another,” and “will be resolved again into their own roots. “I am revealed out of the immeasurable and the unspeakable. I am beyond comprehension, I live in the incomprehensible. I stir in all creation. I myself am the life of my Conception that exists in every power and stirs in every eternal movement and in Lights unseen and in the Archons and Angels and Demons and in every soul which exists in [Tatatros] and in every soul made of matter. I exist in those who came to be in existence

We have similar books today like the book of Urantia that claim to be the accurate record. Even the book of Mormon claims to be accurate addition to the Bible. By comparing the record closely we can see that what it says about Jesus and history are inaccurate. All of these have more similarities with the forgeries in the early church than a revelation from the God of Scripture (the Bible).

Papyrus Berolinensis 8502 was acquired by a German scholar, Dr. Carl Reinhardt, in Cairo in 1896 (referenced in scholarly writings as the “Berlin Gnostic Codex”, the “Akhmim Codex”, PB 8502, and BG 8502).   It contains Coptic editions of three important Gnostic texts:  the Apocryphon of John, the Sophia of Jesus Christ, and the Gospel of Mary (Mary Magdala). In it Jesus is quoted as saying that “All natures, all formed things, all creatures exist in and with one another and will again be resolved into their own roots, because the nature of matter is dissolved into the roots of its nature alone.”

The Taoist concept of One in Chapter 34 of Tao Teh Ching, says of the Tao, “All things derive their life from it [Tao] All things return to it, and it contains them.” The Similarity cannot be ignored as it this is Gnostic literature.

The gospel according to Hebrews (100 A.D) which adds additions to the canonical gospels with alleged sayings. Both the Gospel of Mattatias and the Gospel of Peter was seen mid 2nd century written in interest of anti Jewish, docetic doctrines. The Gospel of Peter embellishes the resurrection narrative as follows: “When those soldiers saw this [the stone moving from the entrance of Jesus' sepulcher], they awakened the centurion and the elders, for they also were there to mount guard. And while they were narrating what they had seen, they saw three men come out from the sepulcher, two of them supporting the other and a cross following them and the heads of the two reaching to heaven, but that of him who was being led reached beyond the heavens

Acts of Paul written in the middle of 2nd century is A romance inculcating continence. It contains the supposed lost Epistle to the Corinthians. In one part it reads- And when the executioner (speculator) struck off his head, milk spurted upon the cloak of the soldier.” The soldiers supposedly got saved. It goes on to say “Paul came about the ninth hour, when many philosophers and the centurion were standing with Caesar, and stood before them all and said: Caesar, behold, I, Paul, the soldier of God, am not dead, but live in my God. But unto thee shall many evils befall and great punishment, thou wretched man.”

This is the kind of fanciful tales that these other books contain.

Acts of John written in the end of 2nd century. Story of a visit to Rome Purely imaginary that contains sensuality. In The Acts of John, John says, "Sometimes when I meant to touch him [Jesus] I met with a material and solid body; but at other times when I felt him, his substance was immaterial and incorporeal, as if it did not exist at all. . . . as I walked with him, to see his footprint, whether it appeared on the ground (for I saw him as it were raised up from the earth), and I never saw it.”

98 And having thus spoken, he showed me a cross of light fixed (set up), and about the cross a great multitude, not having one form: and in it (the cross) was one form and one likenesst [so the MS.; I would read: and therein was one form and one likeness: and in the cross another multitude, not having one form]. And the Lord himself I beheld above the cross, not having any shape, but only a voice: and a voice not such as was familiar to us, but one sweet and kind and truly of God, saying unto me: John, it is needful that one should hear these things from me, for I have need of one that will hear. This cross of light is sometimes called the (or a) word by me for your sakes, sometimes mind, sometimes Jesus, sometimes Christ, sometimes door, sometimes a way, sometimes bread, sometimes seed, sometimes resurrection, sometimes Son, sometimes Father, sometimes Spirit, sometimes life, sometimes truth, sometimes faith, sometimes grace. And by these names it is called as toward men: but that which it is in truth, as conceived of in itself and as spoken of unto you (MS. us), it is the marking-off of all things, and the firm uplifting of things fixed out of things unstable, and the harmony of wisdom, and indeed wisdom in harmony [this last clause in the MS. is joined to the next: 'and being wisdom in harmony']. There are of the right hand and the left, powers also, authorities, lordships and demons, workings, threatenings, wraths, devils, Satan, and the lower root whence the nature of the things that come into being proceeded. (From “The Apocryphal New Testament”
M.R. James-Translation and Notes)

Arabic Gospel of the Childhood from the 7th century. Stories of during the so'journ in Egypt. Contains fantastic stories.

Toledoth Yeshu (Book of the Life of Jesus), is a Hebrew derogatory version of the life of Jesus, growing out of the response of the Jewish community to Christianity. It belittles the person of Jesus by ascribing to Him illegitimate birth, magic, witchcraft, and a shameful death. The tradition presented here is most commonly dated to approximately the 6th century CE. The text it self is closer to the 14th cent. The main point of the Toledot is to show that Jesus is a deceiver and a heretic who was crucified by the Jews, his disciples stole his body and deceived others by proclaiming his resurrection. All the Toledot Jeshu editions declared Jesus Christ to be a bastard. The Virgin Mary is portrayed in the Toledot as a woman who conceived Jesus as a result of rape by a Roman soldier, Joseph Pandera.

In the second century the various books that were to become part of the New Testament were already used as authoritative and acceptable in parts of the church, both East and West. About 180, Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, spoke about the fourfold Gospel, citing Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John when he opposed those that were introducing heresy. Before Irenaeus, Justin Martyr in the middle of the 2nd cent. Opposed Marcion (a gnostic) in his aberrant teachings. In his Dialogue with Trypho (160), he calls the canonical Gospels “the reminiscences” of the apostles and says they were read and used in worship in his day. No other gospels are mentioned, (including the Gospel of Thomas).

The Gnostic gospels along with other Gnostic documents were never even considered for being part of the Christian canon. Even the other books that were not Gnostic books were debated and did not make it into the canon, the Shepherd of Hermas, the letters of Ignatius, 1 Clement, the Wisdom of Solomon.

The gnostic texts, which come almost exclusively from the second to the fourth century, were rightly rejected by the early Christians as perversions of the truth of Christ. In fact, most of our knowledge of them until the middle of the 20th century was from the writings of the early church fathers who wrote lengthy rebuttals and debated against the heresy of gnosticism. Gnosticism was NOT Christianity, rather it was one of the earliest competitors and counterfeits. After 16 centuries gnosticism has resurfaced by scheming revisionists banking on society and the churches historical and theological ignorance of its original teachings and ideas.

None of this is new, but now in the end with an apostasy going on it adds to the mix of deception that Jesus so ardently warned of as the climate in the last days (Matthew 24).

Let’s not forget about those who want to add to his word or damage it by bringing in false books. Matt 12:35-37 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Those who have written these books and those who promote them will have to answer for their deceptions.

Paul said to the Thessalonians 1 Thess 2:13 “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” We are saved from believing the word of truth found in the Bible and it has life giving power when believed and put into practice. That is why these lost books should stay lost, for none of them contain a accurate portrayal of Jesus or the gospel- they cannot save because they do not have His Spirit or life.