Canonization Process

[Philthy]

We can go round and round with this, but the Bible doesn’t support the whole thing about canonization of the saints, its purpose and everything else that comes into play.

Hmmm, it seems that now that we have gotten a bit closer to examining some of your observations and I have countered them, you wish to return to the starting point of the debate. The bible neither condemns nor endorses Canonization. The bible leaves the Church as the ultimate arbiter of what the word of God means. When there is a disagreement - such as the one you have with me on Canonization - Scripture recommends we take it to “the Church”. How can that possibly work, Fair Lady, if their is no identifiable Church to make a final decision on the matter? It can’t, and your entire concept of how the Bible is meant to function among the faithful is revealed to be lacking in some very practical stuff. In short, what you claim the Bible does and does not say, is entirely subjective.

Again, I too believe that we can learn from and take encouragement by the examples set before us. In my mind, Jesus is the ultimate example.

You are mistaken, in my opinion. Please specify how Christ’s “example” should guide, for example, my married sex life. Please provide chapter and verse which indicate that the example you choose is specifically meant to be applied to this area of my life.

But the one point that I want to make is that even more important than imitating the good lives of others is the renewing of our minds and allowing God to change us from the inside out by His grace.

And how could Christ possibly give us an example of this since he never had his mind “renewed” and never was “changed from the inside out by His grace”? You are not really thinking this through.

As a result of what’s happening inside, our actions will change too. That’s why I posted the verses from Romans 12 earlier.

Again, Christs actions never “changed”. In saints, we can see lives changed by the renewal Holy Spirit. Again, you’re not really thinking this through. Jesus is the perfection that we will never quite have on this earth, no?

It’s one thing to take encouragement and learn from lives well lived before the Lord and another thing to judge whether they are in heaven or hell.

I agree. One is mundane the other is a form of revelation through the Holy Spirit.

But it does bring out the fact that He is ultimately above all saints and there isn’t a saint that can match that. Another good reason not to put a saint on too high a pedestal.

Saints should not be put on too high a pedestal - did I say they should be or are you now articulating thoughts that you failed to mention up until this point? I never said Saints should be put on too high a pedestal…they should be emulated, not worshiped.
You had said,
Fair Lady:

The Holy Spirit had His hand in the compilation and preservation of scripture

, and I asked:

Philthy:

That is a very interesting statement - where did you get it from?

And this is your response:

"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." 1 Peter 1"24-25

Where does this speak of the “Holy Spirit” the “complilation” or the “preservation” of scripture??? I dont see it - I see you unconsciously inserting beliefs into the Word of God. Who’s to say how much of that happens when you read Scripture?

Blessings!