📖 Ever wondered how we got the exact books in the Bible? Who decided which books made the cut—and why?
For Christians, the Bible is the foundation of faith, but many don’t stop to ask how it came together. What makes certain books part of Scripture while others are left out? And here’s an even bigger question:
If we discovered a lost letter from Paul today, could we add it to the Bible? 🤔
Let’s break it down...
What Is the Canon of the Bible?
The word canon comes from a Greek word meaning “measuring rod” or “standard.” When we talk about the canon of the Bible, we’re talking about the official list of books that Christians believe are inspired by God and belong in Scripture.
But what exactly is included?
📖 The Bible Consists of 66 Books
The Bible is divided into two main sections:
✅ The Old Testament – 39 books, including Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, and Daniel.
✅ The New Testament – 27 books, including the Gospels, Acts, Paul’s letters, and Revelation.
Christians believe these 66 books were uniquely inspired by God and recognized as authoritative by the early church. But did you know that some biblical authors wrote letters that we don’t have today?
Paul Wrote More Than What’s in the Bible
Here’s something surprising—Paul actually wrote letters that aren’t in the Bible!
In 1 Corinthians 5:9, Paul refers to a previous letter he wrote to the Corinthians that we don’t have.
Again, in 2 Corinthians 2:4, he mentions writing another severe letter that isn’t included in the Bible today.
These letters were real, written by Paul himself, and read by early Christians. But over time, they were lost to history.
So here’s the question:
💡 If someone discovered one of Paul’s missing letters today, could we add it to the Bible?
This leads us to two major perspectives on how the canon was formed.
Could We Add a Missing Letter to the Bible? Two Views on the Canon
Christians hold two different views on this issue.
View #1: The Bible Is an Inspired Collection of Books
This view teaches that God guided the process of selecting the books that belong in the Bible.
🔹 The collection itself is inspired, meaning God made sure the right books were included.
🔹 The canon is complete, meaning no books will ever be added or removed.
🔹 Even if a missing letter from Paul was found, it wouldn’t be added to the Bible because God has already finalized Scripture.
💭 In this view, the missing letters might be interesting and historically valuable, but they wouldn’t be considered Scripture.
View #2: The Bible Is a Collection of Inspired Books
This view focuses on each book itself being inspired by God, rather than the collection as a whole.
🔹 The early church simply recognized which books were inspired—they didn’t decide it.
🔹 If a missing letter from Paul was found and it met strict criteria, it could theoretically be added to the Bible.
🔹 It would need to:
✅ Be confirmed as authentic (Paul actually wrote it).
✅ Align with the rest of Scripture (no contradictions).
✅ Show evidence of divine inspiration.
💭 In this view, if a lost letter from Paul was truly inspired by God, it could be included in the canon—even today.
Is the Bible Already Complete?
So, what’s the right answer?
📖 Both views agree on one important truth: God gave us the Bible we have today, and it contains everything we need to know Him.
Even if a missing letter from Paul was found, it wouldn’t change the core message of the Bible:
🙌 Jesus came to save us, and we are called to follow Him.
While the idea of discovering a lost letter of Paul is exciting, many believe the canon is already closed—God has given us everything we need in His Word.
What Do You Think? Would a missing letter from Paul belong in the Bible? Or is the canon already complete?
Drop your thoughts in the comments! 👇
Understanding how we got the Bible helps us:
✅ Appreciate its reliability.
✅ Recognize how God guided the process.
✅ Think deeply about what makes a book part of Scripture.
No matter which view you lean toward, one thing is clear: The Bible we have today is trustworthy, powerful, and life-changing.
What are your thoughts? Let’s discuss! ⬇️
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