I dare you. Show me one verse in the Bible that says Jesus wanted his followers to write anything down. Show me a verse where Jesus said the Bible is your sole source of his Truths. ~ Jeff Vaughn
The apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation because Jesus Christ told him to write it (Revelation 1:1). Notice these examples: “Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea” (Revelation 1:11). “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter” (Revelation 1:19). “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write…” (Revelation 2:1). “And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write…” (Revelation 2:8). “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write…” (Revelation 2:12). “And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write…” (Revelation 2:18). “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write…” (Revelation 3:1). “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write…” (Revelation 3:7). “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write…” (Revelation 3:14). Anyone who may have difficulty discerning otherwise can open a red-letter edition of the Bible and see thereby that these are the words of Jesus.
Specifically regarding the Book of Revelation, generally true (in principle) regarding the whole Bible, Jesus does not permit any alteration of it. “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19). Similar prohibitions from altering God’s Word appear interspersed throughout the Bible. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:2). “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:6).
Not just the words of Jesus himself, but the words of every inspired person, prophet and apostle carry the same weight as the words of Jesus, because it is the Spirit of God speaking through them (2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 10:18-21). The apostles of Christ received delegated authority from Jesus Christ himself whereby they could speak and write authoritatively (Matthew 18:18). Miraculous endowments concluded around the end of the first century, as was prophesied (1 Corinthians 13:8-13; Ephesians 4:11-14). The apostles possess the same authority today as they did when they walked on the earth (Matthew 19:28). Therefore, the inspired Bible continues to be the guide God intended for humanity to follow, instead of uninspired men who have lived and live after the conclusion of the miraculous age.
Jesus indicated the significance of his words (which are recorded in the Bible, John 20:30-31) regarding human redemption when he said: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). The words of Jesus are unavailable outside of the Bible today. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist (only an honest, truth-seeking heart) to appreciate the place of the Bible in God’s plan for man.
