God moved men through the HOLY SPIRIT to record His words.
As always, you're fighting an imaginary opponent. The above is not in dispute. However, Scripture is not the only thing the Holy Spirit inspired. The Holy Spirit inspired the Church before the New Testament appeared and continued to do so following its appearance.
Men did not pick and choose what to record. The Holy Spirit moved them, inspiring the words that were used. God made this decision. These are not the "books" of men. They are the words of God. They come from Him.
Again, nobody is arguing that Scripture is not inspired by God.
However, I'm getting the vibe that you think God commissioned the apostles for the sole purpose of producing a book which then superseded and took precedence over the men (And their successors) who produced it. Ergo, the apostles and evangelists were nothing more than robots or tools in the hands of the Holy Spirit for the purposes of the production of a book. Or that once the New Testament appeared, the Holy Spirit left the building and the Church became subordinate to a book. The silliness of such an argument should be evident.
They are inspired, infallible, authoritative and the direct revelation of truth.......
True.
.....that all other practices and teachings are judged by.
False.
How do you discern the moral rectitude of artificial contraception or in vitro fertilization or stem cell therapy using Scripture? I pointed out above and I'm happy to point out again that the early Church functioned perfectly well before the New Testament appeared and Paul's letters to the early Christian communities were not received as Scripture. They were the letters of an evangelist to his spiritual children much the same as a bishop writes to his church, today.
Jesus commissioned men not a book! One.....I repeat, just one of the works of those men and the men they themselves commissioned was the production of the New Testament. But the Church grew before, during and after it's appearance.
Inspiration of actions of men is different than God's inspired words, recorded for ever.
However, I'm getting the vibe that you think
You would be better off not mind-reading, because your statement is incorrect.
However, I'm getting the vibe that you think God commissioned the apostles for the sole purpose of producing a book which then superseded and took precedence over the men (And their successors) who produced it. Ergo, the apostles and evangelists were nothing more than robots or tools in the hands of the Holy Spirit for the purposes of the production of a book.Or that once the New Testament appeared, the Holy Spirit left the building and the Church became subordinate to a book. The silliness of such an argument should be evident.
This is the logical fallacy of Straw Man. Not what I said, believe or have ever argued.
How do you discern the moral rectitude of artificial contraception or in vitro fertilization or stem cell therapy using Scripture?
You are overlooking that Scripture teaches God gave us the gift of Teachers. Teachers use God's Word to proclaim truth. I pointed out above and I'm happy to point out again that the early Church functioned perfectly well before the New Testament appeared and Paul's letters to the early Christian communities were not received as Scripture. They were the letters of an evangelist to his spiritual children much the same as a bishop writes to his church, today.
I am happy to point out in turn that the early church had the foundation of the church, Apostles, to teach in person and in addition to some NT writings, they have 2/3 of Scripture in existence.
Jesus commissioned men not a book!
No one argued that Jesus commissioned a book. God inspired men to write what He chose. He began this before Christ ever came to earth. He has always used men to accomplish His purposes.
It is the only unchangeable source of truth directly from God and is the standard by which to judge all teachers and leaders.
And I'm happy top tell you that even Peter says different. HE recognized Paul's writings as Scripture at the time he wrote 2 Peter, while he was still alive.
2 Peter 3:15-16 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.