D. Other Inspired Sources of Revelation Have Ceased.

God chose to reveal His will, not all at once, but gradually over a period of 1500 years from Moses to the end of the first century. During that time, certain men were guided directly by the Holy Spirit, as we have studied, to both speak and write God's will.

But it was God's plan that, when all His will had been revealed and recorded, He would bring to an end the miraculous powers by which the Holy Spirit delivered the message. At that time, the written word would become the only inspired means the people would have to know God's message.

1 Corinthians 13:8-10 - Spiritual gifts would cease.

Prophecies, tongues, and miraculous knowledge are three of the miraculous gifts that the Holy Spirit used to deliver God's will to men (12:7-11). But there is something more important or "more excellent" than these gifts (12:31), and that is love (chap. 13). Love is greater than the spiritual gifts because love, faith, and hope would continue to abide (v13) even after the spiritual, miraculous gifts had ceased (v8).

These gifts would cease because they were “in part” (v9), and they would cease when that which is perfect or complete would come (v10). Note: “that which is perfect” is contrasted to the gifts that were “in part.” In some sense the gifts were partial and would cease when their partial nature was made complete or was replaced by that which was not partial.

In what sense were the gifts "in part"? The only explanation that harmonizes with Scripture is that the gifts, at the time Paul wrote, had only partially completed their purpose of revealing God's will. The revelation was delivered by means of these gifts, and that work was not yet completed. But when the work was completed, the gifts would have fully accomplished their task and would no longer be needed, so they would cease.

"That which is perfect" must, therefore, refer to the completed revelation of God's will, and when it had all been completely and adequately revealed, the spiritual gifts would cease. But we have already learned from verses previously listed that all the truth was revealed to the apostles in the first century, and they recorded it in the Bible.

The whole will of God ("the perfect law of liberty" - Jas. 1:25) had been recorded in writing before the end of the first century. When that happened, all other means of revelation from the Holy Spirit ceased, and the Scriptures or written word became the only inspired means men had to learn God's will.

Jude 3 - The faith was once for all delivered.

Jude instructs us to contend for "the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (NKJV, ASV, etc.; KJV just says "once"). The phrase "once for all" refers to "what is so done as to be of perpetual validity and never need repetition" (Thayer).

The same word is used to refer to Jesus' death, which occurred only one time, in contrast to the Old Testament animal sacrifices which had to continually be repeated (Heb. 9:26,28; 10:10; 7:26,27; I Pet. 3:18). Jesus' sacrifice was done so perfectly it did not need repeated - "once for all".

Likewise, the gospel needed to be delivered to God's people only "once." When it had been completed, it did not need to be repeated. We may as well affirm that Jesus' sacrifice needs to be repeated as to affirm that the gospel needs to be delivered by inspiration to men again.
So if God wants people to have the gospel, but it is not to be delivered to people again, then it necessarily follows that God intended to preserve that written message, which He originally delivered, so people in all ages could have it available.

There are not apostles today to deliver the message again.

Apostles were always involved whenever anyone received the power to deliver the gospel message by the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit. The apostles themselves received that power on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:2-8; 2:1-11). Others received such power when apostles personally laid their hands on them (Acts 8:14-21; 19:1-7). Cornelius’ household received power to speak in tongues when Peter was teaching them, so the Jews would know Gentiles could receive the gospel (Acts 10:1-11:18). But in every case, without exception, apostles were involved whenever anyone received this power. [Cf. John 14:26; 16:13.]

But to be an apostle, one had to be an eyewitness of Jesus after His resurrection (Acts 1:21,22; 26:16; I Cor. 9:1; 15:1-8; John 15:27). One also had to have miraculous powers to confirm his apostleship (2 Cor. 12:12). But no one today can be an eyewitness of the resurrected Christ, and no one can do miraculous signs like the apostles could do.

Therefore, there are no apostles today, nor is there anyone today that the apostles have laid their hands on. So there is no means by which people could receive miraculous, spiritual powers of direct guidance from the Holy Spirit.

(For more information, see the links at the end of this study.)

All of these facts lead us to the necessary conclusion that the only inspired source from which people today can receive the will of God is the Bible. But people still need the truth, and God still wants people to have the truth, so it must follow that He has accurately preserved the Scriptures to our day so people can know the truth.