The following is a defense of the formal sufficiency of the Bible in light of “missing books” of the Bible, viz., 1 Cor 5:9. I am sharing it as it comes from a “Campbellite” perspective:
Assuming that such an epistle is
not existent, is it vital to the canonicity of scripture or sum total of gospel
truth? We have no record or reason to believe that this epistle was once
identified as part of the canon and since lost. That is not to deny the truth
or the authority of the epistle; but the issue is whether or not truth has been
lost. . . . Assuming that we do not have this former epistle, the book of 1
Corinthians contains the thrust of subject matter formerly written. No doubt
Paul connects the subject of First Corinthians with the warning of this other
epistle. It does not appear that we have lost truth because we do not have this
epistle. Neither have we lost truth because we do not have recorded every word,
miracle and deed performed by our Lord (See John 20:30; 21:25).
If we should suppose that truth
once known by the church is now lost how should we propose to get it? Of all
the “lost books” assigned to Biblical insufficiency, none have been produced
through Latter-day Saint revelation. It has never been established or proven
that any plain and precious truths have been lost from the Bible. If so, what
truth is missing? Joseph Smith never produced any of the so-called “Lost books”
in his supposedly inspired version. (Don Simpson, The Golden Myth of
Mormonism [Wichita Falls, Tex.: Western Christian Foundation, Inc., 1980], 40,
41)
