Q: What makes a holy scripture either holy or a scripture?
An excellent question, and one that more people should ask!
Just because someone claims to have gotten a revelation from God, angel, or whatever does not mean the written record is holy scripture. Usually it is fraudulent, stupid, or insane.
God is holy, and any writing that tells us how to communicate with God and our own innate spiritual, divine nature is a holy scripture. It does not make any difference if it was written thousands of years ago or only a few days ago. It is the content that matters.
Holy scriptures contain demonstrable truths that can be proven by each person who applies their principles. They are not speculations of philosophy or metaphysics, but practical statements that can be assimilated into our lives and produce perceptible results–eternal facts.
Books that claim to tell us “God’s will” and give us “God’s commands” are NOT holy scriptures, but the ravings of liars and lunatics (often both). Their dire threats and “precious promises” are nonsense and often destructive.
Practical, not mere theory
A holy scripture tells us how to know God and awaken into our oneness with God. Any descriptions or expositions about the Divine Nature are made, not for us to accept and believe, but are intended to help us know when we really are drawing near to God.
Only God-realized Masters can write a holy scripture. Saints and angels do not come to us and say: “Tell the people…,” but they tell us what to do to know Eternal Verity for ourselves. After we have come to know That, then we can tell the people–and that will be a holy scripture.
A true holy scripture points us to God–within and without us–and never claims to be God’s Holy Word or boast of its eternal value. Rather, a holy scripture makes it very clear that words are not “truth”–God alone is Truth. And they tell us that once we know God we have no need for them.
“When the whole country is flooded, the reservoir becomes superfluous. So, to the illumined seer, the Vedas are all superfluous.” (Bhagavad Gita 2:46)
This is an essential trait of a holy scripture, along with the fact that a holy scripture never claims to be the one and only truth, threatening punishment and offering reward for rejection or acceptance. That is sociopathy, not sanctity.
For all the foregoing reasons we unhesitatingly recommend that you investigate for yourself the various scriptures, and put them to the Reality Test.
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