Part I: What are scriptures?

(This is a 2-part article. Don't forget to read Part II: Is the Book of Mormon scripture?)

What is the Book of Mormon? The majority of the world knows and recognizes the Bible as scripture, but why do Latter-Day Saints claim that the Book of Mormon is also scripture? I'd like to start considering the answers to those questions by first defining the word scripture.

Scripture means "a writing" and is used to denote a writing recognized as sacred and inspired. Jesus Christ described them as such: "Search the scriptures . . . for they are they which testify of me." (John 5:39). We also know that in the Old Testament, scripture was written or dictated to scribes by various prophets. In the New Testament the records were kept by apostles and prophets who testified of Christ's birth, life, ministry, Atonement, and Church.

Another word that is commonly used in conjunction with the word scriptures is canon. Canon, from its Greek origins, originally meant "a rod for testing straightness." It is now used to categorize the authoritative collection of the sacred books used by the true believers in Christ. The Bible came about through multiple councils in early Christianity, first among the Jews and later among the Christians, to determine which books should be apart of the canon and which should be discarded. Some of the rules for deciding for or against a particular document were: (1) Is it claimed that the document was written by a prophet or an apostle? (2)Is the content of the writing consistent with known and accepted doctrines of the faith? (3) Is the document already used and accepted in the Church?

I don't mean to belabor the details of what scriptures are and how we came to have them, but I think the history lesson is important to make sure there is a clear understanding of the word scripture as I will be using it in the future. In summary, it is safe to conclude that the following is true of all scripture:
1. A sacred and inspired text.
2. Text that testifies of Jesus Christ.
3. Written by (or dictated by) a prophet or apostle.
4. Teaches about the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

First and foremost let me declare that we believe the Bible is scripture. We read the Bible, we study the Bible, and it is a part of the Mormon canon of scripture, or as we call it, The Standard Works. We also believe the Book of Mormon to be scripture, which I will explain of in:

The Book of Mormon, Part II.