Book Review: 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura

Vivificat - from Contemplation to Action ^ | July 3, 2012 | TDJ

[Teófilo]

Another nail in the coffin of the foundational Protestant dogma

Sola scriptura is dead, or at least is undead, a zombie still stalking the darkened hallways of Protestantism. Many well-meaning Protestant Christians don’t see the zombie-dogma for what it is; instead, they choose to see it as a being of light. My friend Dave Armstrong has returned to blow the old decrepit sola scriptura monsters one at a time in his latest work, 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura.

Let’s recall the definition of the sola scriptura dogma – yes, it is a dogma – as understood by Norman Geisler, a recognized Protestant authority Dave quotes in his work:

By sola scriptura orthodox Protestants mean that Scripture alone is the primary and absolute source of authority, the final court of appeal, for all doctrine and practice (faith and morals)… (p.16)

Geisler, and other authorities Dave quotes, further explain that other authorities exist, but that these are of secondary importance. Geisler also defends what he calls the perspicuity of Holy Writ, which means that anyone can understand the basic truths of Scripture: the plain things are the main things and the main things are the plain things, Geisler states. (p.17). As a true analyst, Dave separated the sola scriptura dogma into its constituents claims, found out its contents, examined its individual parts, and studied the structure of sola scriptura as whole. He found them defective and insufficient to expound and explain the full spectrum of Christian claims.

Dave kills the sola scriptura zombie by selecting 100 verses from Scripture contradicting this central Protestant claim. I guess he selected 100 verses because the number “100” gives the reader a sense of exhaustive answer and completion, not because there are only 100 verses that should make all sincere Protestant Christian at least uncomfortable with the teaching. In fact, Dave is the author of another related work, 501 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura: Is the Bible the Only Infallible Authority?, which is useful if you need another 401 arguments to kill the sola scriptura zombie dead.

100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura. is a distillation of the 501 Biblical Arguments… in a more manageable, less overwhelming fashion for the beginning reader. It’s 133 pages in length and divided into two parts. In Part 1 Dave discusses the binding authority of Tradition, as substantiated in Scripture, and in Part 2 he discusses the binding authority of the Church, again from Scripture. The result must be uncontestable to the sincere Protestant Christian as well as eye opening to the full range of deeds and wonders the Incarnation of the Word of God brought to history.Will the sola scriptura zombie really die after Dave’s work? This is a senseless question because the zombie is already dead. It’s kept ambulating by strings pulled from the most diehard of its followers. Those strings must be cut by the individual, sincere Protestant Christian himself. Dave Armstrong’s work, 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura. not only blows the zombie of sola scriptura away, he also provides the truth-searcher with the scissors to cut off the strings.

[.45 Long Colt]

Friend, in all seriousness, your soul is in danger. Real danger. You have placed your trust in a false religion. I know there is nothing I can say to change your mind, so endless debate is pointless. I urge you to beg the Lord to reveal Himself to you. Beg Him to lead you to the true gospel that saves. Beg Him to open your eyes so that you might be distinguish truth from error.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Romans 10:4)

There is no righteousness to be obtained in law-keeping works. The righteousness necessary for eternal life (absolute perfection) is found in but one place—and that’s in Jesus Christ.

[Romulus]

I match everything against scripture.

Well, that ain't scriptural.

[Romulus]

Ok, I get it. You are your own pope.

BTW — Godwin’s Law. You lose.

[SENTINEL]

I will admit that I made a mistake about the book of Revelation, although not ALL Catholic bibles include it, but I digress.

The 2nd Commandment (Thou shalt not worship idols) was REMOVED from the Catholic "version" of the ten commandments, and the 10th split into two to get the total number back up to 10.

Here is an idol in the Basilica itself, that has been worshiped so much the bronze toes are worn smooth.

On this ancient bronze statue, St. Peter has his right toes worn down by centuries of pilgrims who traditionally kiss and touch the foot.

Here is the Christian version of the first two commandments:

And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

1. You shall have no other gods before me.

2. You shall not make for yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

10.Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Here are 1,2, 9 and 10 Catholic version:

1.I am the LORD thy God. Thou shalt have no strange gods before Me.

2. (Actually 3) Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.

......

9.Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife.(The Tenth Commandment is split into two to get back to Ten Commandments.)

10.Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods.

[.45 Long Colt]

I don’t need a pope because I have the Holy Spirit.

[Romulus]

That was a lot of words just to say “I got nothing”.

[Natural Law]

"Then how do you explains relics?"

Veneration. It can be explained by those Protestants I have seen openly weeping at The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and the site of Jesus' trial and scourging at the location believed to be Pilate's Praetorium in Jerusalem.

Peace be with you

[Romulus]

You have no assurance of that. That is purely a sentiment on your part. You are risking your eternal salvation on a hunch?

[NYer]

how do you deal with the historical fact that some of the popes were evil men and could hardly be called “vicars of Christ”?

Sinners, perhaps but .... evil? Just so we're on the same page, can you provide some names?

[.45 Long Colt]

Whatever. Someone else mentioned Hitler youth, so I followed up with a Zyklon B comment just trying to be funny. I reject popery on biblical and historical grounds, not because of any particular misdeeds of your popes.

[xzins]

Matthew 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

This says that the church has authority. But, from whose mouth does this permission come to us? First, from Matthew, an Apostle, and Matthew was recounting the words of Jesus.

So, scripture tells us the Church has Divine Authority when acting as the church of the Resurrected Lord.

Is that really unusual and anti-scriptural?

[Uri’el-2012]

Additionally, each and every Catholic Bible that I've ever owned contains the Book of Revelations.

The Book of Revelations is not in my Bible.

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ,
which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants,
the things which must soon take place; and He sent
and communicated it by His angel
to His bond-servant John,

shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach

[NYer]

o assign YHvH's NAME to a mere mortal

I take it you reject the Trinity.

[muawiyah]

Over at the FDR memorial Fallah's toes, and his ears, and his nose, are all bright and shiny because people can reach over and rub them. The artist designed the sculpture to be accessible to chillun' and folks in wheelchairs.

That doesn't mean anybody is worshiping Roosevelt's dog ~ at least not anymore. Used to be the Democrats had small bracelets made up of symbols of FDR"S regime ~ the NRA, court packing, Japanese bombing pearl harbor, all that sort of thing ~ but i haven't seen them lately.

Maybe Roosevelt quit answering their prayers ~ or maybe they died!

[beethovenfan]

For example, see:

http://thelistcafe.com/top-10-most-evil-popes

[21twelve]

Thanks for your posts - they are always very interesting and revealing to me. I am always amazed when I learn more about the Jewish traditions and beliefs how it opens up an entire deeper meaning to Jesus and his teachings. Not that it changes the meaning (I don’t think) - just makes it deeper and more amazing.

[xzins]

Really, guys, I’ve always sensed that you don’t know what protestants mean by Sola Scriptura.

Now I’m convinced of it, seeing the scriptures you have pulled out as examples of items that “disprove” sola scriptura.

The whole doctrine of “scripture only” is about RESPONSIBLE handling of the scripture.

Take this verse you cited, for example: “Rom 6:17 But God be thanked that [though] you were slaves of sin,
yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.”

Do YOU believe that ANY Catholic who says “I feel it in my heart.” is spouting instructions straight from God??? Of course not. You would say to him, “That really means ______”.

[Romulus]

Whatever.

In other words, you've got nothing and are still in denial.

I reject popery

Hardly. You're just confused about who the pope is.

[.45 Long Colt]

I trust the promises of Scripture. You trust in the empty promises of sinful men.

[D-fendr]

Then Christianity crumbles from failure of its own structure.

If that structure is sola scriptura, yes - for certain "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" cannot exist with it.

However if the well-delineated bastion is the pillar and foundation of the truth - which is the church of the living God founded and headed by Christ and led by the Holy Spirit, then it does not, and has not, crumbled and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.