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Glancing over the thread over a cuppa coffee and some home grown Nebraska beef for breakfast, I note that pretty much all the differences we have on this thread with each other start with whether or not Scripture is sufficient for salvation, or whether more must be added.

Correct me if I’m wrong, of course. Perhaps Scripture is sufficient but Mrs. D believes that we’re just missing some things by denying tradition? Or something else entirely.

But to me at least it all seems to come down to that.

From that the questions follow about temporal punishments, discipline, et cetera.

My own position is that traditions, sacred or otherwise, are useful and should be studied. But there is only one source that we KNOW is Apostolic, prophetic, and divine teaching from God, and that is Scripture. The ancient ekklesia had very strict requirements for what was to be included in canon, and because most of it had been assembled when at least a few of the Apostles were still alive, it can be trusted. Especially the letters of Paul and the Gospels.

The Apostles or their assistants did not write things in code, or in a special way, and definitely did not write to contradict themselves. If they write something, it says what it means and means what it says, and a simple understanding is best because it was written so even simple people could understand.

Over my life I’ve had to swallow my pride when faced with the awesome power of the Word of God. Many times I’ve had to do so, from having to abandon the idea that I can earn God’s favor, to my mistaken embrace of leftist theology during my teenage years, to the realization of the importance of Baptism and Communion in the life of faith.

In general, I’ve found that when my theology has to try to turn the Word to say something it doesn’t say, or to ignore the plain words, then it’s my theology that’s wrong. And seeming contradictions must be answered with cultural context, textual context, et cetera.

And sometimes I have to admit there are verses I just can’t understand and will need to study deeper on, or wait until eternal life.

Anyways, a little bit of a ramble, but I figure that it may help to focus the discussion. It’s not often that we get a debate thread that doesn’t turn into a flame war as of late.

Just wish I could participate more, but VBS is more important right now, even if the kids always leave me whupped!