That said, one large assumption that you made is the one that became the title of this thread: that a group of people, given only the Scriptures (via audio) and that have formed churches that fit a model that those who believe in Sola Scriptura consider to be Biblical proves that Sola Scriptura is true.
What I'm asking you is how giving a group of people the Bible in a vacuum, with no interpreter or outside influence, *proves* that Sola Scriptura is true. The result is the one that would be expected, when all you have given them is Scripture. I'm attempting to say (although perhaps not well) that if these people had lived in the same historical context as the Apostles and the rest of the Early Church, their theology and ecclesiology would have been that OF the Early Church. You neglected to answer that challenge in your prior response; instead you chose to dismiss it.
I think marshmallow's point bears consideration as well... what happens when these individuals begin to stray off or disagree, when there is no authority to guide them?
All whom God has appointed to salvation will hear the Gospel, believe in Jesus Christ and be saved. Not one shall be lost.
But as Paul said, how are men to know the truth unless first by the preaching of the word?
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" -- Romans 10:13-15"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
The result is the one that would be expected,
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YES INDEED!
WHEN FOLKS DO THE WORD,
GOD DOES HIS PART.
Very predictable; very expectable.
That said, one large assumption that you made is the one that became the title of this thread: that a group of people, given only the Scriptures (via audio) and that have formed churches that fit a model that those who believe in Sola Scriptura consider to be Biblical proves that Sola Scriptura is true.
What I'm asking you is how giving a group of people the Bible in a vacuum, with no interpreter or outside influence, *proves* that Sola Scriptura is true. The result is the one that would be expected, when all you have given them is Scripture. I'm attempting to say (although perhaps not well) that if these people had lived in the same historical context as the Apostles and the rest of the Early Church, their theology and ecclesiology would have been that OF the Early Church. You neglected to answer that challenge in your prior response; instead you chose to dismiss it.
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Wellllll . . . my data and logic are as follows.
1. God says His Word will not return void.
2. Holy Spirit plus Scripture is exceedingly powerful in the lives of individuals and groups per Scripture and my extensive personal experience.
3. GOD SAYS HE will establish HIS CHURCH. I find no qualifiers nor prescribed flesh driven edifices hidden in those words. And, further, I've SEEN HIM DO IT.
4. Here we have an organization that has been planting oral Scriptures in tribal groups for 30 years. They have some significant track record and amount of follow-up research to support their claims.
5. One can rant and rave all the year long about how God is not staying in THEIR tidy little boxes as THEY'VE ASSUMEd HE HAS TO . . . but HE clearly is not paying attention to their intellectual, organizational, flesh driven tantrums.
6. Scripture plus obviously Holy Spirit enlivening Scripture in the hearts, spirits and minds of individuals and the tribe produces a I Cor 12-14 Church.
What is NOT Sola Scriptura about that?
what happens when these individuals begin to stray off or disagree, when there is no authority to guide them?
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Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, so now, we are supposed to say that
Jesus The Christ was lying or an idiot when
HE DECLARED that
HOLY SPIRIT WOULD LEAD INTO ALL TRUTH?
So, not only is Jesus now a liar, but Holy Spirit is incompetent?
I wouldn't want to tell The Father that to HIS FACE!
I think HE would WHOLESALE disagree, as do I.