—— The body of Christ is the body comprised of those believers who have been born again by the Spirit of God by grace through faith. THAT is the pillar and foundation of truth.-——
But the Bible says that “the church of the living God” is the “pillar and foundation of truth.” Shouldn’t we follow Scripture?
Additionally, under your theory, how would Christians recognize this invisible group, which would also possess a non-contradictory body of teaching, necessary to resolve disputes?
—— Believers can take their disputes to the local assembly at which they worship and they have Scripture as the authority to guide them in settling disputes. -——
Which local assembly of believers in sola scriptura? Baptists? Presbyterians? Seventh Day Adventists? Oneness Pentacostals? They all claim Scripture as their guide, yet their doctrines are extremely diverse. What disputes could they settle?
———The Bible as it stands is Scripture, which includes all of the OT as recognized by Jesus and His disciples, and at least the writings of Paul, as recognized and stated by Peter.-——
That would be the Catholic Canon. Luther removed books from the Canon that had been accepted since Apostolic times.
——The matter of the canon has been addressed many times in the past. If you wish to rehash it again, fine, but the 66 books of the Bible are it.-——
Does the Bible tell you that? That would be circular reasoning. An extra-biblical authority is logically necessary to make such a determination. Protestants, like Luther, commonly claim the so-called “council of Jerusalem,” which is a strange authority for Christians to claim as infallible, and elevate above Christ’s Church, which had already been established.
Christians know. When you are born again, you have spiritual life and can tell.
Besides, it says to take it to the local assembly. There is no word for *church* in the Greek.
What disputes could they settle?
This sort. Acts 6:1-6 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
Of the type found in Romans 14.
Not every dispute is a dispute of theology.
An extra-biblical authority is logically necessary to make such a determination.
Not so. The Holy Spirit guides.
If people lived their lives according the the instructions found in Scripture, there wouldn't be the kinds of disputes which require an extra-Biblical authority.
Most of Scripture is plenty easy enough to understand without having someone hold your hand and *interpret* it for you.