No, the goalposts are exactly settled: there’s an old and a new testament. The Jews preserved what came before Christ, and most of it became what we now recognize as the old/BC scripture. What came after Christ was selected and preserved by the Jews and other than the Jews. For argument’s sake, let’s say it was selected and preserved, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, by the early Christians. Or is there a problem with that? The early Christians, to most believers, was “the Church.” That church, loosely the church of Christendom, lasted (despite challenges in heresies and apostasies) until various opponents to various beliefs separated themselves from it—Luther, Calvin, Wycliffe, Knox, Henry VIII, etc., etc.—and formed splinter churches based on their arguments with the original church. If the Church (again, meaning Roman Catholic Church) wasn’t what preserved the entire Bible, who WAS performing that function up until the Reformation? From whom did the protestants wish to separate themselves? Surely not the so-called early Christians who hadn’t been around for quite some time. They broke from the only Christian church they (the Europeans, and later others) knew at the time.
I share your belief that the Bible is right and complete, inspired and protected by God; but it’s also immensely ambiguous and poetic. Americans and even modern Brits barely understand Shakespeare’s language, and they’re expected to understand the Bible’s? Call me naive or stupid, but I like to have experts help me through it, the Cliff Notes AND the footnotes, if you like. And that’s just ONE of the reasons for the at-least equal significance of the Church.
Unfortunately, John (and the other evangelists and epistle-writers) didn’t quite say (to paraphrase another John) “all you need is scripture.” What John said was, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name” (20:31). Paul added, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be equipped, prepared for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). If the Bible’s all that’s necessary, why baptize? WHO baptizes, if not some representative of church? Does tithing come from the NT? If so, who collects it, to whom does it go? How does one keep holy the Sabbath—does a personal reading of scripture fulfill that obligation? And of course, there’s the Luther issue: are good works necessary for salvation, or can we skate through life simply by reading and interpreting the Bible as we choose? What about those who can’t read? The list could go on . . .
The Bible’s absolutely necessary, but it simply cannot be exclusively necessary, for salvation.
Perhaps the following may address your questions:
Romans 10:5-21 KJV
For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 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! But they have not all obeyed the gospel.
For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
NO need to argue...It wasn't the Catholic church...It didn't exist at that time...
So you are saying the first church was the Catholic church and nothing else existed until the time of the Reformation...
That's not an honest depiction of church history, so I can't pretend that it is...
I share your belief that the Bible is right and complete, inspired and protected by God; but it’s also immensely ambiguous and poetic. Americans and even modern Brits barely understand Shakespeare’s language, and they’re expected to understand the Bible’s? Call me naive or stupid, but I like to have experts help me through it, the Cliff Notes AND the footnotes, if you like. And that’s just ONE of the reasons for the at-least equal significance of the Church.
LoL...Yes, millions upon millions of people have/can and do understand the bible...The apostle Paul addresses your problem quite succinctly...
Unfortunately, John (and the other evangelists and epistle-writers) didn’t quite say (to paraphrase another John) “all you need is scripture.” What John said was, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name” (20:31).
Fortunately, John also said
1Jn_5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
He wrote 'em so we would know we have eternal life...That takes care of it...
If the Bible’s all that’s necessary, why baptize?
As a testimony that you have accepted what John had to say in the scriptures...
WHO baptizes, if not some representative of church?
Doesn't matter, anyone can baptize...The person baptizing has no power...It's the person being baptized that gets all the attention...
The Bible’s absolutely necessary, but it simply cannot be exclusively necessary, for salvation.
It can and it is...AND, it answers every question you posted, if one cares to look...