Is it just me or has it become obvious that the bottom line on a lot of this is authority?
Our authority for the correct meaning of scripture is, roughly, either:
1) Ourselves (w/presence of Holy Spirit) - our personal interpretation and reasoning.
2) 1) above with another authority we recognize such as Calvin or Luther or MacArthur for example.
3) Our Church (speaking of Catholicism here)
Even if we all accept this simple breakdown, the issue remains still "which authority is properly authorized"?
And to answer this, we circle back on scripture and authority to interpret scripture again, and again..
Absolutely.
"It follows from all we have said,
that there are in the Christian world but two schools,
or two religions:
that which puts the Bible above everything,
and that which puts something above the Bible."
— Louis Gaussen 1790-1863