iscool: That's a completely inaccurate statement...But regardless, the scriptures are the words of God...So who, believing that, would not want to spend as much time in the scriptures as possible??? How can you separate Jesus from the scriptures???
You can't separate Jesus from the Scriptures. Scripture is how we know detail about Jesus and it is the authority with which we back up what we say so that people know that we're not just making up stuff about God. Creation gives general revelation about God and His nature.
Romans 1: 18-20 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
Psalm 19:1-4 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world....
Scripture is special revelation by God about Himself, giving us what we need to know to enter a right relationship with HIM.
Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
John 5:39You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about Me, ....
Acts 8:34-36 The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
Acts 18:28 For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
2 Timothy 3:14-16 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Acts 8:34-36 The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
Exactly. Without apostolic guidance and direction the eunuch was unable to understand the (Old Testament) Scriptures. From the beginning, as this scripture "proves", the Scriptures without the Church interpreting them lead to questions and misunderstandings.
It seems to me that the paragraph above is just as much "proved" by Scripture as any Sola Scriptura argument.
I frequently mention Christ as the Living Word.
Certainly that mentality is saturated in my consciousness about Scripture and the Christian life.
And . . .
IT IS CHRIST WHO
AS
A POINT OF AUTHORITY
REPEATEDLY SAID
IT IS WRITTEN!
IT IS WRITTEN!
IT IS WRITTEN!
IT IS WRITTEN!
AMEN! The word of God made flesh.