[RegulatorCountry]

If “your religion” had held to the religion of it’s own church fathers, there would have been no need for a Reformation and no disunity of the body of believers.

Sola Scriptura arose in response to the bizarre and oftentimes moneygrubbing excesses and corruption then extant in “your religion.” These were cast off by the Reformers, who determined never again to accept unscriptural excess and corruption such as occurred in the medieval nightmare known as the Roman Catholic Church of the era.

The Scriptures were written by Jews who believed in Jesus Christ as Messiah. To engage in revisionist history by reaching back and claiming the Apostles as Roman Catholic is yet another bizarre excess. Hubris, that’s what it is. “Your religion” did not author the Bible. Those early Church Fathers who had a hand in compiling that same Bible are oftentimes refuted in the modern era by “your religion.”

This sort of thing is why Sola Scriptura ever became necessary. It’s also why it’s attacked by those who adhere to a religion that has veered from it’s own Apostolic and Scriptural roots.

[one Lord one faith one baptism]

my friend, what you call hubris, everyone else calls history.

i can understand you rejecting the Catholic Faith, people rejected Jesus when He walked the earth. what i can’t understand is how sola scriptura has led to 30,000 “churches”. why do we need the baptists, if we have the lutherans. the lutherans hold to sola scriptura, why can’t the baptists be lutheran?

no my friend, read John 17, this isn’t what Jesus prayed for.
the Holy Spirit is not the author of confusion.

[metmom]

Sola Scriptura arose in response to the bizarre and oftentimes moneygrubbing excesses and corruption then extant in “your religion.” These were cast off by the Reformers, who determined never again to accept unscriptural excess and corruption such as occurred in the medieval nightmare known as the Roman Catholic Church of the era.

And for wanting to eliminate greed, immorality, and corruption, the Reformers were what? Ex-communicated and burned at the stake. And they're still being vilified today.

Seems that some in those days weren't interested a good house cleaning and giving up what must have been a pretty good deal for themselves.

[Cronos]

Actually, Sola Scriptura is used to justify a lot of different things. You need to ask what does Sola scriptura define

1. does sola scriptura say one should believe in something as basic as Jesus was always God (Trinitarian position) or that Jesus Christ was man made God (Oneness PENTECOSTAL Protestant position) or the Angel Michael (Seventh Day Adventist Ellen G White teaching)
2. Does sola scriptura say that there is the REAL Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (Lutheran, some Anglicans, maybe even Methodists), or is it just a symbol (Calvinists)
3. Does sola scriptura say that one MUST talk in tongues (Oneness Pentecostal) to display faith or not?
4. Does sola scriptura say that there should be an episcopate (Lutheran, Anglican) or not (Presbyterians)?
5. Does sola scriptura say that apostolic succession is important (Anglican) or not (others)?
7. Does sola scriptura say that Baptism is for infants and sufficient (Presbyterian etc.) or not (Baptists)?
8. Does sola scriptura say that God pre-damns people to hell (Calvinism) or not (others)?
9. Does sola scriptura say that vestements are ok (or in the silly words of one poster allowing men in dresses and silly hats) (Anglicans, Lutherans, some Methodists, Presbyterians, even Baptists and Pentecostals) or not?
10. Does sola scriptura say that Jesus came only for the salvation of a few (Calvinists) or he was Savior of the world (everyone else)?
11. Does sola scriptura agree or disagree with soul sleep? (Calvin: "As long as (the soul) is in the body it exerts its own powers; but when it quits this prison-house it returns to God, whose presence, it meanwhile enjoys while it rests in the hope of a blessed Resurrection. This rest is its paradise. On the other hand, the spirit of the reprobate, while it waits for the dreadful judgment, is tortured by that anticipation. . .", Psychopannychia,
12. Does sola scriptura agree or disagree with worshipping on a Sunday (Presbyterians, Pentecostals etc.) or not (Seventh Day Adventists)
13. Does sola scriptura agree with the Adventists that one should follow kosher laws or not?
14. Does sola scriptura believe that we still have spiritual gifts like prophecy amongst us (Pentecostals) or not (Presbyterians)
15. Does sola scriptura agree with being "slain in the spirit" (Pentecostalism) or not (Presbyterianism, Lutheranism etc)
16. Does sola scriptura say that Regeneration comes through Baptism (Lutheranism) or not (Baptists)
17. Does sola scriptura say that grace can be resisted (Pentecostalism, Lutheranism, Methodism) or not (Calvinism)
18. Does sola scriptura say that baptism is three-fold (Mennonites) or not?
19. Does sola scriptura say that there is no free will (Calvinism) or that man has free will (Mennonites)
20. Does sola scriptura say that it is faith + works (Mennonites: Menno Simons told the followers of Luther and Calvin: “If you wish to be saved, you must walk in the way of the Lord, hear His Word, and obey it. For nothing avails in heaven nor on earth unto salvation, … not even Christ with His grace, merit, blood, and death, if we are not born of God, … if we do not believe His Word sincerely, and if we do not walk in the light and do right. As John says: …>If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie.’” (Complete Writings of Menno Simons, p. 208)) or not?
21. Does sola scriptura say that there is imputed righteousness (Calvinism) or not (Mennonites)

These are fundamental differences my friend

[Cronos]

The Apostles were indeed Jews who believed in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, as Lord and GOD. The very fact that they acknowledged Him as God separated them from the Sadduccees, Pharisees, Essenes etc.

They were in this essence Christians as distinct from Jews

[Cronos]

Furthermore, quite frankly, the New Testament Church, the Early Christians believed in:

1. Baptism for the remission of sins
2. the Eucharist as the body and blood of Christ

We in orthodoxy believe this, just as the New Testament Church and the Early Christians did -- do you?

[Cronos]

Now remember the Bible is utterly accurate, yet, besides as shown above not giving the exact meaning of certain points, it does not say a lot about some things either - how did Early Christians worship? What were the rules for this worship, the manner in which this worship was carried out?

The Bible does not say anything about this, yet we have an external work dating from 70 AD (Apostolic times), the Didache which does just that (in fact it possibly predates Revelations)

What does it say?

• Chapter 6: "See that no one causes you to err from this way of The Teaching" -- note, the Teaching as handed down from Ultimate Teacher to teacher to teacher.
• Chapter 7: "And concerning baptism, baptize this way: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19 in living water. But if you have not living water, baptize into other water; and if you can not in cold, in warm. But if you have not either, pour out water thrice upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit."
• and more to the point of worship Chapter 9: The Thanksgiving Now concerning the Thanksgiving thus give thanks. First, concerning the cup: We thank you, our Father, for the holy vine of David Your servant, which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory for ever. And concerning the broken bread: We thank You, our Father, for the life and knowledge which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory for ever. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let Your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Your kingdom; for Yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever. But let no one eat or drink of your Thanksgiving (Eucharist), but they who have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, Give not that which is holy to the dogs.
• Chapter 10: "But after you are filled, thus give thanks: We thank You, holy Father, for Your holy name which You caused to tabernacle in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality, which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant; to You be the glory for ever. You, Master almighty, created all things for Your name's sake; You gave food and drink to men for enjoyment, that they might give thanks to You; but to us You freely gave spiritual food and drink and life eternal through Your Servant. Before all things we thank You that You are mighty; to You be the glory for ever. Remember, Lord, Your Church, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in Your love, and gather it from the four winds, sanctified for Your kingdom which You have prepared for it; for Yours is the power and the glory for ever. Let grace come, and let this world pass away. Hosanna to the God (Son) of David! If any one is holy, let him come; if any one is not so, let him repent. Maran atha. Amen. But permit the prophets to make Thanksgiving as much as they desire."
• Chapter 14: But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations.

And this is how we worship today, just as we were taught right back to the Apostles (1 Tim 3:15 15But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.)