Posted on 07/03/2012 9:31:36 AM PDT by TeĆ³filo
Another nail in the coffin of the foundational Protestant dogma
Sola scriptura is dead, or at least is undead, a zombie still stalking the darkened hallways of Protestantism. Many well-meaning Protestant Christians dont see the zombie-dogma for what it is; instead, they choose to see it as a being of light. My friend Dave Armstrong has returned to blow the old decrepit sola scriptura monsters one at a time in his latest work, 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura.
Lets recall the definition of the sola scriptura dogma yes, it is a dogma as understood by Norman Geisler, a recognized Protestant authority Dave quotes in his work:
By sola scriptura orthodox Protestants mean that Scripture alone is the primary and absolute source of authority, the final court of appeal, for all doctrine and practice (faith and morals) (p.16)Geisler, and other authorities Dave quotes, further explain that other authorities exist, but that these are of secondary importance. Geisler also defends what he calls the perspicuity of Holy Writ, which means that anyone can understand the basic truths of Scripture: the plain things are the main things and the main things are the plain things, Geisler states. (p.17). As a true analyst, Dave separated the sola scriptura dogma into its constituents claims, found out its contents, examined its individual parts, and studied the structure of sola scriptura as whole. He found them defective and insufficient to expound and explain the full spectrum of Christian claims.
Dave kills the sola scriptura zombie by selecting 100 verses from Scripture contradicting this central Protestant claim. I guess he selected 100 verses because the number 100 gives the reader a sense of exhaustive answer and completion, not because there are only 100 verses that should make all sincere Protestant Christian at least uncomfortable with the teaching. In fact, Dave is the author of another related work, 501 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura: Is the Bible the Only Infallible Authority?, which is useful if you need another 401 arguments to kill the sola scriptura zombie dead.
100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura. is a distillation of the 501 Biblical Arguments
in a more manageable, less overwhelming fashion for the beginning reader. Its 133 pages in length and divided into two parts. In Part 1 Dave discusses the binding authority of Tradition, as substantiated in Scripture, and in Part 2 he discusses the binding authority of the Church, again from Scripture. The result must be uncontestable to the sincere Protestant Christian as well as eye opening to the full range of deeds and wonders the Incarnation of the Word of God brought to history.Will the sola scriptura zombie really die after Daves work? This is a senseless question because the zombie is already dead. Its kept ambulating by strings pulled from the most diehard of its followers. Those strings must be cut by the individual, sincere Protestant Christian himself. Dave Armstrongs work, 100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura. not only blows the zombie of sola scriptura away, he also provides the truth-searcher with the scissors to cut off the strings.
To wit:
“Why is X not equal to Y?”
“Because Y is not equal to X.”
Yeah, persuasive reasoning there.
Iscool: Is it correct to say you are non-Trinitarian and sola scriptura?
That may be, but since no one but Christ was sinless, that is sufficient.
Do you believe in the Trinity and that Jesus is God?
I’m not getting your wit here.
Are you saying that: The practice of sola scriptura *does* result in, One Lord, one faith, one baptism.
Or something else you disagree with in my post?
“Of course there are other references by him for that supposition?
There is not writings that support Mary as sinful by Blessed Athanasius”
But there is scripture that says she was born to sin like all of us, however good she may have been as a person.
“All have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God.”
All means....well, all. I don’t care what a Catholic ‘saint’ says. What the Lord says is true.
I guess you believe that Christ can not perfectly Grace someone either ? Not even the one who would carry that perfection in her womb?Do you believe somehow a perfect Christ must have to come from a sin stained environment?
I asked why you think it doesn’t.
Your explanation was: it doesn’t.
Which doesn’t help me understand why you think it doesn’t when it does.
I believe that Jesus was God manifested in flesh.
Gen. says the Word is God.
NT says that Jesus is the Word made flesh.
I believe in the Trinity of three distinct roles, but not in three distinct individuals.
Not a whole lot of interpretation in that one. I tried to find the exact scriptures for you, but it’s kind of late for that. But the bible says both of those statements.
So absent a statement of Mary being a sinner, one concludes that he believed her sinless? Did Athanasius affirm this:
Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Or this:
Romans 3:22-24
22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all[a] who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Considering the type of man he was, one wonders how one so scholarly could affirm the above and then not wonder where the verse concerning Mary's sinlessness can be found. And if believed sinless, why not as an article of the catholic faith of which he wrote so forcefully. Perhaps Athanasius recognized the Incarnation for what is was: God's mighty act, not God's with Mary's help.
If all sinned,how do you exclude Christ from sin and God and the Holy Spirit from sin according to what you believe?
All have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God...All means....well, all.
If all sinned,how do you exclude Christ from sin and God and the Holy Spirit from sin according to what you believe?
The rest of us, including Mary, our righteousness is as filthy rags.
side note: I’ve heard from scholars that the the ‘filthy rags’ refer to the rags women use, as in menstrual garments. that’s the measure of our best righteousness. We’re a tampon.
Mary simply followed the will of God and could have rejected it just like you and I do when we sin.
God eternally knew Mary would follow perfection,thus the Incarnation was perfection of Mary following the will of God
Why do you cheapen the Incarnation as if Christ had to be Incarnated with a sinful Mother?
God can do anything, there is no proof that He did. Subtracting from God's glory to have another sinless?
Do you believe somehow a perfect Christ must have to come from a sin stained environment?
Absent proof, that's what happened, how much more superlative is the act of the Incarnation, how much more a display of God's Almighty hand, how much more glorious that the Eternal God stooped to be born sinless man from sinful woman.
>>”I asked why you think it doesnt.
Actually you stated: “You then contend Scripture is incomplete, and subsequent revelations have been pronounced with equal gravitas.
This was in response to my post: “If that structure is sola scriptura, yes - for certain “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” cannot exist with it....
Which was in reply to your:” then Christianity crumbles”
The topic was Christianity crumbling, One Lord, one faith..., the unworkability of sola scriptura.
I was staying on topic - and saying just what I was contending.
I’m not going to argue for what you say I am contending. Nor would I expect you to accept what I say you are saying.
If you would like to change the subject and discuss another aspect of sola scriptura or another topic entirely, I’m willing. Provided you don’t contend to tell me what I’m contending.
:)
stfassisi can most likely correct, but I believe this is known as Modalism or Sabellianism.
“Perhaps Athanasius recognized the Incarnation for what is was: God’s mighty act, not God’s with Mary’s help.
Mary simply followed the will of God and could have rejected it just like you and I do when we sin.
God eternally knew Mary would follow perfection,thus the Incarnation was perfection of Mary following the will of God
Why do you cheapen the Incarnation as if Christ had to be Incarnated with a sinful Mother?”
If the Lord says all fall short of the Glory of God, who are you to tell Him he is wrong, that there was one who didn’t fall short?
Sorry, but the word says it, and that settles it. At least for me.
Sorry, but Mary was a remarkable woman who made a big sacrifice. She was labeled a slut by her neighbors for most or all of her life because she was pregnant before marriage. I gather even Joseph couldn’t convince them of the truth.
But she was still a normal woman chosen by God to bare Jesus.
Did it occur to you that for Him to be fully man, He had to be born of an ordinary woman?
Christ could not be perfection if He grew in the womb of an imperfect mother.The stain of sin would be attached since life in the womb of imperfection would touch Him
If true, the same should be said of Mary's mother and ancestors to the earliest antiquity,
Strange ! I would think it would be even more Glorious that God would be born of someone who perfectly followed His will
Your analogy seems to glorify sin.
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