But we don't know all that they said. St Paul references one of his letters as being authoritative in 1 Cor 5:9-11... but we don't have that letter. In 1 Thess 3:10, St Paul says that he wants to be with them face to face because his letter is not enough for their instruction. Rarely did St Paul appeal to Scripture in his writings... he primarily told the reader to be true to the traditions he brought with him (Phil 4:9).
The Bible is the story of our fall and redemption. It isn't a Catechism of all things and a complete instruction manual for life. In Acts 15, we see that the Apostles had to define doctrine based on their understanding of Scripture... not based on established Scripture but in accordance with their commission to the world and authority given by Christ.
Not all was written, only that which was necessary for understanding salvation. The very fact that the Bible Itself tells you It isn't all-inclusive should punch a deciding blow in Sola Scriptura (John 20:30 & John 21:25).
Nobody claimed it was.
But the Bible alone is sufficient to explain the path to salvation, in that it points us to Jesus, and CLEARLY explains that "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Eph 2:8-9
Salvation is not gained through your church membership, rather, you become a member of Christ's church when you are born again!
But we don't know all that they said.
And neither do the "early church fathers". And as inconsistent as they were on things, I wouldn't hang my hat on their positions either.
St Paul references one of his letters as being authoritative in 1 Cor 5:9-11... but we don't have that letter.
True we don't. That tells us God did not intend for us to have it. We also don't have the very first sermons/lessons Paul taught a lot of the churches he founded either...but we know he founded them due to the written record we have.
We do have however,
Jn 20:30-31 "Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."
Jn 21:24-25, "24This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."
In 1 Thess 3:10, St Paul says that he wants to be with them face to face because his letter is not enough for their instruction.
And he wrote them another letter as well.
Rarely did St Paul appeal to Scripture in his writings...
Recommend you re-read Romans.
he primarily told the reader to be true to the traditions he brought with him (Phil 4:9).
Actually in Phil 4:9 he said, "the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you."
What were those things? Read the letters Paul has written.
The Bible is the story of our fall and redemption. It isn't a Catechism of all things and a complete instruction manual for life.
It doesn't tell you to brush your teeth or when to go to bed, but it does tell us how to conduct our lives according to Christ. It does tell us how to have a relationship with Christ and how to go to Heaven.
In Acts 15, we see that the Apostles had to define doctrine based on their understanding of Scripture... not based on established Scripture but in accordance with their commission to the world and authority given by Christ.
Yes...they were correcting a false "tradition" that was being taught by some. And it was the judgment of James, with an appeal to Scripture, that was followed. Also interesting that the Council did note in Acts 15:11 that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus...
>Not all was written, only that which was necessary for understanding salvation. <
The very fact that the Bible Itself tells you It isn't all-inclusive should punch a deciding blow in Sola Scriptura (John 20:30 & John 21:25).
Interestinlgy when Jesus was being tested by the Devil He appealed to Scripture (sola scriptura) three times by saying, "it is written."
If Jesus referred to the Scripture in this ordeal, I think that's a pretty good role model we should copy.
You will also note as you read the Gospels that Jesus trashed man-made tradition.
Let's be clear on something as we end.
Was the Word spread by preaching? Yes.
Did the apostles write letters for instruction and teaching? Yes.
Do we spread the Word through preaching and the written Word today? Yes. But we do not go beyond the written text as given to us in the Bible.
Do we have a record of each and every sermon/lesson that was taught by Christ or the disciples or from other believers as well? No. The Bible is clear on that.
Do we have in the Bible what we need to know about how to get to Heaven and conduct our lives? Yes.
1 Jn 5:13 "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life."