Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Sola Scriptura
The John Ankerberg Show ^ | Feb.11,2015 | James McCarthy;

Posted on 02/11/2015 12:02:36 PM PST by RnMomof7

Sola Scriptura

Today, even as in the time of the Reformation, thousands of Catholics worldwide are leaving Roman Catholicism for biblical Christianity. And once again, the rallying cry of the sixteenth century, Sola Scriptura, Scripture Alone, is being heard.

Roman Catholic defenders have responded to this challenge by going on the offen­sive. A typical argument sounds something like this:

The Bible cannot be the sole rule of faith, because the first Christians didn’t have the New Testament. Initially, Tradition, the oral teachings of the apostles, was the Church’s rule of faith. The New Testament came later when a portion of Tradition was put to writing. It was the Roman Catholic Church that produced the New Testament, and it was the Church that infallibly told us what books belong in the Bible. It is the Church, therefore, that is the authoritative teacher of Scripture. Sola Scriptura is not even taught in the Bible. The rule of faith of the Roman Catholic Church, therefore, is rightly Scripture and Tradition together.

Christians confronted with such arguments should keep the following points in mind:

Christians have never been without the Scriptures as their rule of faith.

The unforgettable experience of two early disciples shows the fallacy of thinking that the first Christians were ever without Scripture as their rule of faith. Three days after the crucifixion, two of Jesus’ disciples were walking home. A fellow traveler, whom they took for a stranger, joined them along the way. The conversation quickly turned to the events that had just taken place in Jerusalem. With deep sorrow, the disciples told the story of how the chief priests and rulers of the nation had sentenced Jesus to death and had Him crucified by the civil authorities.

To the disciples’ shock, the stranger rebuked them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” (Luke 24:25, NIV). Then begin­ning with Moses and proceeding through the prophets, the stranger explained to them the truths concerning Jesus in the Old Testament Scriptures.

Eventually the two disciples realized that their fellow traveler was no stranger at all but the Lord Jesus Himself! Later they recalled, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).

The experience of those two early disciples was not unique. With the Holy Spirit’s coming at Pentecost, and with the aid of the apostles’ teaching, Jewish Christians rediscov­ered their own Scriptures. Their common conviction was that the Old Testament, properly understood, was a revelation of Christ. There they found a prophetic record of Jesus’ life, teaching, death, and resurrection.

The Old Testament Scriptures served as the standard of truth for the infant church, Jew and Gentile alike. Within a short time, the New Testament Scriptures took their place alongside those of the Old Testament. Consequently, the early church was never without the written Word of God.

Scripture is not simply written Tradition.

Roman Catholic descriptions of the origin of the New Testament stress that the oral teachings of the apostles, Tradition, preceded the written record of those teachings, Scrip­ture. Often the New Testament is presented as little more than a written record of Tradition, the writer’s recollections, and a partial explanation of Christ’s teaching. This, of course, elevates Tradition to the same level of authority as Scripture—or, more precisely, drops Scripture to the level of Tradition.

But the New Testament Scriptures are much more than a written record of the oral teaching of the apostles; they are an inspired record. A biblical understanding of inspiration makes clear the significance of this distinction. Peter writes,

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20-21 (NIV)

Here we see that Scripture is not “the prophet’s own interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20, NIV). The word translated “interpretation” means to solve or to explain. Peter is saying that no writer of the New Testament simply recorded his own explanation of what he had heard Jesus teach and had seen Him do. Scripture does not have “its origin in the will of man” (2 Peter 1:21, NIV). The writers of the Bible did not decide that they would write a prophetic record or what would be included in Scripture. Rather, they were “carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21, NIV).

The word translated here “carried along” is found in the New Testament in Mark 2:3. There it is used with reference to the paralytic whose friends carried him to Jesus for heal­ing. Just as the paralytic did not walk by his own power, a true prophet does not write by his own impulse. He is “carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21, NIV). Men wrote the New Testament; “men spoke” (2 Peter 1:21, NIV). Their writings reflect their individual personalities and experiences. But these “men spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:21). Men wrote but God was the author.

For these reasons, Scripture is revelation perfectly communicated in God-given words:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)

The phrase “inspired by God” is the translation of a compound term made up of the words God and to breathe. The verse can be translated: “All Scripture is God-breathed. . . “(2 Timothy 3:16, NIV). Scripture is therefore rightly called the Word of God.

In reducing Scripture to simply written Tradition, Catholic proponents are able to boost the importance of Tradition. But in doing so, they distort the meaning of inspiration and minimize the primary difference between Scripture and Tradition.

The Bible contains all essential revelation.

It is true that the New Testament does not contain a record of everything that Jesus did. John makes this clear in the conclusion of his gospel:

And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books which were written. John 21:25

John’s point in concluding his gospel with this comment was to acknowledge that the life of the Lord Jesus was far too wonderful to be fully contained in any book. He was not commenting on the general purpose of Scripture or the need for Tradition. Neither was he implying that he had left out of his book essential revelation received from Christ. Indeed, earlier in his gospel, John implies the opposite:

Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:30-31

We can infer from this statement that John included in his gospel all the essential teachings of Christ necessary for salvation. Significantly, he makes no reference to seven sacraments, the Sacrifice of the Mass, sanctifying grace, penance, purgatory, or an institu­tion such as the Roman Catholic Church—all necessary for salvation according to Roman Catholicism.

The Scriptures achieve their stated purpose: “that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17 NIV). They are the perfect guide to the Christian faith. Unlike Tradition, the Scriptures are accessible and open to all. Translations of the entire Bible have been made into the primary languages of the world, 276 in total. It is the most widely distributed and read book in all of history.

To define Roman Catholic Tradition as a font of extra-biblical revelation is to add to God’s Word. Scripture warns us “not to exceed what is written” (1 Corinthians 4:6). “Do not add to His words lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar” (Proverbs 30:6). The last book of the New Testament ends with this solemn warning:

I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. Revelation 22:18-19

At question is the authority of Tradition, not Scripture.

There are hundreds of verses in the Bible establishing the truth that the Word of God is the church’s sufficient and supreme rule of faith. Psalm 119 alone dedicates 176 verses to the unparalleled value of God’s Word. The Lord Jesus taught:

Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4

Though Scriptures can be multiplied on this theme, it is not necessary to do so. The Roman Catholic Church agrees that the Bible teaches that the Word of God is the supreme rule of faith and that all theology must rest upon it. There is no question as to the suffi­ciency or authority of the Word of God.

The controversy revolves around the identity of God’s Word. Namely, is the Word of God Scripture and Tradition? Or, is the Word of God Scripture alone?

In the ongoing debate, Roman Catholic proponents enjoy taking the offensive by challenging non-Catholics to prove that God intended that the Scriptures alone were to serve as the church’s rule of faith. “Where does the Bible teach Sola Scriptura?” they demand.

Though this tactic is effective in putting their opponents on the defensive, it is in fact misleading. Both sides agree that the Scriptures are the Word of God and that as such they speak with divine authority. The Lord Jesus Himself, in John 10:35, clearly identifies the Word of God as Scripture.

The point of controversy is Tradition. The Roman Catholic Church asserts that Tradi­tion is also the Word of God.

The question which the Roman Catholic Church must answer, therefore, is: Where does Jesus, the prophets, or the apostles teach that Tradition is the Word of God? Or, more precisely: Where in the Bible can it be found that Scripture and Tradition together, as interpreted by the pope and bishops of the Roman Catholic Church, are to be the church’s rule of faith? This is what Roman Catholicism is really asserting and should be the topic of debate. And since the Roman Catholic Church is the one asserting the authority of Tradi­tion and the Magesterium, the burden of proof lies with Rome.

Adapted from The Gospel According to Rome (Harvest House Publishers: Eugene, 1995).

Notes

  1. Compare: Second Vatican Council, “Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation,” no. 19.
  2. Patrick Johnstone, Operation World (Grand Rapids, MIchigan: Zondervan, 1993), p. 22.
  3. Second Vatican Council, “Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation,” no. 21 and no. 24.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Evangelical Christian; Mainline Protestant; Theology
KEYWORDS: ruleoffaith; scripture
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 281-300301-320321-340 ... 781-782 next last
To: metmom

That was he answer I wanted. That is one reason I lost respect for the Catholcs. Buying his way out of a mess.


301 posted on 02/12/2015 2:31:31 PM PST by MamaB
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 299 | View Replies]

To: editor-surveyor
 

Old enough to know that I wouldn’t like to ‘live’ forever without a body, thirsty, in a dry, dark place that has no water, and smells of burning sulphur.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/274g7ifOD2M?rel=0&start=171&end=276
 


Smell the brimstone!!



302 posted on 02/12/2015 2:31:50 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 284 | View Replies]

To: paladinan
 

Of course, it's clear! One is saved by persevering to the end (Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13, Mark 13:13), as Our Lord Jesus said, Himself.

Or, rather, one is saved by Baptism (1 Peter 3:21)!

Or, rather, one is saved by...

Do you see my point? Any approach to Scripture which says "It's nothing but ___!" has a high risk of being wrong;


 
 
 
 

 
Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.


John 6:28-29
Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?
 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."


1 John 3:21-23
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.
And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.


James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
 

 
 
 

303 posted on 02/12/2015 2:34:02 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 285 | View Replies]

To: paladinan

So many moms; so little time...


304 posted on 02/12/2015 2:34:47 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 287 | View Replies]

To: verga
You will finds that dodging questions and bearing false witness against the Catholic Church is standard practice among the prots here.



Pope Stephen VI (896–897), who had his predecessor Pope Formosus exhumed, tried, de-fingered, briefly reburied, and thrown in the Tiber.[1]

Pope John XII (955–964), who gave land to a mistress, murdered several people, and was killed by a man who caught him in bed with his wife.

Pope Benedict IX (1032–1044, 1045, 1047–1048), who "sold" the Papacy

Pope Boniface VIII (1294–1303), who is lampooned in Dante's Divine Comedy

Pope Urban VI (1378–1389), who complained that he did not hear enough screaming when Cardinals who had conspired against him were tortured.[2]

Pope Alexander VI (1492–1503), a Borgia, who was guilty of nepotism and whose unattended corpse swelled until it could barely fit in a coffin.[3]

Pope Leo X (1513–1521), a spendthrift member of the Medici family who once spent 1/7 of his predecessors' reserves on a single ceremony[4]

Pope Clement VII (1523–1534), also a Medici, whose power-politicking with France, Spain, and Germany got Rome sacked.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bad_Popes

305 posted on 02/12/2015 2:35:31 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 288 | View Replies]

To: paladinan
Elsie... are you seriously encouraging another commenter to call me Satan and/or Satan's servant?

youy tell!

You're the mindreader!

306 posted on 02/12/2015 2:36:14 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 289 | View Replies]

To: OneWingedShark; paladinan; RnMomof7; redleghunter
Except he did write something down:

And commanded Scriptures to be written:

Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. (Revelation 1:11)

Moreover, as all Scripture is given by the inspiration of the Spirit of Christ, who says what the Lord wants Him to, then the Lord commanded all the NT to be written.

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (John 16:12-14)

Thus RCs who employ the parroted polemic that argues Christ never commanded anything to be written down, nor did so Himself, thus the church cannot be based upon Scripture (though that is how its Truth claims were established upon), either rely upon the specious red letter hermeneutic even homosexuals employ, or they deny the nature of the Trinity.

307 posted on 02/12/2015 2:36:57 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 274 | View Replies]

To: paladinan
Get well soon.


Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes

Blessed, most pure Virgin, you chose to manifest yourself shining with life, sweetness and beauty, in the Grotto of Lourdes.
To the child, St. Bernadette, you revealed yourself, "I am the Immaculate Conception."
And now, Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Healer of the Sick, Comforter of the Afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Look upon me with mercy.
By your appearance in the Grotto of Lourdes, it became a privileged sanctuary from which you dispense your favors.
Many have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and physical. I come, therefore, with confidence in your maternal intercession.
Obtain for me, O loving Mother, this special request. Our Lady of Lourdes, Mother of Christ, pray for me.
Obtain from your Divine Son my special request if it be God's will.

Amen.


308 posted on 02/12/2015 2:39:17 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 289 | View Replies]

To: paladinan
(Rule #1: There is a God. Rule #2: It isn't you.)

(Rule #1: There is a God. Rule #2: What HE had written down wasn't good enough for Rome.)

309 posted on 02/12/2015 2:41:17 PM PST by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 289 | View Replies]

To: CynicalBear

In an unquenchable fire? I would like to see proof of that.


Ever been divorced?.. abused?... intimidated?..
Watched your beautiful country Sodomized by a virtual TRAITOR?..


310 posted on 02/12/2015 2:42:59 PM PST by hosepipe (" This propaganda has been edited (specifically) to include some fully orbed hyperbole.. ")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 283 | View Replies]

To: editor-surveyor

Old enough to know that I wouldn’t like to ‘live’ forever without a body, thirsty, in a dry, dark place that has no water, and smells of burning sulphur.


So... you’re carnal?.. and havn’t picked up your own cross and followed “him”?..


311 posted on 02/12/2015 2:44:52 PM PST by hosepipe (" This propaganda has been edited (specifically) to include some fully orbed hyperbole.. ")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 284 | View Replies]

To: Elsie

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.


It was a snarky comment..


312 posted on 02/12/2015 2:46:13 PM PST by hosepipe (" This propaganda has been edited (specifically) to include some fully orbed hyperbole.. ")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 294 | View Replies]

To: Elsie

The Great White Throne thingy happened and I missed it?


Just the prelude, with America’s punishment in 2008...
Could be... the God.. despises 75,000,000+ aborted babies..
Wouldn’t blame “him” actually..


313 posted on 02/12/2015 2:49:26 PM PST by hosepipe (" This propaganda has been edited (specifically) to include some fully orbed hyperbole.. ")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 295 | View Replies]

To: ravenwolf; metmom
John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone (Petros).

Greek - Petros - 4074 (Pétros) is an isolated rock (TDNT, 3, 100). "4074 (Pétros) always means a stone . . . such as a man may throw, . . .

versus

Greek - 4073 pétra, a projecting rock, cliff" (S. Zodhiates, Dict).

Matthew 16:18 And I tell you that you are Peter (Petros), and on this rock (petra) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Jesus did NOT build His ekklesia on Petros (Peter).

314 posted on 02/12/2015 2:50:33 PM PST by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 300 | View Replies]

To: paladinan
That's true, up to a point... but even that good point has one strong limitation: neither the LDS nor the Catholic Church use the false idea of "sola Scriptura"... and so long as sola Scriptura is false, no one need worry about falling afoul of it. No, we're not free to conjure up just ANYTHING; it can't CONTRADICT the Scriptures, for one thing, and it should have reasonable EXTERNAL evidence, in order to entertain the idea in the first place. I, for example, could only reasonably assume that there's a live chicken in my attic if I get at least some *evidence* (of my senses, from reliable testimony, etc.) that there is, in fact, a chicken in the attic. The way you talk here, you sound as if Catholics invented the idea of Mary's Assumption on a pure lark, with no historical or testimonial evidence at all!

That's about ridiculous...There is no historical or testimonial evidence of the assumption of Mary...Some crackpot invents the story hundreds of years after the fact and then it gets repeated by more crackpots and you call this historical and testimonial evidence??? Nonsense...

315 posted on 02/12/2015 2:51:47 PM PST by Iscool
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 285 | View Replies]

To: paladinan
Right. Well... given the choice between talking with those who actually discuss the issues, versus trying to talk to people who are content to dodge the issues while dropping slimy, inflammatory insinuations like that... I’ll take the former, thank you, and bid you a good day.

Well now, that is personal, but will give you a pass. I will also note, the 'answer' a question with another question was not really 'debating.'

316 posted on 02/12/2015 2:55:07 PM PST by redleghunter (He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself. Lk24)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 286 | View Replies]

To: hosepipe

I think you are completely missing the picture. Gehanna is a literal fiery place. Picture burning at the stake but never being able to die to relieve the pain. You’re examples aren’t even close to that. Even those who die in fires are relieved of the pain when they die. Not so in Gehanna. Eternally burning with no relief from death.


317 posted on 02/12/2015 2:55:31 PM PST by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 310 | View Replies]

To: edwinland
Interesting points, but did you intend to send them to me? They don’t seem related to what I wrote.

I must have thought you had commented on this issue. Sorry if it was not fitting.

318 posted on 02/12/2015 3:01:38 PM PST by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 214 | View Replies]

To: metmom
There sure is an awfully strong concerted effort on the part of the RC's to call into question the integrity of Scripture.

The scriptures as a whole are foreign to Catholics and Catholicism is foreign to the scriptures...Yet they claim the scriptures are not trustworthy...Catholic's opinions about the scriptures are worth less than nothing...

319 posted on 02/12/2015 3:02:05 PM PST by Iscool
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 298 | View Replies]

To: CynicalBear

Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone (Petros).


Cephas is called a stone by some and a rock by others, which is why I said we each have to decide if we want to call it a rock or a stone.

I believe Jesus was building his Church on faith which is the rock referred to.


320 posted on 02/12/2015 3:03:54 PM PST by ravenwolf (s letters scripture.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 314 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 281-300301-320321-340 ... 781-782 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson