What does the doctrine of sola
scriptura mean?
by Mike Delgado
The Word alone is sufficient for
salvation
All things necessary for salvation and concerning faith
and life are taught in the Bible and can be clearly understood by the
ordinary believer.
2 Timothy 3:12-4:5
2 Yes,
and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer
persecution. 13 But evil
men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being
deceived. 14 But you
must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of,
knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and
that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are
able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ
Jesus. 16 All
Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God
may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
1 I
charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge
the living and the dead at* His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach
the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort,
with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For
the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according
to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up
for themselves teachers; 4 and
they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to
fables. 5 But you be
watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist,
fulfill your ministry.
All truth necessary for our salvation
is taught either explicitly or implicitly in Scripture.
§ Sola Scriptura does
not teach that we discount church tradition and creeds. Scripture is the
rule that we can test the creeds—but it doesn’t mean that creeds
aren’t useful or vital to our doctrine.
§ Sola Scriptura does
not teach that we approach scripture with an empty slate—and make
whatever meaning we want from it. Our interpretation of scripture should
align with what the Church has taught (as we find in the creeds).
§ Sola Scriptura does
not teach that God has only spoken to man only through the written word.
We believe that God has spoken to man in various ways: spoken audibly to
man, has spoken to people through prophets, and has now revealed himself
through Christ (Hebrews 1:1,2).
We ought to test all things by
scripture
Acts 17:11
These were more fair-minded than those in
Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched
the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Deuteronomy 13:1-5
1 "If there arises
among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a
wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which
he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods'--which you have
not known--'and let us serve them,' 3 you shall not listen
to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord
your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with
all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk
after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and
obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. 5 But
that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he
has spoken in order to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought
you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage,
to entice you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to
walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.
1 Corinthians 4:6
Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively
transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in
us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed
up on behalf of one against the other.
1 Thess 5:21
Test all things, hold fast to that which is good.
Scripture should be interpreted by the
Church according to rule of faith.
Scripture is to be interpreted by the Church within the
hermeneutical context of the regula fidei (or ecumenical creeds) of the
Church. The Nicene Creed and the Definition of Chalcedon are the creedal
confessions of all orthodox Christians and serve as doctrinal boundaries
of orthodox Christianity.
These creeds (or church traditions) don’t add to
scripture, but rather summarize what scripture teaches. They help us
identify and refute heresy.
Why do we recite creeds in church?
§ Harmony of the church
on basic Christian doctrine throughout the ages.
§ Creeds help us detect
and remove heresy from our church. (e.g. Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses)
§ Everyone has a creed. A
denial of creeds is self-contradictory. My creed is that there should be
no creed.
§ Creeds are summaries of
what scripture teaches.
Why do you think the modern
evangelical church has gotten rid of creeds?
§ Creeds are considered
man-made traditions and we should focus on scripture instead.
§ We have this idea
that we know better than the historic church. The historic church argued
about theology, but we can simply read the Bible for ourselves, love
Jesus, and be free from such controversies. If only the historic church
thought like us.
§ The American ideal of
individualism has helped disqualify the help of the historic church. We
have this idea that we’re self-sufficient. We don’t need the help of
people in the past. I have a brain and a Bible, so I can figure it out
for myself.
What happens if you get rid of
creeds?
§ Creeds were created
to help prevent heresy from slipping in. To discount them, you open
yourself to encounter the same heresies (e.g. Trinity, two-natures of
Christ, etc).
§ What separates you
from any reader of the Bible? Eliminating creeds leads to subjectivism.
You can read whatever you want into the Bible and make up your own
doctrine. There’s nothing to test your view against.
§ You never really get
rid of creeds. A creed (latin: credo) means “I believe” and everyone
believes something about the Bible. You don’t approach scripture with
a blank slate—you come with certain biases.
What are some important, historic creeds that you
think most Christians adhere to?
§ Apostles Creed
§ Nicene Creed (381
A.D.)
§ The Definition of the
Council of Chalcedon (451 A.D)
Early Church held to Scripture as the
final authority of faith and life.
Clement of Alexandria (CA. 150 – 215), Stromata,
Book VII, Chapter 16
“But those who are ready to toil in the most
excellent pursuits, will not desist from the search after truth,
till they get the demonstration from Scripture themselves.”
Tertullian (CA. 155 – 220)
In refuting a heresy of Docetism (denying doctrine of
incarnation), Tertullian writes, “But there is no evidence of this,
because Scripture says nothing.” Furthermore, he writes, “If it is
nowhere written, then let it fear the woe which impends on all who
add or take away from the written word.”
Hippolytus (CA. 170 – 236)
Against the Heresy of One Noetus
“There is, brethren, one God, the knowledge of whom we
gain from the Holy Scripture, and from no other source. . . . Whatever
things, then, the Holy Scriptures declare, at these let us look; and
whatsoever things they teach, these let us learn; and the Father will our
belief to be, let us believe . . . Not according to our own will, nor
according to our own mind, nor yet as using violently those things which
are given by God, but even as He has chosen to teach them by the Holy
Scripture, so let us discern them.”
Augustine (354 – 430)
On the Good of Widowhood
“What more can I teach you, than what we read in the
Apostle? For holy Scripture setteth a rule to our teaching, that we
dare not “be wise more than it behoveth to be wise.”
Gregory of Nyssa (394 A.D)
"The generality of men still fluctuate in their
opinions about this, which are as erroneous as they are numerous. As for
ourselves, if the Gentile philosophy, which deals methodically with all
these points, were really adequate for a demonstration, it would
certainly be superfluous to add a discussion on the soul to those
speculations. But while the latter proceeded, on the subject of the
soul, as far in the direction of supposed consequences as the thinker
pleased, we are not entitled to such license, I mean that of affirming
what we please; we make the Holy Scriptures the rule and the measure
of every tenet; we necessarily fix our eyes upon that, and approve
that alone which may be made to harmonize with the intention of those
writings."
Cyril of Jerusalem (450 A.D.)
"This seal have thou ever on thy mind; which now
by way of summary has been touched on in its heads, and if the Lord
grant, shall hereafter be set forth according to our power, with
Scripture proofs. For concerning the divine and sacred Mysteries of
the Faith, we ought not to deliver even the most casual remark without
the Holy Scriptures: nor be drawn aside by mere probabilities and
the artifices of argument. Do not then believe me because I tell thee
these things, unless thou receive from the Holy Scriptures the proof of
what is set forth: for this salvation, which is of our faith, is not by
ingenious reasonings, but by proof from the Holy Scriptures."
Throughout church history, we will find those
theologians that leaned more toward Scripture or more towards church
tradition as a final authority. It’s untrue to think that the Early
Church was unified or consistent on doctrine or on their view of
Scripture and the Church. But the early church seemed very determined to
test everything by Scripture.
As the years progressed, the Church became more and
more authoritative, which climaxed with the idea of Papal infallibility.
It really wasn’t until the reformation that Church authority was
questioned and the importance of Scripture became supreme.
Three Common Views of Scripture Today:
Solo Scriptura, Sola Scriptura,
Sola Ecclesia
Solo Scriptura – Subjectivism
| Definition: |
Scripture alone is sufficient—and
final authority on doctrine rests on the shoulder of each
believer. This position is best described as Relativism. |
| View of creeds: |
Irrelevant, traditions of men,
doctrines divide, no creed but Christ |
| How to read scripture |
Use self-reason to decide on
Christian doctrine |
| View of church on interpretation: |
Helpful, but people should decide for
themselves whether doctrine is true |
| Views held by: |
Liberal Theologians, Some
Non-Denominationalism, Some Charismatic Churches where new
revelation of God might be added daily. “Divine Revelation of
Heaven” |
Alexander Campbell, founder of Disciples of Christ
“I have endeavored to read the Scriptures as though
no one had read them before me, and I am as much on my guard against
reading them today, through the medium of my own views yesterday, or a
week ago, as I am against being influenced by any foreign name,
authority, or system whatsoever.”
Lewis Sperry Chafer
“The very fact that I did not study a prescribed
course in theology made it possible for me to approach the subject with
an unprejudiced mind and to be concerned only with what the Bible
actually teaches.”
Problem(s): Difficult to distinguish error. How does
anybody know what is right on various issues?
None of us read scripture with an empty slate. We all
have biases and we seek to interpret scripture in a way that will be
consistent with our thoughts about God.
Reason and conscience is the supreme interpreter—church
is not involved
Scripture alone shouldn’t mean me alone –
Matthison
Key doctrines of the Bible—which have been affirmed
by the Church in our creeds become up for grabs.
Scripture calls us to submit to the Church (Heb
13:17).
Obey those who rule over you, and be
submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give
account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be
unprofitable for you.
If each Christian must decide on doctrine, we’re left
with relativism.
“Solo scriptura is the ecclesiastical equivalent of
a nation with a constitution, but no court of law to interpret the
constitution.” – Matthison
In such a relativistic way to view scripture, there is
always the danger of adding to or taking away from scripture.
Deut 4:2
You shall not add to the word which I
command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the
Lord your God which I command you.
Rev. 22:18,19
For I testify to everyone who hears the
words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God
will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;
Sola Ecclessia – Church Authority
| Definition: |
Scripture alone is not sufficient.
Church tradition and authority is our main source of knowledge
about the Bible |
| View of creeds: |
Vital to the life of the
believer |
| How to read scripture |
Scriptures must be read in
light of what the Church has taught about them. |
| View of church on interpretation: |
Since man is fallible, church
interpretation and tradition is vital. If scripture seems to teach
one way, and the church teaches something else. We should rest on
the church because the church has ultimate authority on doctrine. |
| Views held by: |
Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox,
Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses |
John Eck, Roman Catholic Theologian
“The Scriptures are not authentic, except by the
authority of the church.”
Problems(s): When the tradition of the church violates
scripture, it doesn’t matter because
The church is correct.
The Bible teaches that all have sinned except Jesus
(Romans 3:10-12), but tradition says that Mary was sinless.
The Bible says that we are not to bow down to statues
(Ex 20:4-5), but tradition says that we should bow down to statutes.
The Bible says that Jesus is the only mediator between
God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), but tradition says Mary is co-mediator with
Christ.
These traditions mentioned are added to scripture, and
I believe come under the curse mentioned in Deuteronomy and Revelation.
We ought not to add or subtract from scripture.
If church authority and tradition is vital, then what
church and what tradition should we follow? Roman Catholics and Eastern
Orthodox both claim to have their traditions passed down from the
Apostles. And yet they have contradictory views on doctrine. Who is
right? How do we know?
Under this view, scripture is often not comprehensible
by man and thus needs the Church for interpretation. If conflict arises
about certain doctrines, we must trust the Church alone. The Church is
the rule of faith.
Mormons claim that their church has the true gospel
preached, and even claims to have a second revelation of God in the Book
of Mormon. How do know they are not wrong? They claim to be the true
church.
The common theme here is that if we don’t check and
test everything by scripture, and simply believe everything a church
teaches—we could end up believing in some heretical viewpoints. We’re
even in danger of having a false faith.
So now what? First, we saw the problems of solo
scriptura and the relativism it produces. Now we’ve looked at the sola
ecclesia postion—wherein, we see the problems of church tradition and
church authority. What are we supposed to believe now?
Sola Scriptura – Scripture is
Sufficient/Creeds Important
| Definition: |
Scripture alone is sufficient. Church
tradition and authority is important in our understanding of what
the scripture teaches. |
| View of creeds: |
Creeds summarize our beliefs. They
help protect us from heresy. We believe certain creeds (e.g.
Nicene creed) are inerrant—without error. |
| How to read scripture: |
Scriptures should be read in light of
what the Church has taught. We should rely on Christ’s church
and ministers for doctrine, but be faithful like the Bereans to
read scripture and test all things. |
| View of church on interpretation: |
Christ tells us to submit to our
pastor and elders. This doesn’t mean the earthly church is
perfect. We ought to test the words according to scripture. |
| Views held by: |
Protestant Churches, Reformed
Churches |
Sola Scriptura
As we looked at before, the idea of sola scriptura wasn’t
developed in the Reformation. We find this idea of Sola Scriptura taught
by the early church.
All we need to know about God for salvation is in
Scripture. Church tradition is important and can help me understand
better. We can learn much from tradition and the early church, but the
doctrines taught must be inline with Scripture.
When you became a Christian, you accepted certain core beliefs from the
Church—which we find echoed in scripture: the trinity, virgin birth,
life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, doctrines of faith alone,
being saved by grace alone.
Upon being regenerated by the Holy Spirit, you accepted
the Church’s authority on certain essentials and later confirmed them in
scripture. We have creeds and catechisms, which are also called our regula
fide—which sum up our view of Scripture.
When the Apostles Creed says that Jesus was conceived by
the virgin Mary and rose on the third day—we only know that’s true
because Scripture confirms it. We affirm the creed—along with the saints
of old—because we believe those beliefs are inerrant. We believe the
creed adequately summarizes scripture.
Problems: There are no problems—this is the perfect
viewpoint.
The eruption of so many Christian denominations is a
shame. Each church trying to be faithful to scripture and the historic
creeds, but too much disagreement exists on many peripheral doctrines.
What is the nonbeliever to think about all these
different churches? What church is the right church?
Confessions:
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 1, Section 6
The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary
for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly
set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced
from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by
new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless we
acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary
for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word:
and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and
government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are
to be ordered to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be
observed.
Westminster Confession of Faith, 1:4
The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought
to be believed any obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or
Church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and
therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God.
Belgic Confession, Article 7
We believe that this Holy Scripture contains the will of
God completely and that everything one must believe to be saved is
sufficiently taught in it. For since the entire manner of service which
God requires of us is described in it at great length, no one—even an
apostle or an angel from heaven, as Paul says ought to teach other than
what the Holy Scripture have already taught us.
Westminster Confession of Faith, 1:10
The Supreme Judge, by which all controversies of
religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of
ancient writers, doctrines of men, private spirits, are to be examined,
and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit
speaking in Scripture.
If you’re interested in studying more on this subject:
Sola Scriptura, by Sproul, MacArthur, Ferguson,
Godfrey, James White,
Shape of Sola Scriptura by Keith Mathison.
History of Christian Doctrines, Louis Berkhof
Fundamentalism and the Word of God, Packer
Outlines of Theology, Chapter 5, Hodge
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 1
The idea that Scripture may be read and interpreted
outside of the Roman church was key to the Reformation. This doesn’t
mean that the Reformers tossed out church creeds and catechisms—these
were still important so long as they echoed the doctrines in Scripture. We
believe that the scriptures are clear to all Christians because:
Why do we believe in Sola Scriptura?
Clarity/Perspicuity of Scripture
“In the clear passages of Scripture everything is
found that pertains to faith and life.”
Augustine, On Christian Doctrine
Addressed to all Christians:
John 5:39; Acts 17:11; Gal. 1:8; 2 Cor. 4:2; 1 Thess.
5:21; 1 John 4:1,2; 2 Tim. 3:15
Holy Spirit is the author and interpreter for all
Christians.
1 John 2:20,27; Romans 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16,17
Scripture is a lamp unto our feet.
Psalm 119:105; 2 Peter 1:19
Sufficiency of Scripture
Scripture gives us everything we need for salvation—and
contains everything God wants us to know about Him and how to live our
lives. God’s revelation is complete in Scripture. We disagree with the
Roman Catholics and the Orthodox that Scripture needs Church authority for
interpretation.
Scripture gives us the wisdom that leads us to
salvation.
2 Timothy 3:14-15; Deuteronomy 32:46-47
We are not to add to or subtract from God’s Word.
Revelation 22:18,19; Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6;
Deut 12:32
Scripture commands us to test all things by Scripture.
Acts 17:11; Galatians 1:8,9; Deut. 13:1-3; John 5:39
Perfection/Completion of Scripture
Scripture is not only our only source for our knowledge
of God—it is also complete. All we need to know for salvation is
contained in Holy Scripture.
God used to speak through prophets, now He has spoken
through Christ.
Hebrews 1:1,2
Scripture is all we need to “make us wise for
salvation.”
Paul tells Timothy that the Scriptures “are able to
make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.” (2 Timothy
3:15)
Remember the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.
Lazarus pleads with Abraham to send his brothers a special revelation to
warn them to repent. Abraham tells him, “ They have Moses and the
Propehts; let them hear them.” (Luke 16:29).
Plenary Inspiration of Scripture
Plenus- (latin) fully, complete
All scripture is God breathed—inspired. The words of
Holy Scripture are the very words of God. The men who wrote the scriptures
are fallible—David was a murderer and adulterer—but when God used them
to pen Holy Scripture—they are of divine origin.
All Scripture is inspired by God.
2 Timothy 3:16; Jeremiah 1:9; Matthew 10:20; Acts 2:4; 2
Peter 1:21; 1 Corinthians 2:10-13
Inerrancy of Scripture
in – not; error – wander, mistake,
err
Every word of God is true.
Proverbs 30:5; Matthew 5:18; Isaiah 45:19; John 17:17;
Psalm 119:160
Mike Delgado is a Deacon at Grace Presbyterian Church
PCA.
Reprinted by permission.
Christ Home Fellowship is not affiliated with Grace Presbyterian Church.
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