Scripture Alone

Last week Pastor Chance started a series on the five Solas of the reformation with sola gratia (grace alone). This week I will do my best to present to you the teaching of sola Scriptura (Scripture alone). As we know the goal of the reformation was to reform the church—to get back to what the Scriptures teach—not the twisting or abuse of man-made traditions over the Scriptures. Firstly, we should define sola Scriptura. It means that the Scriptures alone are the sole, infallible, and sufficient rule for faith and practice in the church. However, we do not mean that the Scriptures are the only authority. There are other authorities such as creeds, confessions, councils, traditions, elders, etc. But these are not inspired by God and can be fallible.

The main objection to sola Scriptura is that there are no verses claiming Scripture alone. I do agree that there isn’t one specific verse, but I must assert that the entirety of Scripture however does claim sola Scriptura. Just as in the entirety of Scripture we find the doctrine of the Trinity but not the word Trinity. If we look at passages like 2 Peter 1:21, John 14:26, and 2 Timothy 3:16 it’s made clear that God is the author of both the verbal word as well as the written, because the Holy Spirit himself is the one who guides the prophets and apostles. Jesus multiple times speaking to the religious leaders of his day would task them “Have you not read?” The “Have you not read?” implies that He is holding His audience accountable for the written tradition of God’s word over their own verbal traditions.

In Matthew 15:1–3, we see yet another exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees and scribes. In this discourse Jesus is accused of breaking a tradition of the elders. Jesus however rebukes them asking, “Why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?” It seems quite clear to me that when the reformers made the declaration of sola Scriptura, they were only proclaiming an already biblical principal. Praise the Lord for using them in this way to help future generations test all leaders, traditions, and writings against the Scriptures, just as the Bereans did when they heard the apostle Paul preach the gospel and they tested his proclamation against the Old Testament.  

Keanan Fischer