Sola Scriptura
A Definition
At its core, Sola Scriptura is defined as the belief that because the Scriptures are the only example of God-breathed revelation in the possession of the church today, they form the only infallible rule of faith for the church. This doctrine is fundamentally based on the nature of Scripture itself. Scripture is described as Theopneustos (2 Tim 3:16-17), which translates to “God-breathed” (Matt 22:31, 2 Peter 1:20-21). Because it is God-breathed, Scripture inherently possesses ultimate authority. God speaking admits of no higher or equal authority. All other rules of faith, creed, councils, or anything else produced by the church herself, is subject to the ultimate correction of God’s Word.
If God is God, then he is beyond our comprehension and his Word holds absolute authority. This principle also means that we reject anyone who claims to be an infallible prophet for God today, as though God had not spoken his final word in Christ, as attested by Scripture.
What Sola Scriptura Is Not
Not an Assertion That the Bible Contains All Knowledge
It does not claim to be an exhaustive revelation of everything knowable about the world. Examples used include not knowing the color of Matthew’s eyes or every detail of the apostles’ meals.
Not a Denial That God’s Word Has at Times Been in Oral Form
It acknowledges that during the periods of revelation and inscripturation (when the Bible was being written), God’s word was often delivered orally and was authoritative at that time. The focus of Sola Scriptura is on what constitutes the infallible rule of faith for the church today, now that revelation has ceased. The Roman Catholic use of 2 Thessalonians 2:15 as supporting oral tradition containing truths beyond Scripture, is an error because that it refers to one body of truth (the gospel) delivered in two ways (orally and in writing) to the Thessalonians, not later-developed dogmas.
Not “Me and my Bible Under a Tree” or “Solo Scriptura” in an Isolationist Sense
The caricature of Sola Scriptura as an individual reading the Bible in isolation, disconnected from other believers or history. The church is very important. It is where we can learn from other knowledgeable Christians, teachers, and the wisdom of previous generations. The local church is described as the “pillar and support of the truth,” meaning it holds up the truth revealed in Scripture, not that it defines the truth itself. Read more here.
The 39,000 Denominations Objection
This objection states that Sola Scriptura is a “blueprint for anarchy” because it has allegedly resulted in widespread disagreement.
Objection Answered
The argument blames Sola Scriptura for groups like Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses. However, these groups do not practice Sola Scriptura; they have their own authorities outside of Scripture.
When comparing groups, Rome (which claims Scripture plus its own authority, the Magisterium and tradition) should be compared to other groups that also claim extra-scriptural authorities (like Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others). These groups with extra-scriptural authorities have absolutely positively nothing at all in common regarding fundamental doctrines like God, Trinity, Scripture, the Cross, or the Gospel.
In contrast, when looking at groups that actually practice Sola Scriptura and know what the doctrine means, they show significant agreement on “absolute centrality and necessity of Jesus Christ for salvation,” the Trinity, Scripture, Gospel, and Cross.
There were errors and heresies in the days of the Apostles (Acts 20:28, 2 Tim 3:12ff). Just as it would have been ridiculous to say that the Apostles were insufficient leaders in the church just because errors and heresies crept in during their ministries, and because men were willing to twist what the Apostles taught and wrote to their own destruction. So it is without merit to say that since men misuse the Scriptures today, those Scriptures are insufficient as the infallible rule of faith. Such an assertion assumes that the rule of faith is supposed to do away with the sinfulness and rebellion of man, the errors men make due to traditions and prejudices, and make men incapable of error. The abuse of divine truth is not an argument against divine truth and doesn’t affect the truthfulness of what’s been revealed in Scripture.
Not the Idea That Scripture Needs an External Infallible Interpreter (like the Magisterium) to Be Understood or Safeguarded
The Roman Catholics uphold a distinction between material and formal sufficiency by arguing that claiming Scripture needs the church to give it “form” or interpret it authoritatively essentially makes the church (Magisterium) the ultimate authority (sola ecclesia), defining the extent and meaning of both Scripture and tradition.
Objection Answered
This is a very artificial distinction used by modern Roman Catholics.
This line of argumentation is wildly disrespectful of Scripture—to say the Scripture on its own is not sufficient. 2 Timothy 3:14-17
There is an underlying contradiction in asserting that the magisterium, whose teachings are acknowledged as not “God breathed” (Theanustos) like Scripture1, has the infallible authority to define the meaning of Scripture, which is Theanustos. Logically, what God says should explain what man says, not the other way around. Read more here.
Not Negated by the Historical Process of Canon Recognition or the Existence of Apostolic Tradition Terminology in Early Writings
While Roman Catholics use the issue of the canon (not dogmatically defined until 1546) or early church fathers’ use of “apostolic tradition” against Sola Scriptura. The canon is an artifact of revelation God inspires some writings, thus creating the canon rather than an object of revelation itself. Man’s role is passive recognition, led by the Spirit, not active creation or infallible determination by the church. Read More Here
Verses Often Brought Up
2 Timothy 3:14-17
2 Thessalonians 2:15
1 Thessalonians 2:13
1 Timothy 3:15
Mark 7:8-13 & Matthew 15:1-9
Early Church Fathers in Support
Auggstine, De Unitate Ecclesiae (The Unity of The Church)
“The Lord Jesus himself when he had risen from the dead … judged that his disciples were to be convinced by the testimonies of the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms … These are the proofs. These the foundations. these the supports for our cause. We read in the Acts of the Apostles of some who believed, that they searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so. What Scriptures but the Canonical Scriptures of the Law and the Prophets? To these have been added the Gospels, the Apostolical Epistles, the Acts of the Apostles, the Apocalypse of John.”
Gregory of Nyssa, On the Soul and Resurrection
We make the Holy Scriptures the canon and the rule of every dogma; we of necessity look upon that, and receive alone that which may be made conformable to the intention of those writings.
- There is nothing here written on any oral traditions, neither it being held on any level of Holy Scripture.
Augustine, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series: Volume VII, Ten
“All things that are read from the Holy Scriptures in order to our instruction and salvation, it behooves us to hear with earnest heed. … And yet even in regard of them, (a thing which ye ought especially to observe, and to commit to your memory, because that which shall make us strong against insidious errors, God has been pleased to put in the Scriptures, against which no man dares to speak, who in any sort wishes to seem a Christian), when He had given Himself to be handled by them, that did not suffice Him, but He would also confirm by means of the Scriptures the heart of them that believe: for He looked forward to us who should be afterwards;2 seeing that in Him we have nothing that we can handle, but have that which we may read.”
- Just as the previous citations noted, the Scriptures are the only trusted authority during Augustine’s time. However, there is another very important aspect to this. Notice this quote: “seeing that in Him we have nothing that we can handle.” This says clearly that Augustine did not believe in the real presence of Christ on Earth today—especially in the eucharist.
Footnotes
The generations of Christians after the Apostles. ↩︎