Articles
Sola Scriptura
The Bible is the best selling book of all time. Most people in America have at least one in their homes. In spite of these facts, the Bible is one of the least understood and most disputed books ever written. Although some things are difficult to understand (2 Peter 3:16), most of the Bible is simple and seemingly indisputable. However, since the first century, people have been twisting the text and arguing over God’s will for man. I believe the issue comes down to acceptance. People sometimes just refuse to accept what they read in God’s word. Excuses like, “I know what it says, but...” or “I don’t think that’s really what God means,” are heard day in and day out. “What I think” has superseded “Thus saith the Lord” in our society. In a world that is increasing daily in its disrespect for God and His word, we as Christians must be growing closer to the Word all the more diligently. The Bible is the source of authority for every man, and it can and must be understood if we are to be pleasing to God. How do we contend with our friends and neighbors who want to discuss religious things but want to hold their opinion of how things ought to be done over what has been written? We must look to Sola Scriptura -- Scripture alone. A battle for the faith cannot be won by comparing emotions, opinions, or traditions. The only way to be right with God and save souls today is by leaning wholly on the word of our God.
The Bible can and must be understood. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Most people view this as a hopeful message focusing on freedom from sin. While that is the amazing result of knowing (and obeying) the truth, the fact here is that we must know the truth in order to be set free from sin. The opposite to this statement would be, “If you do not know the truth, you will not be made free.” Truth can be challenging, especially when we realize we have not been living according to it. But, as much as “you shall not murder,” was a command, “you shall know the truth” is a command for us today. Thankfully, we can know it. It was said that the Spirit would come and would “guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). That means the words of the Bible are the truth, so study of it will yield knowledge! Jesus himself bore witness of the truth (John 18:37), and we must reflect the truth of God’s will in our lives today. The Bible is not a book of ambiguity: it is a book of fact and life-altering truth.
The Bible is complete. Most people agree that the Bible is a good book. However, many people do not believe that it is all we need -- either we need more, or we do not need all of it. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1:3 that God’s “divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.” All things. Not several, most, some, or a few things. This means that God, in His infinite wisdom, has granted to mankind the entirety of what we need to live, and to live godly. We are told that that the Word “is able to save your souls” (James 1:21), and that it “is able to build you up and give you an inheritance...” (Acts 20:32). We must be leery when people dismiss or ignore what they read in the Bible. Just because one decides to believe a text is unimportant does not mean that text is not truth! Also, we must be on guard against those who advocate additional revelations from men. Paul made the point that there will be no more revelation from God. Galatians 1:9 states, “even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” If it says more than the Bible says, it’s too much. If it says less, it’s not enough. If it says the same thing, it’s the Bible, and we must follow it!
The Bible is greater than our opinions. God’s word is full of warnings and admonitions about seeking God’s way before our own. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” In Jeremiah 10:23, the prophet admits, “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” In other words, it doesn’t matter what I think or what you think. The only thing that matters is what God has said. We must go to His word, not human reasoning. The Bible is the final authority in all faith and practice. Once God has made His will known on any subject in the Scriptures, we have absolutely no right to think otherwise apart from further evidence from the Bible.
We must constantly be on guard today. We are surrounded by those who would twist God’s word or subvert his authority. Jude mentions that these men have “crept in unnoticed” (Jude 4) who would question the absolute authority of God’s word over our lives today. We can and must know the truth. We must understand and believe that the word of the Lord is complete and contains all we need to be pleasing to Him. We also must humbly realize that God’s Word is infinitely greater and more powerful than any man’s opinion, no matter how educated he may be. We should always seek sola scriptura in everything that we do. “The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1:25).
