What is sola scriptura?
Scripture alone is the infallible rule of faith and practice.
It does not reject tradition, churches, or church leaders. It corrects them.
Scripture alone is the infallible rule.
It is the only infallible rule of faith and practice we have.
Not rejected · Corrected by Scripture
God’s word is truth.
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
Only Scripture is free from error.
I have learned to yield this respect and honour only to the canonical books of Scripture: of these alone do I most firmly believe that the authors were completely free from error.
“Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?”
“Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”
“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures… how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?”
“They received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
Catholics and Orthodox put tradition beside Scripture.
“Every word of God is pure… Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”
“Laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men.”
“The Church… does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone.”
“That ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written.”
“Beware lest any man spoil you… after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
“The witness also of the Catholic Church is, we believe, not of inferior authority to that of the Divine Scriptures.”
We can recognize Scripture.
Peter recognized Christ without being infallible.
Peter recognizes Christ.
“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
“Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”
Peter was not infallible.
“Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”
“But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.”
Christ’s sheep know his voice.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
“A stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.”
Peter recognized Christ.
He was not infallible.
“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
We recognize Scripture.
We do not need to be infallible.
“When ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God.”
With Scripture, we can find a true church.
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
What Catholics and Orthodox say you can and cannot find:
- ✓the correct religion
- ✓the correct councils
- ✓the correct interpretation of the councils
- ✓the correct church fathers
- ✗the correct Bible
- ✗the meaning of the Bible
Am I competent, or not?
Scripture is sufficient.
Enough to save, to teach, and to perfect.
- Sufficient forsalvation
The holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
v. 15 - Sufficient forthe pastor to teach from
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
v. 16 - Sufficient forperfection
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
v. 17
He needs nothing else.
The gospel was handed down to us in writing.
We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith.
A man saved from the Scriptures. No liturgy.
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.”
Faith comes from the word.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
We know God from Scripture alone.
There is, brethren, one God, the knowledge of whom we gain from the Holy Scriptures, and from no other source.
Tradition contradicts Scripture.
Men left Rome because the tradition contradicted the book.
We read tradition through Scripture, not Scripture through tradition.
Tradition is tested.
The word of God of none effect.
“Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered.”
Even an apostle is tested by the gospel.
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
Do not believe even a bishop without Scripture.
Even to me, who tell you these things, give not absolute credence, unless thou receive the proof of the things which I announce from the Divine Scriptures.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”
“We believe a man to be not simply justified through faith alone, but through faith which worketh through love, that is to say, through faith and works.”
“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife…”
“The wife of him who is advanced to the Episcopal dignity, shall be separated from her husband by their mutual consent, and after his ordination and consecration to the episcopate she shall enter a monastery.”
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image… Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.”
“Anathema to those who do not salute the holy and venerable images. Anathema to those who call the sacred images idols.”
“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you.”
I do not need a man in order to know.
A man may help me know.
Philip helped the eunuch.
The Scriptures were able.
Is the book enough to save?
“The holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
“The Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation.”
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
“The dignity of the Bishop is so necessary in the Church, that without him, neither Church nor Christian could either be or be spoken of.”
The Catholic and Orthodox churches were not in the chariot.
They were not in the jail.
Accept Scripture over tradition.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
If Scripture alone is the rule:
- 01It is able to make you wise unto salvation.2 Timothy 3:15
- 02Its message is clear.1 Corinthians 15:3–4
- 03You do not need a tradition to be saved.
- 04You can know you are saved.1 John 5:13
The gospel is in the book.
“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
You can know you are saved.
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.”
Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.