Wow! Thank you all so much! Here’s interesting food for thought, comments always welcome… Most protestants believe in sola scriptura, which is how I was raised to think, (my biggest thing to overcome). But how can this be so? We look at John 21:25, or 2 Thessalonians 2:15 and we see that not only is there not enough room in the bible (or in all the world) to contain all the works of Christ, but also that we should hold firm to the teachings that were passed on by "word of mouth or by letter.
You have actually just scratched the surface of this matter. Scripture itself points unerringly to the authority of the Church consider This:
After all of the trading back and forth of this and that verse, meaning, interpretation translation etc…the ultimate question comes to - which of our personal, prayerful, “Spirit Guided” - yet conflicting understandings is correct? How do we resolve this issue? Who has the authority to determine???
What does Scripture say???
Scripture says it is “The Church”
The Church is the pillar and bulwark of Truth (1 Tim 3:15)
The Church has authority to bind and loose - whatever (Mt 16:17-19) (Mt 18:15-18)
The Church settles arguments between distant church communities in a wonderful example of the instructions given in Mt 18…(Acts 15)
The Church is the vehicle by which God reveals His Wisdom to the world. (Eph 3:8-12)
Christ and the Apostles exhort the faithful to unity…to be of one mind
John 17:20-21
20 "I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Rom 15:5-6
5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Cor 1:10
I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
2 Cor 13:11
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Php 1:27
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
1 Pet 3:8
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
All of these calls to unity, along with the instructions in the Gospel of Matthew and the example in Acts as well as Paul’s presenting his teachings to Peter and James and others to assure they are correct, etc…
All point clearly to doctrinal unity within a visible and authoritative Church.
Sola Scriptura adherents can offer nothing scriptural in support of the (evangelical?) protestant view of “church” and “authority” that comes anywhere close to this preponderance of evidence for the RC/EO “Model” of Church structure and authority.
I say this with confidence because I have repeatedly asked protestant apologists to counter this evidence with “equally clear and compelling” evidence for what I call the “Protestant model” of locally independent church communities based on SS.
They just simply cannot do it…
Think this challenge might make a good conversation between you and your hubby???
" Why do protestants hold on so dearly to the Sola Scriptura idea? (this was the discussion we had this past week) We talked about how Luther wanted to take books from both the old and new testaments, but that there was such an outcry that he left the new testament alone and took the 7.5 books from the old testament. I can understand if you’re ignorant to the knowledge of the reformation, but surely preachers go through some sort of history class that explains it. So how can you justly teach this to your congregation knowing that the Bible, which says itself that it’s not complete, is what you rely on? It seems like a catch 22? Just curious…
The “Sola Scriptura” that Luther envisioned is really nothing like what it is today. Luther’s view was not to replace the “Church” as authority but simply to draw the Church back more strongly to it’s biblical roots in it’s practices. This can be seen in the fact that the Lutheran Church is a hierarchical type church (though there are deep problems within that communion as well)
The problem is that when the protestant reformation got rolling, a number of people latched onto the principle of Sola Scriptura and went off in different directions. And it should be noted that there was never a council (biblical principle) held among the various reformers to resolve the conflicts that were arising from this doctrine of Sola Scriptura.
That fact right there is a huge red flag since it violates the principle of unity and councilior action to resolve issues and conflicts.
Also - in Luther’s defense, he did not remove the books entirely. He placed them in a separate section between the OT and the NT. It was some time later that they were removed - for the very sound theological reasoning that - it was cheaper to print the bible without them…
As to the question about preachers not knowing these things…I have repeatedly heard converts (who were non-catholic ministers) that these issues were simply not addressed in their seminary or bible college classes. At most there might be some passing comment made. Also, in many cases, the ECF’s are never mentioned, or are only selectively quoted in order to bolster the protestant view…
Peace
James
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