Do Protestants really follow the Bible alone?

[GKC]

Now, this is my first post on here so please go easy on me!

For my own part, my attitude to the Bible is summarized by Article VI of the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, found at the back of the Book of Common Prayer:

“Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation.
Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.”

This is not the same as ‘sola scriptura’, and does allow for the importance of tradition and a variety of beliefs, but it also means that beyond the Bible, beliefs that cannot be proved by it are not ‘necessary’. (This doesn’t mean they are necessarily proscribed - I have a lot of sympathy with my Anglo-Catholic brothers and sisters on that point and value their rich tradition and contribution to our faith.)

Welcome, Indifferently, and thank you.*

GKC

*Anglicanus-Catholicus

 

[englishredrose]

Yes I am aware of the theme

but I wouldn’t like to describe Gods’ Love as a theme per se. I think that is why some of us find God hard to work out because they are doing exactly that in human terms and yet God isn’t human. Regular and confusing message and marriage isn’t a theme that I err not ignore, not not listen to but these days I simply enjoy His Love and relax in His Love when I can. That is my aim. Perhaps I am there as now can relax with God and no longer searching and themes are for those who are searching? I don’t mean anything by that by the way

I wouldn’t know of it as Catholic or anything, just what i feel I think

 

[PRmerger]

Yes I am aware of the theme.

Excellent. So if it’s good enough for the Bible, it ought to be good enough for you and me.

An analog of marriage between husband and wife is absolutely 100% valid as an icon of God’s love for humanity.

but I wouldn’t like to describe Gods’ Love as a theme per se.

No one is describing God’s Love as a theme, Red Rose.

The theme is that of a covenant relationship between husband and wife mirrors the covenant relationship between God and humanity.

 

[PRmerger]

I think that is why some of us find God hard to work out because they are doing exactly that in human terms and yet God isn’t human.

If you do not try to apprehend God you cannot love him. For you cannot love what you do not know.

Regular and confusing message and marriage isn’t a theme that I err not ignore, not not listen to but these days I simply enjoy His Love and relax in His Love when I can.

Sorry. This is incomprehensible to me. Could you please re-state what you are trying to say here?

That is my aim. Perhaps I am there as now can relax with God and no longer searching and themes are for those who are searching? I don’t mean anything by that by the way

I wouldn’t know of it as Catholic or anything, just what i feel I think

We all must, of course, “relax with God”. That’s what Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is, is it not? Is that not what prayer and contemplation is?

But each and every time you speak of God to another, you must know whom it is you speak of.

And you cannot do this without doctrine.

 

[dberrie2000]

Lutherans follow the Bible along with the writings of Luther (Large Catechism, Small Catechism, etc). Reformed and Presbyterians follow the Bible along with the writings of John Calvin. Etc.

Protestants do not follow the Bible at all. They have very little in common with the Bible–but they do claim a belief in the Bible.

 

[PRmerger]

Protestants do not follow the Bible at all. They have very little in common with the Bible–but they do claim a belief in the Bible.

Can you support your claim with examples?

 

[Yerusalyim]

Protestants that profess to follow “scripture alone” do NOT do so…because scripture alone is NOT a biblical doctrine, it is man-made.

 

[JonNC]

Protestants do not follow the Bible at all. They have very little in common with the Bible–but they do claim a belief in the Bible.

So, protestants do not follow the Bible at all. Protestants don’t believe in the virgin birth, Christ’s suffering, death, and ressurection, that David was king of Israel.
Hmm, interesting assertion. Care to modify it some?

Jon

 

[JustaServant]

Protestants do not follow the Bible at all. They have very little in common with the Bible–but they do claim a belief in the Bible.

Examples? Or is this a hit and run post?

 

[dberrie2000]

Can you support your claim with examples?

The Protestants are what I call faith alone–sola fide. Their whole post and pillar rests on the doctrine of faith that is alone for salvation–no acts of obedience required for His grace unto life. May we start with this scripture?

James 2:24----New American Standard Bible (NASB)

24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.

 

[dberrie2000]

So, protestants do not follow the Bible at all. Protestants don’t believe in the virgin birth, Christ’s suffering, death, and ressurection, that David was king of Israel.
Hmm, interesting assertion. Care to modify it some?

That is a belief issue with the faith alone. Following, for me–is obedience to Jesus Christ’s commands. The Protestants are faith alone–they do not believe in acts of obedience to Jesus Christ has anything to do with salvation.

Hebrews 5:9—King James Version (KJV)

9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

BTW–I am LDS.

 

[dberrie2000]

Examples? Or is this a hit and run post?

Well–we can start with this scripture:

Acts 2:38–King James Version (KJV)

38 Then Peter said unto them, **Repent, and be baptized **every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The faith alone do not believe that, as a rule. They are faith alone–and do not believe in any acts of obedience to Jesus Christ is necessary for His grace unto life.

 

[JustaServant]

Well–we can start with this scripture:

Acts 2:38–King James Version (KJV)

38 Then Peter said unto them, **Repent, and be baptized **every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The faith alone do not believe that, as a rule. They are faith alone–and do not believe in any acts of obedience to Jesus Christ is necessary for His grace unto life.

The above verse many Protestants practice, such as Lutheran.
Your statement after that tells me you have spent little time among Protestants.

 

[benjohnson]

38 Then Peter said unto them, **Repent, and be baptized **every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The faith alone do not believe that, as a rule. They are faith alone–and do not believe in any acts of obedience to Jesus Christ is necessary for His grace unto life.

I can’t speak for others, but I can speak for myself and perhaps for my church. We fully confess that we need to have the sacrament of baptism, repent, confess our sins, receive forgiveness even though we don’t deserve it, commune with the True Body and True Blood of Christ in the re-presentment of Calvary, and that we do good in the world with his grace and do our best not to turn away from Him and try to be obedient to him.

I’ve, of course, bungled the wording but that’s the gist.

 

[JustaServant]

I can’t speak for others, but I can speak for myself and perhaps for my church. We fully confess that we need to have the sacrament of baptism, repent, confess our sins, receive forgiveness even though we don’t deserve it, commune with the True Body and True Blood of Christ in the re-presentment of Calvary, and that we do good in the world with his grace and do our best not to turn away from Him and try to be obedient to him.

I’ve, of course, bungled the wording but that’s the gist.

You did fine Ben.

 

[JustaServant]

The Protestants are faith alone–they do not believe in acts of obedience to Jesus Christ has anything to do with salvation.

No, not true. I spent twenty years across the Tiber and only met a few Protestatents who believe what you state.
Faith alone has it backwards, but its the same formula.

 

[dberrie2000]

Originally Posted by dberrie2000 Well–we can start with this scripture:

Acts 2:38–King James Version (KJV)

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The faith alone do not believe that, as a rule. They are faith alone–and do not believe in any acts of obedience to Jesus Christ is necessary for His grace unto life.

The above verse many Protestants practice, such as Lutheran.Your statement after that tells me you have spent little time among Protestants.

Some Protestants may believe that repentance and water baptism is for the remission of sins–but Protestants, for the main–are sola fide–faith alone.

They do not believe that repentance and water baptism has anything to do with the forgiveness of sins–they would not be sola fide if they did.

The scriptures have God giving His grace to those who obey Him–anathema to the faith alone, for the main.

IE–do you believe that repentance and water baptism was given for the remission of sins?

 

[dberrie2000]

No, not true. I spent twenty years across the Tiber and only met a few Protestatents who believe what you state.
Faith alone has it backwards, but its the same formula.

One of the post and pillar of Protestantism is sola fide–faith alone. They do not believe in any thing outside of faith is necessary for salvation.

So–let’s test that theory on you–what do you believe you need to add to faith alone for salvation?

 

[dberrie2000]

I can’t speak for others, but I can speak for myself and perhaps for my church. We fully confess that we need to have the sacrament of baptism, repent, confess our sins, receive forgiveness even though we don’t deserve it, commune with the True Body and True Blood of Christ in the re-presentment of Calvary, and that we do good in the world with his grace and do our best not to turn away from Him and try to be obedient to him.

I’ve, of course, bungled the wording but that’s the gist.

No, you did fine. The answer, of course–is that you don’t believe in the Protestant tenent of sola fide.

What denomination do you profess? I am LDS.

 

[JonNC]

That is a belief issue with the faith alone. Following, for me–is obedience to Jesus Christ’s commands. The Protestants are faith alone–they do not believe in acts of obedience to Jesus Christ has anything to do with salvation.

Hebrews 5:9—King James Version (KJV)

9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

BTW–I am LDS.

From the Lutheran confessions:

We believe, teach, and confess also that all men, but those especially who are born again and renewed by the Holy Ghost, are bound to do good works.

Here bound means more than just “certain to”, but “required to”.
And:

Accordingly, we also believe, teach, and confess that when it is said: The regenerate do good works from a free spirit, this is not to be understood as though it is at the option of the regenerate man to do or to forbear doing good when he wishes, and that he can nevertheless retain faith if he intentionally perseveres in sins.

In other words, to not do good works is a perseverance in sin.

When we say that by grace alone through faith alone in Christ we are justified, that is speaking to the way we access justification. It is not a statement that we are, somehow, given license to not obey His commands. Sanctification must follow justification, good works must be a fruit of faith, or it is a dead faith, and not a saving faith.

But beyond that, you said, “Protestants do not follow the Bible at all.” So there must be more than this. Is there?

Jon