Sola Scriptura

This morning we wish to talk about scripture alone, Sola Scriptura, and that's why we're turning to 2 Timothy chapter three.

Let's pray as we begin our morning.

Heavenly Father, we're so grateful to you because of the Lord Jesus Christ, because in him there is forgiveness of sins.

Through your savior, we can be reconciled to you, a holy God, those of us who have been estranged, who have fallen in Adam, who have missed your mark, that have fallen short of all that would give you praise and honor.

We thank you that you draw us close to you through the power of the Holy Spirit, even as you use your word to illuminate to us your truths so that we might be enlivened and alive to you.

We ask Lord that you would use this teaching this morning to build us up in the holy faith.

In Christ's name we pray, amen.

Scripture alone, as a definition, you could say that scripture alone means that the Bible is the word of God and it is the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

The Bible alone is the word of God.

That's what scripture alone means.

It's the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

Going back to the Protestant Reformation, we may refer to two causes or two principles of that movement.

There is the formal principle, that is the foundational issues that were underlying everything.

And the formal principle is sola scriptura.

Scripture alone establishes the authority of the gospel.

The gospel is defined by God's word and all theological claims in general.

But what did the firestorm occur with?

That's the material principle.

What caused all of that?

That was the argument or the understanding of how we are brought into union with Christ.

How are we justified before God?

The material principle was justification by grace alone, sola gradia, through faith alone, sola fide.

But this morning we're going to look at what is the foundation of all of this as we look at 2 Timothy chapter three, verses 14 through 17.

Scripture alone is what we're to look at.

As you are looking at God's word, we pick up Paul's writing and he says,"'But as for you, continue what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.'" Verse 16,"'All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.'" This is sola scriptura.

It is God's word alone that will inform us how a person can be reconciled to a holy God.

It is God's word alone that instructs us how to live in a worthy manner of him.

It is God's word alone that will convict us of our sins, that will correct us when we're wrong and it will mature us to the end.

Even in our own documents of the London Baptist Confession, chapter one, paragraph six says this,"'The whole counsel of God concerning everything essential for his own glory and man's salvation, faith, and life is either explicitly stated or by necessary inference contained in the holy scriptures.

Nothing is ever to be added to the scriptures, either by way of new revelation of the spirit or by human tradition.'" We look at Galatians one, Galatians one, especially verses eight and nine.

Here, Paul is talking to the Galatians.

He's wondering who has bewitched them, who has cast a spell upon them that they would turn away from another gospel, which is not a gospel.

Here we see apostolic astonishment.

How is it that you could turn away from that?

Verse eight,"'But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you another gospel, contrary to the one that we preach to you, let him be a curse.

Let him be damned, consigned to eternal punishment.'" Verse nine,"'As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel, contrary to the one that you receive, let him be a curse.'" We're not to add anything to God's word.

We're not to subtract anything from God's word.

God takes this very seriously.

Continuing on with the 1689 confession, we read,"'Nevertheless, we acknowledge that the inward illumination of the Spirit of God is necessary for a saving understanding of what is revealed in the word.'" See, God's word gives us the standard for faith and living.

Anyone can read it.

It's accessible to all.

"'But we're also dependent upon the Holy Spirit to open our eyes so that we might behold wonderful things.'" The confession continues by saying,"'We recognize that some circumstances concerning the worship of God and the government of the church are common to human actions and organizations and are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian wisdom, following the general rule of the word, which must always be observed.'" The Bible doesn't tell us about every aspect of every portion of life, but it does give us principles that order how we live and what we do and what we don't do.

Continuing on with this idea of the illumination of the Holy Spirit, James Montgomery Boyce summarizes for us by saying,"'The Reformers, in particular John Calvin, stress the way of the objective written word and the inner supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit works together, the Holy Spirit illuminating the word to God's people.

The word without the illumination of the Holy Spirit remains a closed book.'" How often should we pray with the Psalmist in chapter 119 verse 18,"'O Lord, open my eyes that I might behold wondrous things out of your law.'" God's law has a treasure trove of beauty for us to behold, but in our sinfulness, in our fallenness, our eyes are veiled from it.

We should pray that even this morning, bright Lord, open my eyes to the glory and the splendor of Jesus Christ, to your majesty.

Well, solo scriptura says only God's word can tell us who he is and what we need to do to live to please him.

The 1689 confession also says, the infallible rule for interpreting scripture is scripture itself.

I do not go to some higher level authority.

I don't go beyond a book other than the word of God.

If I went to another book, that tells me that that book, that teacher, that counsel has more authority than God's word.

You understand that?

So, although it may be very helpful for me to learn from another instructor or teacher or pastor that has been gifted by the Holy Spirit, ultimately it is scripture that interprets scripture that helps me understand what this book says.

The confession goes on, it says, therefore, when there is a question about the truth and the full meaning of any part of scripture, and each passage has only one meaning, not many, it must be understood in light of other passages that speak more clearly.

God's word is deep, very deep, but it has entry level so that a child can understand what is necessary for salvation.

Yes, even a child can understand that they're fallen.

Even a child can understand that God saves through Jesus Christ.

And yet, even though there's a zero entry level for anyone, this word of God can keep a theologian busy for millennials to study.

Who can plumb the depths of the riches and the greatness of our great God?

No, no finite human can.

That's why we're always studying God's word to know more and more about him.

Sola Scriptura, yes, it is scripture alone, not human traditions, not the rulings of the church that is our final authority, but God's word.

Going back to the Reformation, Martin Luther said this, unless I'm convinced by the testimony of the scriptures or by clear reason, for I do not trust either in the Pope or in the council alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves.

I am bound by the scriptures.

I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the word of God.

I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience.

May God help me.

In that context, he was dealing with the Roman Catholic Church, who said in the Council of Trent, their opinion about scripture and tradition.

They say seeing clearly that this truth and the disciplines that are contained in the written books and the unwritten traditions.

Here they are talking about a two source of revelation, two sources of revelation.

Martin Luther was saying, no, it's not scripture and traditions.

It's God's word alone.

God's word tells us how to live and what we are to do and to think about God.

In our society, we're often in conflict about what is the supreme authority.

Is it society that makes things right, the masses, or is it some survey where we have a civilized democratic vote, or is it science where we have some type of sophisticated study of research?

See, we may not think about it in the terms that Martin Luther did, but we still have a vying for what is ultimate authority.

For your life and my life as Christians, we're going to the word of God and it alone.

Martin Luther said it this way, we cannot have these things dictating to us, but rather he says, and this is the sum of the matter.

Let everything be done so that the word may have free course instead of the pattering and the rattling that has been the rule up to now.

We can spare everything except the word.

Again, we profit by nothing as much as by the word, for the whole scripture shows that the word should have free course among Christians.

What is the supreme authority?

God, as he has dictated through his word.

Our confession says in chapter one, paragraph nine, the supreme judge for deciding all religious controversies and for evaluating all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, human teachings, and individual interpretations, and in whose judgment we are to rest is nothing but the Holy Scripture delivered by the spirit.

In this scripture, our faith finds its final word.

Now, in the moments following, what I'd like for us to do is to look to summaries of scripture, especially how this relates to what was Jesus' opinion about this matter?

What was the apostles' opinion about the matter?

And what about the Old Testament writers?

How did they view it?

Did they appeal to some other source than God and his word?

Well, when it comes to Christ in the Bible, one has said it this way, which is very, very helpful.

It has been said with truth that the attempt to evade the evidence of our Lord's teaching as to the God-givenness of scripture is as futile as a mathematician's attempt to prove that it is possible to dodge an avalanche.

He may satisfy himself that the trajectory of each boulder is calculable and that an agile man could step out of the way of any one of them.

So taken one at a time, a perverse ingenuity may satisfy itself that it can find ways of disposing of many of our Lord's statements about the Old Testament.

But these statements do not come one at a time, for they form a great avalanche of items of accumulative evidence which cannot, in honesty, be evaded.

The evidence is clear.

To Christ, the Old Testament was true, authoritative, inspired.

To him, the God of the Old Testament was the living God, and the teaching of the Old Testament was the teaching of the living God.

To him, what scripture said, God said.

Soul of scripture.

Now, let's take a look at what Christ thought about this, what the apostles said as well, and the Old Testament writers.

Once again, Martin Luther said, we can spare everything except God's.

We can do without the greatest books or teachers in your mind, but you can't do without God's word.

Let's take a look at what Christ said on so many different occasions.

Here are four evidences for you so that you can understand what Christ bought.

Jesus appealed to scripture when God's word was challenged.

You remember the temptation found in Matthew 4?

Three times, three times he said, it is written.

How am I going to fight temptation?

How am I going to defeat the enemy?

I'm going to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, it is written.

Jesus defended truth with scripture rather than appealing to oral traditions.

Remember in Mark chapter seven, when there were controversies about those things that were going on at that time, he says, you religious leaders, you leave the commandments of God and you hold on to the tradition of men.

He rebukes them for not being sole of scripture.

With over a hundred references to scripture, Jesus bypasses reliance upon the teachings of his time.

And he goes straight to a rebuke and says, have you not read?

Have you not read?

Don't you remember what Isaiah said?

Don't you remember what the prophets were telling us?

What about the Psalms?

Have you not read it?

Jesus didn't say, well, Gamaliel did it this way.

This counsel over here said that.

No, Jesus said, no, no, no.

We're going straight to the source.

Have you not read?

Jesus expected scriptures to be understood by everyone and anyone that came in contact with it.

He rebukes them time and time again.

Is this not what scripture meant and is now fulfilled?

Yes, Jesus appealed to scripture and scripture alone.

The inspired apostles with genuine oral revelation directed others to scriptures for the final determination of truth.

The apostles weren't, even though they were writing scripture, they didn't go on and say, hey, just take my word at it.

No, they constantly said, let's go back to the scriptures.

Let's go back to the scriptures and to the scriptures alone.

Scripture alone is all sufficient for life, for morality, for conduct, for doctrine.

Paul said it to Timothy this way, you've known this from childhood.

You can understand this.

This was taught to you of how you are to live.

The apostles believed in Sola Scriptura because they quoted the Old Testament and they used that as their authority.

Nothing that was inherent to them or nothing that was around them.

They went to scripture alone.

Scripture is clear and it's understandable, even by the youngest.

Just read the scripture to your family fathers.

Those of you that are trying to convert or evangelize those that are lost, don't be afraid to use God's word.

It's powerful.

There's not a power that you can get outside of God and his word.

Trust him, know it, breathe it out to those that are lost around you.

What about the Old Testament?

Well, you remember in Deuteronomy chapter four, verse two, or chapter 12, verse 32, where the law was given, the covenantal documents, and they were told time and time again, do not add to this.

Do not subtract from this.

And when you do or if you do, it's upon the pains of death, right?

Proverbs 30, verses five and six essentially say the same thing.

And if we were to close the canon all the way in Revelation chapter 22, verses 18 and 19, it is a recapitulation that if anyone adds to the prophecy of this book, judgment will fall upon them.

Revelation 22:18

Do not add and do not subtract from God's word.

That's the soul of scripture.

We can spare anything and everything else, but we cannot spare God's word from having his authority over us.

You know, just on a practical level, how much time are you spending in God's word?

Daily.

Are other things having authority over your life?

Could you actually say with Martin Luther, we can spare everything but God's word?

But you won't spare social media.

You won't spare the headlines.

You won't spare your entertainment.

You won't spare your job.

You won't spare your family.

You won't, because those have a greater influence, power and authority over you.

I'm gonna try to get up in your grill.

Are you with me?

Good, good, good.

We can't spare God's word.

It should be our greatest delight, our greatest joy, our greatest satisfaction.

Roger Nicole helps us by talking about the New Testament use in the Old Testament.

He says Jesus Christ himself provide a most arresting example in this respect.

At the very threshold of his public ministry, our Lord in his dramatic victory over Satan's threshold, a three-fold onslaught, rested his whole defense on the authority of three passages of scripture.

He quoted the Old Testament in support of his teaching to the crowds.

He quoted it in his discussion with antagonistic Jews.

He quoted it in answer to questions, both of the Cautitious and the sincere.

He quoted it in instructing the disciples who would have readily accepted his teaching on his own authority.

He referred to it in his prayers when he alone in the presence of the Father.

He quoted it on the cross when he is suffering could easily have drawn his attention elsewhere.

Jesus quoted it in his resurrection glory when any limitation real or alleged of the days of his flesh was clearly superseded.

Whatever may be the difference between the pictures of Jesus drawn by the four Gospels, they certainly agree in their representation of our Lord's attitude towards the Old Testament, one of constant use and of unquestioning an endorsement of its authority.

Isn't that wonderful?

Turn to Psalm 19.

Jesus looked at the Old Testament as one of constant use and of unquestioning endorsement of its authority.

Psalm 19 is such a glorious Psalm.

Many of you guys have memorized portions of it or all of it together, but let's take a look at verse seven through 14.

In verses one through six, we see God's general disclosure to the world.

He talks about the publication in the skies and the prominence of the sun.

You know, the heavens are declaring the glory of God.

This is general revelation.

But now we're in verses seven through 14, which is God's special revelation, how he discloses himself to us through the word.

And here we should see how God's word, the scripture is absolute and utterly sufficient.

It is sola scriptura.

Looking at verse seven, it says, the law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.

Here we're given a title of God's word.

It's the law.

It's the law of Yahweh.

And then we're told a characteristic about this word, about this law.

It is perfect.

It is blameless.

There is no imperfection in it.

God's word cannot be improved upon.

And if that's the title and that's the characteristic of it, notice the benefit that it will give.

Reviving the soul.

Isn't that marvelous?

Does your soul need to be revived?

If you're an unbeliever, yes.

You're dead in your trespasses and sin and God's word through the power of the Holy Spirit, you can be quickened and made alive towards him.

And for those of us that are in Christ, we still need him to give us life.

Every day, it enlivens us.

But notice this three-fold progression of the title of the word, the characteristic of the word and the benefit of the Lord.

Do not stop in verse seven.

It continues in verse eight.

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

Did you see it again?

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eye.

The fear of the Lord.

So whether I'm talking about the law of the Lord or the testimony of the Lord or the precept of the Lord or the commands of the Lord, the fear of the Lord, all of these are titles.

They're just marvelous ways to speak about God's word.

And you should be in all of it, that it's not one dimensional, it's multifaceted.

And it doesn't just do one thing.

It doesn't just have one characteristic.

It's perfect, it's sure, it's right, it's pure, it's clean, it's true.

And there are benefits to it.

It revives my soul.

It makes the simple wise.

It rejoices the heart.

It enlightens the eyes.

It endures forever.

Popular opinions come and go, but not God's word.

It endures forever.

The rules of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

And if that's the case, what should we do?

Verse 10, more to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the honey drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them is your servant warned, and in keeping them, there is great reward.

Scripture is sufficient.

Scripture should be valued.

And scripture should be our commitment.

Who can discern his heirs?

Declare me innocent from hidden faults.

Keep back your servant from presumptuous sins.

Let them not have dominion over me.

Then I shall be blameless and innocent of great transgression.

Oh, and this is my favorite prayer.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight.

Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

So the scripture, God's word alone has final authority.

The Bible is God's word.

It is the only infallible rule of faith and practice, and it is sufficient for all areas, every area of our Christian life.

Aren't you glad that God has given it to us?

He hasn't covered it up, but he's made it known to us.

Let's praise him for that.

Let's pray.

Oh Lord, we do give thanks unto you for your word, that you haven't hidden it from us.

You have made it known to us.

Lord, may it be our commitment that we would please you, that we would know you through your word, that we would spend much time in it so that you would gain glory from us because we are constant living according to it through the power of your spirit.

Be pleased Lord, to encourage us and convict us this morning to the praise of your son.

It's in his name we pray, amen.

You