I was recently eavesdropping on a conversation in a local coffee shop (one of my guilty pleasures—be careful if you see me there!), and I overheard the following statement:
“I am kind of over the whole sola scriptura thing…”
What?!?
In case you didn’t know…the concept of “sola scriptura” is one of the five tenets of the Protestant Reformation. The idea is that Scripture is the ultimate authority. Sola Scriptura is an argument against the creeds and councils of the church being the final determination on doctrine and truth for the church. While Protestants respect what we have learned from church history and look to the church fathers for wisdom, we do not equate their words with Scripture.
If you are “kind of over the whole sola scriptura thing” you are on the outside the Protestant faith (and teetering on the edge of orthodoxy). It is an extreme stance to take.
No one in our tribe would ever make such a statement verbally. There are not many that would claim Scripture is not sufficient, or that it does not hold the final word on truth. However, I fear we unwittingly express the same sentiment in some decisions and actions.
For instance…
- When your religious traditions are challenged (even with Scripture), and you retreat to the comfort of nostalgic familiarity
- When you allow your feelings to dictate your perspective on the truth, and nothing can convince you differently…even the Bible
- When God’s Word is not your source of answers to the problems in your life. You refuse pastoral counseling, instead seeking a “real, qualified counselor.”
You may be in danger of rejecting Scripture as “the only rule for faith and practice.”1
All of these to one degree or another might be a sign that you do not believe the words of 2 Pet. 1:3-4a (which I mentioned in last week’s sermon): “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of himwho called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises.”
I am so grateful for Scripture. It means we do not have to rely on the fallible wisdom of people, but can cling to the wisdom of an infallible God!
- This is the classic statement of the doctrine of sola scriptura ↩︎