Why Sola Scriptura?

A very philosophical man leaned over the portioning brush and asked his neighbor "How do you know what is true?" Somewhat perplexed by such an abrupt and striking question he simply replied, "If it wasn't true then it would just be false."

"Then how do you know what is false?" He again replied, "Because it would be the opposite of truth."

In a world flooded by relativism and postmodern lunacy determining truth is more important than ever. I have spoken to several college age men and women who purport their own intellect with prideful ambition while at the same time being unwilling to acknowledge that an absolute standard of truth exists. They wrangle their way through Descartes philosophical ideas, most of which are still fresh in their minds from their recent indoctrination, but have no grasp on tangible reality. Some even go so far as to believe that we cannot know anything and assert such knowledge with absolute assurance. Of course such a statement falls in on itself because of its desire for absolution while unwilling to state that any other absolute can exist outside of itself.

So how is that we can know truth? The fictional conversation between the two neighbors is an example of what some agnostic and self-professing atheists accuse born-again disciples of Christ of doing; circular reasoning. At some point in circular reasoning one must stop the continual rotation of illogical thinking and find a initiating point of thought, or in this case a absolute standard of truth.

Such absolute truth can only be found in something that is unchangeable. The very nature of something being absolute demands that is be resolute in what it teaches. Keeping in mind its unchangeable nature we then come to the necessity of reliability. To be reliable in what is taught the source of the teaching must be reliable. But it is more than just being reliable, whoever provides the absolute must also be resolute Himself. If He were not then neither would the teaching He provides. Even further, the Provider of truth must not simply be subjective to truth but in fact be Truth. To be the originator of truthful statements requires that the standard of such truth not be an outside force but the originator Himself. Thus as the Truth is given from Him who is Truth those who convey truth only echo Him who has revealed Himself as the Truth.

We inevitably come to the question of what is Truth. Some in the secular world appeal to accredited men and women as revelators of truth noting their immediate success and the overarching acceptance of their statements. But acceptance by a majority does not constitute that a statement be truthful, only that it be accepted by the immediate consensus. What if that individual were to change his or her stance on something? Does that mean that their previous statements were not truthful even though they were declared such? How reliable then are the current and future statements if there exists the possibility that they too could be recanted, altered, or debunked? Apply the standard in the previous paragraph to their statements as well. If they have proven to be unresolute then they are not only untruthful and untrustworthy but they themselves cannot be truth. Such objections are often ignored by many who have hoisted up fallible men and women to great pillars of intellectual grandeur. Yet despite their futile attempts, these points cannot be ignored.

So again, what is Truth? We know truth cannot originate with man. The Bible makes it clear that man is sinful (Romans 3:23) and deceptive (Jeremiah 17:9). Such a being cannot be the originator of truth because man cannot be truth himself. Only God Himself is Truth. Jesus Christ revealed Himself as God in such statements as John 14:6. God has thus conveyed that which He has willed us to know in His infallible, inerrant, inspired, sufficient Word which we know as the Holy Bible.

In years past many described the nature of the Bible excluding the word "sufficient". But more recently it has become necessary to include this word in stating the reality and reliability of Scripture. It is not to say it has only recently become sufficient but that is have become important to underscore that it has always and will always be sufficient. For this reason, there is no need for additional revelation. Numerous cults have been started from the belief that God's Word is not sufficient. Some, as the Mormons, originated from the fanciful imagination of a lying treasure hunter who claimed to obtain plates of gold which no one else has, or ever will, see. Others take the Bible and retranslate with a less than preschool knowledge of the original language, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses. Thus they reveal that their translation is nothing more than an interpretation eisegeted from the twisted and controlling mind of money-hungry pagan. Others throw out the Word all together and seek to develop man-centered philosophies or singular idolatrous writings that are filled with hateful and violent intentions. Were we to rely solely on Scripture such world religions would crumble and be seen as the empty idolatrous attempts of sinful man to create a god in his own image.

Unfrotunately, many Christians unknowingly position themselves outside of the camp of Sola Scriptura. They acknowledge the affirmations given of Scripture yet their actions show they do not believe it to be sufficient to every aspect of their lives. Because God has provided Scripture to us to reveal both Himself and His will we have all which we need to develop a correct worldview. In fact, to suggest that any other revelation is needed is to undermine not only the authority of Scripture but the authority of the Giver of such. Definitive affirmations of the need for revelation from God are given throughout Scripture. The Old Testament prophets spoke only that which God commanded of them and were commanded to convey to the people no more or less than that which He so revealed. The canonization of the Old and New Testament was not decisively by man's design but by the clear definition of the instpired writers of His truth.

Sola Scriptura is by definition the reliance of the Christian upon God's Word as a the absolute guide (Psalm 119:105) of one's life. In it we find the realiaty of man's depravity (Romans 7:18), God's unsearchable holiness (Revelation 4:8), the coming judgment (Hebrews 9:27), the righteous Judge (2 Timothy 4:1), the only hope of salvation (Acts 4:12), the mission of the Christian (Matthew 28:19-20), and the sole purpose of all things (2 Corinthians 4:15). No other source can provide Truth for there is no other Truth than God Himself.

Until the whole world hears,

Pastor Adam