SOLA SCRIPTURA AND SOLA FIDELES
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Hello @arthurfleminger, here are a few more sola fide verses.
9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
There are MANY more, but I'll stop here for now
God bless you!
~Deut
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Genesis 15
6 Abraham believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
John 5
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, ~has~ eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Romans 1
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who ~believes~, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed ~from faith to faith~; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
Romans 3
28 We maintain that a man is justified by faith ~apart~ from works of the Law.
Romans 4
5 To the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.
Romans 5
8 God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Galatians 3
21 If a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.
22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.
24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
Titus 3
5 He saved us, ~not on the basis of deeds~ which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy.
There are MANY more, but I'll stop here for now
God bless you!
~Deut
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Weird formatting on the Romans 5 passage above (in post #7)!! I wonder what happened Oh well, too late to do anything about it now!
Oh well, too late to do anything about it now!
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Is it not enough that (a) there is in fact a Holy Bible in your hands and (b) Christians have recognized it as the divinely inspired Word of God ever since the time of Christ? Before that the Jews recognized the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) as divinely inspired in every letter of the Bible. What did the Lord Jesus Christ Himself declare in Matthew 4:4 and John 11:25,26?
The Solas came out of the reformation due to the excesses of the Catholic Church. Things like indulgences that were unscriptural etc is what the Solas railed against.
While tradition has a role, everything we do must have it's basis in Scripture - ie Scripture is our final authority. Anything that is unscriptural must be disregarded. (Probably not the best word choice but a better one isn't coming to me ATM)
You should read the 95 Theses.
While tradition has a role, everything we do must have it's basis in Scripture - ie Scripture is our final authority. Anything that is unscriptural must be disregarded. (Probably not the best word choice but a better one isn't coming to me ATM)
You should read the 95 Theses.
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Here is a good article that quickly explains the 5 Solas. (The two you mentioned are the first two the author deals with)
https://reformationbiblecollege.org/blog/the-five-solas
It is good to learn and seek to understand church history and why some of these things came about, that's why reading things like the 95 Theses is important. Also learning some of the catechisms too and why they came about.
Think of Sola Scriptura this way:
The Baptists usually have a little potluck after Sunday Services.. it's a nice "tradition" that church has that everyone usually enjoys, and it's a lovely time to get to know one another and make friends with other members.
The problem would arise if the Baptists started saying that only God's true People have potlucks after Sunday Services and if you attend a church that doesn't have a potluck then you'll go to hell.
That makes a tradition of men of equal weight or superceding of God's very words, and ends up introducing falsehoods into church doctrine. (A very bad thing).
Therefore, our final authority is God's word... We can have traditions, but they can never be in disagreement with what is clearly stated in Scripture as relates to doctrinal matters.
Make sense?
I was just looking for a good way to describe it.
https://reformationbiblecollege.org/blog/the-five-solas
It is good to learn and seek to understand church history and why some of these things came about, that's why reading things like the 95 Theses is important. Also learning some of the catechisms too and why they came about.
Think of Sola Scriptura this way:
The Baptists usually have a little potluck after Sunday Services.. it's a nice "tradition" that church has that everyone usually enjoys, and it's a lovely time to get to know one another and make friends with other members.
The problem would arise if the Baptists started saying that only God's true People have potlucks after Sunday Services and if you attend a church that doesn't have a potluck then you'll go to hell.
That makes a tradition of men of equal weight or superceding of God's very words, and ends up introducing falsehoods into church doctrine. (A very bad thing).
Therefore, our final authority is God's word... We can have traditions, but they can never be in disagreement with what is clearly stated in Scripture as relates to doctrinal matters.
Make sense?
I was just looking for a good way to describe it.
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I speak to various groups.
When I am in mixed company with different belief backgrounds I adhere to Sola Scriptura and have the scripture interpret scripture as much as possible. In this, the Bible is the authority.
But the Scriptura actually records that The Lord has all authority and He sent His Spirit to the earth who "..will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you."
By extension, the Holy Spirit is the arbiter of Truth in the earth because He perfectly represents the One who sent Him and He cannot be manipulated by men. However, when the Truth is spoken there will always be a witness of it within the scriptures and within the spirits of men. This is the example of the Bereans: "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed..."
God sends a preacher > The preacher preaches > Those who hear it believe > They call on the Lord. The believers, then, will find that the scriptures support the message that was preached. This is outlined in Romans 10
"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?"
The process is in revers order so it is: one is sent by the Spirit to preach > The people hear what the Spirit is speaking > The people believe > The people call on the Lord. People were calling on the Lord BEFORE the New Testament was written. Believing the word of God has never been necessarily tied to Bible study: only that a preacher is sent by the Spirit. Certainly, all scripture has been given by God, "...and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." These works: reproof, correction, and instruction take place between believers (the mature ministering to the immature); not as if the scriptures do this on their own (how can they believe unless a preacher is sent?). AND, it is these works that bring about the completeness of of the man, not the scriptures themselves. The scriptures become alive to us (changing us) when the word is applied in its appropriate season.
Churches do not recognize "sent ones" very often because they established a more congregational model after Constantine's Roman Church. Although congregations are mentioned in scriptures most believers met in households, households of faith. This was culturally significant: "Sunday/Saturday meetings" were never seen as sufficient for spiritual growth. A life lived in the Body, as the mature watch over the souls of those who are being matured, was the standard. Just as Jesus disciplined those whom the Father gave Him. And just as He gave an account for those whom the Father gave Him, we, too, as elders who watch over the saints, must also give an account to God.
"Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them."
and just a bit later...
"Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you."
For maturity in Christ, we must receive the one through whom the Word was sent. Reading the scriptures alone will not lead us to maturity.
When I am in mixed company with different belief backgrounds I adhere to Sola Scriptura and have the scripture interpret scripture as much as possible. In this, the Bible is the authority.
But the Scriptura actually records that The Lord has all authority and He sent His Spirit to the earth who "..will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you."
By extension, the Holy Spirit is the arbiter of Truth in the earth because He perfectly represents the One who sent Him and He cannot be manipulated by men. However, when the Truth is spoken there will always be a witness of it within the scriptures and within the spirits of men. This is the example of the Bereans: "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed..."
God sends a preacher > The preacher preaches > Those who hear it believe > They call on the Lord. The believers, then, will find that the scriptures support the message that was preached. This is outlined in Romans 10
"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?"
The process is in revers order so it is: one is sent by the Spirit to preach > The people hear what the Spirit is speaking > The people believe > The people call on the Lord. People were calling on the Lord BEFORE the New Testament was written. Believing the word of God has never been necessarily tied to Bible study: only that a preacher is sent by the Spirit. Certainly, all scripture has been given by God, "...and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." These works: reproof, correction, and instruction take place between believers (the mature ministering to the immature); not as if the scriptures do this on their own (how can they believe unless a preacher is sent?). AND, it is these works that bring about the completeness of of the man, not the scriptures themselves. The scriptures become alive to us (changing us) when the word is applied in its appropriate season.
Churches do not recognize "sent ones" very often because they established a more congregational model after Constantine's Roman Church. Although congregations are mentioned in scriptures most believers met in households, households of faith. This was culturally significant: "Sunday/Saturday meetings" were never seen as sufficient for spiritual growth. A life lived in the Body, as the mature watch over the souls of those who are being matured, was the standard. Just as Jesus disciplined those whom the Father gave Him. And just as He gave an account for those whom the Father gave Him, we, too, as elders who watch over the saints, must also give an account to God.
"Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them."
and just a bit later...
"Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you."
For maturity in Christ, we must receive the one through whom the Word was sent. Reading the scriptures alone will not lead us to maturity.
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The 5 solas are a human doctrinal response to the false doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church at the time of the Reformation. "Scripture alone" means that our authority for Christian living comes from the Scriptures and not from tradition or church hierarchy. Faith alone means that salvation is by faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ and not in doing good works. As such, I agree with these doctrines.
The problem comes when the human wording of our understanding of Scriptural interpretation becomes our starting point for doctrine. Hence what we have today in some situations is that the "5 Solas" become the starting point of doctrine and then the Scriptues are interpreted from the stated creeds of the church.
If one takes "Scripture alone" to the extreme it leaves out the Holy Spirit and my brother's viewpoint. It is easy to pound the pulpit of doctrinal selectivity and shout "the Bible says so" when in reality the person is only shouting their own ideas.
If one takes "faith alone" to the extreme it leaves out God's grace and in fact it leaves out Jesus Himself and his atoning work. We are actually not saved by "faith alone": we are saved by God's grace through faith. One might say that saying "faith alone" does not negate the role of grace and of Jesus' work on the cross. Ok, I buy that -- but then why say "faith alone" to start with if that is not what we mean? Well, the 5 Solas are established church doctrine that dare not be breached! Hmmmm! I thought this was "Scripture alone" not church creeds . . . !
If we are going to go strictly by what the Bible says, it never says we are saved by "faith alone". In fact the only use of this phrase says the opposite: James 2:24, ESV: You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
The problem comes when the human wording of our understanding of Scriptural interpretation becomes our starting point for doctrine. Hence what we have today in some situations is that the "5 Solas" become the starting point of doctrine and then the Scriptues are interpreted from the stated creeds of the church.
If one takes "Scripture alone" to the extreme it leaves out the Holy Spirit and my brother's viewpoint. It is easy to pound the pulpit of doctrinal selectivity and shout "the Bible says so" when in reality the person is only shouting their own ideas.
If one takes "faith alone" to the extreme it leaves out God's grace and in fact it leaves out Jesus Himself and his atoning work. We are actually not saved by "faith alone": we are saved by God's grace through faith. One might say that saying "faith alone" does not negate the role of grace and of Jesus' work on the cross. Ok, I buy that -- but then why say "faith alone" to start with if that is not what we mean? Well, the 5 Solas are established church doctrine that dare not be breached! Hmmmm! I thought this was "Scripture alone" not church creeds . . . !
If we are going to go strictly by what the Bible says, it never says we are saved by "faith alone". In fact the only use of this phrase says the opposite: James 2:24, ESV: You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
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