The Bible is the only Truth

Scripture Passage: 2 Timothy 3:16

Theme: The struggle between the Word of God and the word of Man

1. Introduction:

How many of you believe all the Bible is true?

Why?

Today I want to share with you why the Bible is absolute truth and we can trust it completely. One of the things that we learn from the Bible is the doctrine of “Sola Scriptura” - which is Latin for “in Scripture alone”. The Bible is Scripture - the word of God. In the 16th Century, great theologians agreed there were five pillars upon which our Christian faith rests: 1) Sola Scriptura, 2) Sola Fide (by faith alone), 3) Sola Gratia, (by grace alone), 4) Solus Christus (in Christ alone), and 5) Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God alone).

Explain the Reformation.

Today we will take a look at the biblical basis for Sola Scriptura, what it meant to the Reformers, the conflict that developed over the doctrine, where our churches stand today on this doctrine, and finally, what this means to us.

A. Interrogative: Do we have an authoritative, trustworthy Word from God?

B. The answer is yes, God speaks to us clearly through Scripture- the Bible.

C. Imperative. We can and must be confident that we can refer to the Bible for all matters of faith and practice, on all matters to which it speaks.

2 Timothy 3:16 NASB95

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

II. Our guiding Scripture passage is 2 Timothy 3:16. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. “Lets ask the Lord’s blessing.

What does this passage mean?

1. Definitions:

a) Paul is instructing Timothy on God’s word and its reliability

b) Scripture: holy Writ, or decree.

c) Inspiration: theopneustis, God breathed, divinely breathed in or out,

d) perfect; fitted, complete

e) thoroughly furnished: fully equipped or accomplished.

2. The Bible is Scripture and it is true. It is God’s word, faithfully composed by authors under the direction of the Holy Spirit. It is the best source of instruction for doctrine, as evidence, to correct and instruct in righteousness.

3. What is Scripture? What is your Bible?

a) OT Canon. 39 books. The Great Assembly, , an assembly of 120 scribes, sages, and prophets, in the intertestamental period confirmed the OT Scriptures – the Law and Prophets.

b) The New Testament canon (27 books) was first listed by St. Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, in 367a.d., Various RCC councils have confirmed it over the years.

c) Peter Masters: To us old diehards rooted in the confessions of the 17th Century, the Canon of Scripture was not established by church councils. Scripture has its authority because it is self-authenticating. It has come together under the power and rule of the Holy Spirit. We don't know every twist and turn, but Scripture teaches that New Testament prophets were involved, but Apostles, primarily, authenticated everything. We are not always told how..." -Peter Masters and Transmission

4. Transmission: Now we have over 5500 copies of the ancient texts.

(1) Scribes copy texts one letter at a time. They used word counts.

(2) It was not a game of telephone. We have enough manuscripts so that the translators have been able to identify errors in transmission.

(3) 25000 manuscripts. 400k differences in manuscripts, but this is because we have 5500 greek 10000 in latin, and thousands more in other languages. Probably 25000 manuscripts.

(4) Average ancient works are 20 manuscripts tops and no one questions their authenticity. - Discussion between Michael Horton and Daniel Wallace, Dallas Seminary, 27 August 2017

B. What is Sola Scriptura (in Scripture alone)?

1. Luther: Scripture alone is the true lord and master of all writings and doctrine on earth. If that is not granted, what is Scripture good for? The more we reject it, the more we become satisfied with men’s books and human teachers. (Do we choose to believe God or man?)

2. Components or parts of Sola Scriptura:

a) The Bible is the final authority in faith and practice.

b) The Bible is error free.

(1) Martin Luther. “The Saints could err in their writings and the sin in their lives but the scriptures cannot err.”

c) Scripture is infallible.

d) Why do we believe this?

(1) Bible is self-authenticating. What does that mean?

(a) 53 references to scripture or scriptures in the King James Bible. In every case and context, it is considered the ultimate authority.

(b) Jesus referred to the Scriptures to prove His own teachings: Luke 25:27 (on the road to Emmaus) “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

Ever hear that the passages from the Bible mean whatever we think they mean?

2 Peter 1:19–21 NASB95

So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

(c) 2 Peter 1:19-21: 19 So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,

21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995),

(d) 2 Peter 3:15-16

2 Peter 3:15–16 NASB95

and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

(2) God created us: God gave us the capability to understand scripture, read and hear His word.

(3) God gave us His Word so His people would understand that He loves us and what His expectations are of us.

(a) Special revelation is nothing less than God’s own forfeiture of his personal privacy so that we might know him. -Carl F.H. Henry

(4) If it were not for God’s word we could not be saved.

C. The conflict over Sola Scriptura:

1. Genesis 3:1-4

a) Yea, hath God Said

b) Ye shall not surely die

c) Satan has from the beginning sought to undermine God’s word to destroy God’s people.

d) Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s Word and were cursed.

e) Genesis 3:15 the Protevangelium - God will redeem His people

2. Two peoples, the earthly City of men and the City of God.

a) Genesis 4:1-9

Genesis 4:1–9 NASB95

Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have gotten a manchild with the help of the Lord.” Again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

b) Cain was from the seed of the Serpent, Abel from the seed of the woman.

c) Two peoples in conflict, Augustine wrote of two cities: the earthly city and the City of God.

(1) Noah and the people before the Flood

(2) Isaac and Ishmael

(3) Jacob and Esau (Edomites impact on Jesus)

(4) and it continues into the present day.

3. This struggle, which begins in Genesis and ends in Revelation, has a direct bearing on Sola Scriptura. It was a theme, or as Peter Masters calls it a cable, that Luther understood.

4. God’s sovereignty is at issue:

a) Conflict over two authorities: the authority of God or the authority of men. This defines the conflict between the earthly city and the City of God; the children of the serpent and the children of God.

b) Who is sovereign: God or man?

5. Christ and the Apostles believed and taught that Scripture was the true word of God and the sole source of divine revelation. This is what is behind the doctrine of Sola Scripture.

Situation with the Roman Catholic Church by the 14th Century

A. Movement was in reaction to the teachings and actions of the RCC

1. Non-biblical doctrines; purgatory, indulgences, Marianism, Papalism, authority in the church, view of Scripture.

2. Systematically went after those who challenged its authority, made efforts for Reform.

B. Reaction: Jan Hus and John Wycliffe:lived about 100 years before Luther. Wrote against the Roman Church and its corruption:

1. Papalism, Crusades, Indulgences.

2. Believed the Scriptures the only reliable guide to the truth about God.

3. Hus burned at the stake, Wycliffe and followers translated the Bible. Over 150 copies written.

The Reformation – a team effort.

A. Erasmus published the Greek NT in 1516, enabled Luther to read Scripture in original tongues.

B. Luther’s challenge. Luther read the Bible in NT Greek he saw the difference in Greek text and Latin Vulgate.

a) - example - penance and repentance.

b) Saw no justification for indulgences or the concept of purgatory.

c) Came to the conclusion that the Bible was the primary authority for the faith and practice. All other sources of authority had to be measured against Scripture.

2. Luther began preaching against indulgences and posted his 95 theses. His open challenge to the Pope and the RCC got him prosecuted by the RCC at the Diet at Worms. His statement in defense pointed straight to Sola Scriptura: According to Bainton:

“Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they often err and contradict themselves), I am bound . Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise, here I stand, may God help me. Amen.”

3. So certain of Sola Scriptura: Translated the Bible, published in 1522 - half million in print by 1546. Influenced William Tyndale, who published the English Bible in 1525, using a press in Germany and John Calvin.

4. Tyndale, Luther, Calvin learned from Scripture:

a) Possessed of the words of eternal life.

b) Scripture interprets Scripture. From Augustine. In scripture God bears witness to himself and not subject to interpretation by sinful humans.

c) Scripture speaks with authority for it is from God and it is God's message to needy sinners.

Why Sola Scriptura proved to be radical and revolutionary:

a) Kingdom of Priests:

Exodus 19:5–6 NASB95

‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

1 Peter 2:9 NASB95

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

(3) Rev 4:9-10 And they sung a new song; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Why Sola Scriptura proved to be radical and revolutionary:

(4) All have access to the throne of grace.

(5) Equal standing before the Lord – no clergy/laity divide

b) Salvation:

Ephesians 2:8–10 NASB95

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Romans 10:8–10 NASB95

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

c) Mary worship, or Marianism:

1 Tim 2:5 - no mention of Mary as Co-Mediatrix.

1 Timothy 2:5 NASB95

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

d) No justification for the system of indulgences. (hit Rome in the pocketbook)

e) The basis of all knowledge. Lord gives us understanding.

Isaiah 11:2

Isaiah 11:2 NASB95

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

The Enlightenment-the subtle counterattack of Satan and the new Papalism..

A. The advances in scientific fields (positive)

B. The retreat from sola Scriptura and the advance of the age of reason (Descarte)

C. Implications (Seed of the Serpent)

1. Human reason considered superior to divine revelation.

That doesnt make sense to me - its not rational

2. Question Scripture’s sufficiency, infallibility, inerrancy, reliability.

3. Immanuel Kant, 1724-1804: “Have the courage to use your own reason. That is the motto of the Enlightenment”

4. Rene Descartes: Cogito ergo sum - I think, therefore I am. Severs reason from revelation, Man becomes the judge of reason.

5. Rationalist biblical criticism:

a) Baruch Spinoza,1632-77 and subsequent liberal theologians:

b) Chip away at the sufficiency, reliability, accuracy of the Bible. Anti-supernaturalism. Biblical claims must be based on external evidence. Tearing pages from the Bible. :

(1) Reconstructing Jesus: Others: Schweitzer, Bultmann, F.C. Baur, David Strauss

(2) Canon reduction. Demythologizing Scripture. Rejecting the supernatural. The history of the Bible needed to be separated from its spiritual implications.

c) Deism - Bible was becoming irrelevant - we can understand God from nature.

d) Unitarianism and Universalism.

e) Post-modernism, continuation of textual criticism assault on the Word

(1) De-constructionism breaking down text to the point that it becomes meaningless.

(2) We interpret text - it gains the meaning we assign to it. Meaning is fluid.

(3) Relativism - no good or evil

6. Results:

a) Hugely damaging, infiltrated seminaries, hastening the apostasy of churches in virtually all mainstream denominations since at least the 19th Century.

Modern Reformers fought back (Seed of the Woman):

1. Karl Barth, Reformer. Did not believe that Scripture was infallible. Compromised Biblical authority and inerrancy. When asked in 1962 (on his one visit to America) how he would summarize the essence of the millions of words he had published, he replied, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."

2. BB Warfield , Hodge and Machen

a) Reaffirmed verbal inerrant inspiration.

b) Pointed evangelicals to the old paths.

VI. In Sum: Historic Christianity has argued that the Bible is our basis for understanding reality, and for understanding any other body of knowledge.

Implications for the Church and for us.

A. Warnings - what to watch out for

1. The Bible is under fire on various levels

a) Bible versions

b) Liberalism (modernism and post modernism) - The Bible is a human book - historical narrative is unreliable.

c) Liberal scholars claim that we have to be neutral in our approach to the Bible. Impossible. Work of Holy Spirit. Cannot be world view neutral.

B. The next thing;

1. Secular authority: The Bible as “hate speech”

2. Banning the Word of God

3. Liberals persecuting true, reformed, Christians

4. Re-interpreting Scripture

a) Sexual revolution

b) Antinomianism, Christ came not to destroy the law, but fulfill it.

5. The enemy-Satan

a) Knows the end is coming… Ramping up His efforts

b) Amplifying the impact of sin to obscure the message.

(1) Hollywood

(2) Media

(a) TV

(b) Movies

(c) Games

(3) Schools

(4) Liberal academia

How should faithful Christians respond?

1. Read, understand, study, listen to the Bible, which provides you biblical theology, move to systematic theology - puts Scripture on its own terms and categories. Immerse yourself in the Word.

2. By so doing, the Bible becomes our framework for understanding and responding to the world around us.

a) Think God’s thoughts after Him, not impose our sin tainted thoughts on Him

b) Spectacles of Scripture. - Calvin.

D. Question your understanding/beliefs:

1. Is what you believe in line with Scripture? Are you orthodox?

2. Calvin: Scripture will ultimately suffice for a saving knowledge of God, only when its certainty is founded upon the inward persuasion of the Holy Spirit.

3. Is what your church or pastor teaches in line with Scripture? If not, then what?

4. Do you believe the Scripture? Do you subject it to your own beliefs? Do you know the Christ of the Scriptures? He may not be the same Christ you have been taught about.

E. In the end, We must be confident that we can refer to God’s word for all matters of faith and practice, on all matters to which it speaks.

Gospel appeal.

1. Do you believe the Bible? Are you following Christ? Heaven or Hell is the consequence - we are all eternal beings.

2. How to follow Him?

a) 1 Corinthians 15:3-4:For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures

b) If you have not already done so, follow God’s Word: Believe, repent, flee to Christ.

Closing Prayer