Scripture Alone

But one event that radically altered the course of Western civilization was on October 31, 1517 between the Roman Catholic Church and those who sought to reform the church

This date marks a movement so massive that 5 centuries later we are still hearing the names of those who challenged the Roman Catholic church like John Wycliffe, John Huss, Martin Luther, John Calvin and John Knox among many

The historical event that I’m referring to was the Protestant Reformation

The event that started it all was when an Augustinian monk named Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the door of the castle church in Wittenburg Germany

He was deeply troubled by the sale of indulgences

Indulgences were certificates sold by the Roman Catholic Church to grant forgiveness of sins

He saw this practice as a corruption of the gospel message and an exploitation of the faithful

By nailing his 95 thesis to the church door, he was initiating academic discussion and debate but that never happened

Instead his thesis struck a nerve with the Pope and the church officials that he was eventually told to recant his teachings or be branded a heretic and be excommunicated from the church

I’m thankful that he never recanted

His faithful response to Scripture laid the ground work for the church today

As we begin the month of October, I want to spend time looking at 5 teachings that came out of the Reformation

We looked at them 4 years ago but this month I want to revisit them

They are known by their Latin names: Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Sola Christus, and Sola Deo Gloria

I had them put on the wall in our sanctuary so that every time we came in here we would be reminded of the tremendous price that was paid.

These men literally gave their lives for the purity of the gospel and Christ’s church

If you will notice, each statement begins with the word “sola”

Sola means “alone” so that they read Scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone and for God’s glory alone

It was that Latin word “alone” or “sola” that the Catholic church had problems with

Because all 5 of the solas were a response to certain practices and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century

For example:

Sola Scriptura emphasized that the Bible, as the inspired Word of God, held ultimate authority in matters of faith and practice

But the Roman Catholic Church had placed significant weight on both Scripture and Tradition as sources of authority

So Church tradition, along with the Magisterium (the teaching authority of the Church), held a prominent role in guiding belief and practice

The Reformers disagreed and said Scripture is the only source of authority in the church not tradition and not the Magisterium or the Pope

Sola Fide stressed that justification was a result of faith in Jesus Christ alone, rather than through human works or efforts

They rejected practices like indulgences, which were seen as undermining the role of faith in salvation

The Catholic Church taught that faith and good works were both necessary for salvation

This included sacraments, penance, and the accumulation of merits through acts of piety and charity

Sola Gratia asserted that salvation was entirely a result of God's grace and was not based on any merit or worthiness on the part of humans

They critiqued practices like the sale of indulgences, which seemed to commercialize God's grace

The Catholic Church taught that God's grace was essential for salvation, but it was mediated through sacraments and good works

The idea of "merit" was significant, with believers accumulating spiritual credit through righteous deeds

Solus Christus affirmed that Jesus Christ was the sole mediator between God and humanity

They challenged the intercessory role of saints and the emphasis on human intermediaries in accessing God

The Catholic Church recognized a communion of saints and believed in the intercession of Mary and other saints as valuable mediators before God

Priests also played a central role in mediating God's grace

Soli Deo Gloria emphasized that all glory, honor, and praise belonged to God alone, and human achievements were ultimately for His glory

They critiqued practices that seemed to exalt human efforts and achievements above God

While the Catholic Church ultimately attributed glory to God, there were practices that some reformers saw as potentially diverting glory away from God, such as the veneration of saints and the display of relics

These solas were intended to address what the reformers perceived as deviations from what they considered to be the original, biblical teachings of Christianity within the Catholic Church of their time

They sought to restore what they believed to be the true gospel message and to emphasize the sovereignty of God in matters of salvation and Christian life

The first one we are considering today is sola scriptura or “Scripture Alone”

There are 6 truths that I want us to look at this morning concerning Scripture

The first is...

I. Scripture Alone is the Word of God

It is called the “word of God” over 40 times in both the Old and New Testament (46x)

“Some 3800 times the Bible declares, “God said,” or “Thus says the Lord” (Ex.14:1) (Bible.org)

Jesus referred to Scripture as “the word of God” in Matthew 7:9-13.

Paul recognized that the things he was writing were “the Lord’s commandment”

He said in 1 Corinthians 14:37, “If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment.”

Luke said that Jesus’ teaching was “the word of God” in Luke 5:1, “Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret”

Acts 4:31 reveals the apostles “spoke the word of God”

Acts 4:31, “And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.”

Acts 8:14 reveals the Samaritans received “the word of God” as given by the Apostles in Acts 8:25, “So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.”

This is what the Gentiles received as preached by Peter (Acts 11:1)

This is what Paul preached on all three of his missionary journeys (Acts 13:5; 16:32; 19:10)

This “word” is “sacred” (2 Tim.3:15) and “holy” (Rom.1:2) and claims ultimate spiritual authority in doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness because it represents the inspired Word of almighty God (2 Tim.3:16-17)

The “word of God” is, according to Hebrews 4:12, “living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

When Paul preached to the Thessalonians, he was constantly thankful because they received it as “not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” (1 Thess.2:13)

Every author viewed Scripture as “the word of God”

It is not to be added to or taken away (Deut.4:2) but promises a “curse” if you do (Rev.22:18)

This is also how the Reformers saw it

Martin Luther said, “The Holy Spirit Himself and God, the Creator of all things, is the author of this book”

Another quote by Luther said, “Scripture, although also written of men, is not of men nor from men, but from God”

Luther quoting Augustine said, “St. Augustine says in his letter to St. Jerome, “I have learned to hold only the Holy Scripture inerrant”

That’s not Luther quoting a seventeenth-century scholar. That’s Luther quoting Augustine from the end of the fourth century where Augustine says, “I’ve learned to hold only the Scripture inerrant” (https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/what-is-reformed-theology/scripture-alone)

Again, Luther says: “In the books of St. Augustine one finds many passages which flesh and blood have spoken. And concerning myself I must also confess that when I talk apart from the ministry, at home, at table, or elsewhere, I speak many words that are not God’s Word. That is why St. Augustine, in a letter to St. Jerome, has put down a fine axiom—that only Holy Scripture is to be considered inerrant.” (Sproul)

This was the “formal principle” of the Reformation (Sproul)

There is a passage in 2 Timothy 3:16 that speaks of the Bible being...

II. Scripture Alone is Inspired By God

The first part of the verse says, “All Scripture is inspired by God”

The word “inspired” means “God-breathed” (LSB) or as the ESV translates “breathed out”

William Evans says...

The Great Doctrines of the Bible II. The Inspiration of the Bible

The meaning of the word “breathed,” as here used, is brought out very forcibly by the comparison of two other words translated in the same way. The one is the Greek word psuchein=to breathe gently, while in 2 Tim. 3:16 the term denotes a forcible respiration. The other is the Hebrew word ah-ayrh=to breathe unconsciously, while 2 Tim. 3:16 denotes a conscious breathing.

Inspiration, then, as defined by Paul in this passage, is the strong, conscious inbreathing of God into men, qualifying them to give utterance to truth. It is God speaking through men, and the Old Testament is therefore just as much the Word of God as though God spake every single word of it with His own lips. The Scriptures are the result of divine inbreathing, just as human speech is uttered by the breathing through a man’s mouth.

Gems from Martyn Lloyd-Jones Inspiration

The doctrine of verbal inspiration does not mean a mere mechanical dictation. The personality of the writer is left as it was, and the individual characteristics of style and mode of thought remain, whereas the truth is guaranteed and controlled.

Life in God, 130

In the words of Peter...

2 Peter 1:20–21 “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.”

This passage teaches that holy men of God wrote the Scripture when “moved” to do so by the Holy Spirit” (Evans)

So when we say the Bible is “inspired”, we are saying it is the Word of God spoken from His lips without error and with full authority

We are also saying that Inspiration means that God guided and influenced the human authors, using their unique personalities, experiences, and writing styles to communicate His message to humanity. The Holy Spirit worked through these authors, ensuring that what they wrote was accurate, authoritative, and without error

To say that the Bible is “without error” is to say...

III. Scripture Alone is Infallible

The Shape of Sola Scriptura Infallibility

Infallibility simply means the inability to err, or the impossibility of error.

There are no errors in God’s Word

If there were, then God would be a liar and not able to be trusted

Many then, of course, would question His existence because it is the Bible (special revelation) and nature (natural revelation) that says He does exist and His Word is true

Psalm 119:160, “The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.”

Proverbs 30:5, “Every word of God is tested” but the LSB says, “Every word of God is flawless”

The NIV states the same

The ESV says, “Every word of God proves true”

Not only is it the inspired infallible Word of God but...

IV. Scripture Alone is Inerrant

Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

Martin Luther said, “The Scripture cannot err”

It cannot “err” because God cannot “err” or “lie”

John Calvin said, “The Scriptures obtain full authority among believers only when men regard them as having sprung from heaven, as if there the living words of God were heard."

When you see Scripture’s divine origin it changes the way you look at it

It’s not just another book

Ulrich Zwingli said, “The meaning of the Gospel is that, in our lives, we receive Christ. That means we believe in God’s Word, that we speak with God, that we hear what God has to say to us, and that we regard what he says as so certain that we are ready to die for it.”

And they did!

William Tyndale said, “I call God to record against the day we shall appear before our Lord Jesus, to give a reckoning of our doings, that I never altered one syllable of God's Word against my conscience, nor would do this day, if all that is in the earth, whether it be pleasure, honor, or riches, might be given me.”

Oh that all believers had this conviction!

But instead many are going around and claiming private conversations from God

They preface it by saying “God said to Me”

When you do that you have just undermined sola scriptura

Martin Luther said, “Let the man who would hear God speak, read Holy Scripture”

Not only is it the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God, but...

V. Scripture Alone is Authoritative

This takes us back to 2 Timothy 3:16–17 “16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

Martin Luther said, “The true rule is this: God's Word shall establish articles of faith, and no one else, not even an angel can do so.”

The Bible is the basis of everything we are to believe about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, salvation, sanctification, the church, etc.

This is why it is important for a church to summarize their beliefs in a doctrinal statement and systematically teach them to the church

The church has always had creeds like the Nicene Creed of 325 and 381 that affirmed the divinity of Jesus Christ and outlined key theological concepts about the Trinity

Or the Apostle’s Creed which was an early statement of faith that outlined Christian beliefs regarding God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit

Or the Chalcedonian Creed which was formulated in 451 AD and addressed the nature of Christ, affirming both His divine and human natures in one person

Or the Athanasian Creed which detailed Christian doctrine particularly focusing on the Trinity

These creeds, along with others, played a crucial role in defining orthodox Christian beliefs and distinguished them from various heresies at that time

We have adopted the 1689 London Baptist Confession of faith that speaks to the Trinity, Scripture, salvation, the church, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, Eschatology, etc.

The point is this as stated by John Wycliffe, “The truth of the Holy Scripture is in itself so manifest that it has no need of our arguments, or of any commentaries to commend it to our belief... The Scriptures carry their own evidence with them and will sufficiently reward, with their light, attentive readers.”

It is...

VI. Scripture Alone Binds the Conscience

The Protestant Reformers believed strongly in the idea that Scripture, as the inspired and authoritative Word of God, held a binding authority over the conscience of believers

They argued that individuals were morally and spiritually obligated to adhere to the teachings and commands of the Bible, even in the face of contrary human traditions or authorities

They believed what Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, “But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ””

They believed in the importance of living godly lives according to the Word of God as taught in Ephesians 4:22–24 “22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

Their conscience was “captive to the Word of God”

Martin Luther, as he was standing before the Diet of Worm on April 18, 1521, after being called to recant his teachings, which were seen by the Roman Catholic church as heretical, said, “Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason, 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.”

CONCLUSION

Sola Scriptura…Scripture Alone

How we respond to the Bible determines if we affirm sola scriptura

If you are living what God says in His Word, then you believe it binds the conscience

If not, you are living your life any way you please

If you’re thinking and living like this, then most likely you’re not saved

The Reformers believed strongly in holiness

John Calvin said, “We are called to be holy, not because we are by nature holy, but because we are called by God.”

1 Peter 1:15–16 “15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””

Hebrews 12:14, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

If you are without “holiness” you will not see the Lord in salvation but in damnation

I call you to repent and turn your trust to Jesus

Call upon Him recognizing that He is God who became flesh for the sole purpose of taking your punishment for your sin

Acknowledge your sinful condition before Him and be saved today

Let’s pray

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