Sermon Tone Analysis

Bible Reading

2 Timothy 1:

Introduction

Continue our study on the reformation.

Started last week - considered the need for a reformation.

I then stated that in the weeks that come, we would be considering together the 5 solas of the reformation.

When these men of the 16th century were learning and considering God’s truth and revelation for mankind, out of this study they began to realise various extremely basic truths that are foundational to the Christians faith.

These 5 basic tenets or truths were articulated as the 5 solas of the reformation…not necessarily in one sitting…or at a single point of time...

But ultimately, through this time of the reformation in the church there were 5 foundational points that were put forward that are critical to the very church itself.

Sola Scriptura - By Scripture Alone

Sola Gratia - By Grace Alone

Sola Fide - Through Faith Alone

Solus Christus - By Christ Alone

Soli Deo Gloria - To the Glory of God Alone

This morning - consider the first of those 5 solae...

Sola Scriptura!!!

As we come to this subject of Sola Scriptura, important that we recognise is importance.

This principle of Sola Scriptura is referred to as the formal principle of the Reformation in the sense that it forms and gives direction to what is to be believed.

This principle of Sola Scriptura is essential for all other theology...

If there is one principle that is absolutely essential for us as the church, it is that Scripture, and Scripture alone is the basis of our faith, and the source of our knowledge and understanding of God, who He is, and His salvation purposes in this world.

The Context of Sola Scriptura

At this point, we need to understand something of the context of the day.

As we considered last week, there was something happening within the church of the day, wherein certain concerns were being raised on teachings within the church.

2 examples of the concerns that Martin Luther found were:

Sacrament of Penance - the need to go before a priest and from the priest receive forgiveness.

Sacrament of Penance

Selling of Indulgences -

But the big concern, and that which can be seen as the over-arching concern of that day, was the fact that the church, particularly the leadership within the church, was seen to bear ultimate authority in matters of faith.

Church tradition was placed on par (if not higher) than Scripture itself, and it was said that this power and authority rests in the pope, and in the church.

But as Luther, and a number of other church reformers found, was that the church, and the leadership, certainly didn’t have this power conferred upon them as they claimed.

With Luther specifically, this came to a head / climax at the Diet of Worms...

Diet of Worms…Luther was asked to recant of his teachings…These had been put into various books that had been printed.

Some of those books (containing his teachings) were perfectly consistent with sound doctrine.

Some of those books were writings against the papacy, wherein he attacked false doctrines, irregular lives, and scandalous examples within the papacy.

As can be understood, the papacy, and the church leadership were not pleased with what Luther was saying...

When pressed to recant he said his famous speech...

I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the council,

because it is as clear as noonday that they have fallen into error and even into glaring inconsistency with

themselves.

If, then, I am not convinced by proof from Holy Scripture, or by cogent reasons, if I am not

satisfied by the very text I have cited, and if my judgment is not in this way brought into subjection to

God’s word, I neither can nor will retract anything; for it cannot be either safe or honest for a Christian to

speak against his conscience.

Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise; God help me!

Amen.

Martin Luther had correctly stated that Popes erred; he found that councils erred…he experienced these things.

In fact Martin Luther argued that popes from one to the next disagreed with each other, and held different views.

With that being the case, how could they be trusted to be the ones with authority over others.

Ultimately, Luther had no way to go…he had to state clearly that it was only to the Scriptures that his conscience could be bound.

Let me bring this somewhat closer to home, or at least to our time.

Even in our current day, there are churches who teach that authority and our rule for faith and life rest not in Scripture alone, but also in the Holy Church Tradition.

Most notably, both the Roman Catholic church and the Eastern Orthodox church teach that church tradition forms part of the authority that Christ has given…this authority given to the church.

The claim is that the traditions handed down are really from God Himself, and are inspired by God.

And so church tradition has to be upheld as authoritative.

The strange thing in that case is that the holy traditions of the Roman Catholics and the holy traditions of the Eastern Orthodox church contradict each other!!

What these churches argue (that hold to tradition) is that the concept of Sola Scriptura is not biblical.

It’s not even in the Bible.

I did a Google Search on the topic, and I was amazed at how many websites came up with a refutation of Sola Scriptura.

This is a much disliked doctrine.

With that in mind, let us consider briefly together the importance of the matter of Sola Scriptura

Why is this so important to us?

And is it really in the Bible?

In order to do that, I’m going to be considering the Scriptures under 2 key headings:

The Source of Scripture

The Authority of Scripture

The Infallibility of Scripture

The Sufficiency of Scripture

Each of those points regarding Scripture adds important weight to the fact that Sola Scriptura holds true...

1.

The Source Of Scripture

We consider firstly then the Source of Scripture.

In our text this morning, Paul says to young Timothy, who is his protege, the one learning from Paul...

1 timo 1:13

What we need to immediately understand was that there is a pattern of sound teaching which needed to be kept.

There is a certain body of doctrine, if you will, that constitutes sound teaching.

It is this body of doctrine, this teaching that Paul is handing down to Timothy so that he can continue to pass that along to others in the same vain.

2 Tim 2:

2 Tim

… Preach the Word;

This is the task that Paul assigns to Timothy...

Take this Gospel message;

Take this body of doctrine;

Take this teaching that I’ve handed down to you

Take this message, and pass it along to others.

But the question then becomes: “What was this message?”

or more important, “Whose message was it?”

Where

We must also ask the question: Is this Gospel fluid?

Can it develop?

Is this a message, or a Gospel that grows in clarit

What is the source of this message?

And that becomes now the focus of our attention.

The place that I want to begin with this is to emphasize that this message that Paul handed down was not one with human wisdom.

This was not some body of teaching that was handed down by Paul the apostle that was based upon His own deductive reasoning, his own intellect, his own experiences etc.

The message that Paul handed down was none other than the true Gospel message of Jesus Christ, that was given to Paul by Jesus Himself, and by the Spirit of God!!

but they weren’t the source.

… 8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David.

This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering

What was the source of this doctrine that he wanted Timothy to teach to others?

This was the message - Jesus Christ and Him Crucified!!

But notice that it was the message that Paul received by power of the Spirit...