Sola Scriptura

"I defy the Pope and all his laws. If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy who drives the plough to know more of the scriptures than you do."

Tyndale was burned alive in a small town in Belgium on October 6, 1536. His crime was to have translated the Bible into English. He was effectively martyred after fighting against cruel and eventually overwhelming forces, which tried for more than a dozen years to prevent him from putting the Word of God into his native language. He succeeded but he was murdered before he could complete his self-set task of translating the whole of the Old Testament as he had translated the whole of the New Testament.

His final words were, "Lord, open the King of England's eyes!"

Reformation Figure #2 - John Huss

Huss would become a hero to Luther and many other Reformers, for Huss preached key Reformation themes (like hostility to indulgences) a century before Luther drew up his 95 Theses. But the Reformers also looked to Huss's life, in particular, his steadfast commitment in the face of the church's cunning brutality.

On July 6, 1415, he was taken to the cathedral, dressed in his priestly garments, then stripped of them one by one. He refused one last chance to recant at the stake, where he prayed, "Lord Jesus, it is for thee that I patiently endure this cruel death. I pray thee to have mercy on my enemies." He was heard reciting the Psalms as the flames engulfed him.

Reformation Figure #3 - Ulrich Zwingli

Reformation Figure #4 - Martin Luther

"At last meditating day and night, by the mercy of God, I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that through which the righteous live by a gift of God, namely by faith. Here I felt as if I were entirely born again and had entered paradise itself through the gates that had been flung open."

This morning we are beginning a new sermon series on our Protestant heritage. These five sermons are built around the five “solas” of the Reformation. The word sola is Latin for “only” or “alone.”

In the words of theologian R. C. Sproul, “It is no exaggeration to say that the eye of the Reformation tornado was this one little word.”

Sola Scriptura - Scripture Alone

Sola Gratia - Grace Alone

Sola Fide - Faith Alone

Sola Christus - Christ Alone

Soli Deo Gloria - To God Alone be the Glory

Belgic Confession of Faith:

We believe that [the] holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God, and that whatsoever man ought to believe unto salvation is sufficiently taught therein … Neither may we consider any writings of men, however holy these men may have been, of equal value with those divine Scriptures nor ought we to consider custom or the great multitude, or antiquity, or succession of times and persons, or councils, decrees or statutes, as of equal value with the truth of God … Therefore, we reject with all our hearts whatsoever does not agree with this infallible rule.

We accept the Bible, including the 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament, as the written Word of God. The Bible is an essential and infallible record of God revealing Himself to mankind. It leads us to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

Given by God, the Scriptures are both fully and verbally inspired by God and are, thus, free of error. Each book is to be interpreted according to its context and purpose and in reverent obedience to the Lord who speaks through it in living power.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Implication #1

The Bible is the objective Word of God. By “objective” I simply mean that the Bible is in itself the Word of God without regard to how people may receive it. The Bible is the word of God whether you read it or not. The Bible is the word of God whether you believe it or not.

The Bible is the word of God whether you obey it or not. That by the way is why I don’t think we need to argue with people to “prove” the Bible is true. That’s like arguing whether or not a knife is sharp. If he bleeds, it’s sharp.

Likewise, people don’t have to believe the Bible in order for it to work in their hearts. Just give them the truth and let the Sword of the Spirit do its work.

Implication #2

The Bible is the supreme revelation of God’s truth. No other book can be compared with it. The Bible stands alone among the great religious texts of the world.

Implication #3

The Bible’s message of salvation is plain enough so that anyone can understand it. The Reformers used the term “perspicuity” to explain this truth. They meant that while there are many things in the Bible that remain obscure even to the greatest scholars, God has made the way of salvation so plain that anyone-from the least to the greatest-can understand it.

Implication #4

No creed or council or word from any pope or priest or pastor nor any private prophecy or supposed word from God-nor any vision or dream or modern day revelation–can overturn, add to or subtract from the truth of the Bible. In our day we need to re-emphasize that the Bible is the only reliable and infallible expression of God’s truth. This becomes crucial when considering the many so-called prophesies that individuals claim to have received from the Lord.

Implication #5

The Scripture judges the church, the church does not judge the Scripture. By that we mean that the Scriptures not only give us our message, they also stand in judgment over our methods as well. We must do God’s work God’s way as revealed in God’s Word.

Implication #6

Since the Bible is the supreme revelation of God’s truth, our supreme duty as Christians is to know the Bible, believe the Bible, preach the Bible, and obey the Bible. We are to be Bible Christians first, last and always.

Implication #7

The meekest Christian who stands on the truth of God’s word has more wisdom than the so-called wise men of our age. says, “I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.” This doesn’t mean we don’t need teachers or leaders, or that we should all be spiritual renegades. But it does mean that one man with the Word of God may confidently “speak truth to power” knowing that Almighty God is on his side.

Luther’s Final Words

This truth ultimately led Martin Luther out of the Roman Catholic Church. He came to the conviction that he must put the “infallible Word of God” over that of popes, councils, church fathers, and tradition.

The moment of crisis came on April 18, 1521, at the Diet of Worms, when he was called on by Johann von Eck, Official General of the Archbishop of Trier to renounce his errors.

Luther replied, “Unless I am convinced by testimonies of Scripture or by evident reason-for I believe neither the Pope nor Councils alone, since it is established that they have often erred and contradicted themselves-I am the prisoner of the Scriptures cited by me, and my conscience has been taken captive by the Word of God. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen.”

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