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Sola Scriptura? BY RYAN HICKS © 1999 Ryan Hicks |
When born-again believers talk of sola scriptura (Latin for "Scriptura alone") here are some things that I do NOT mean (things that the Roman Catholics love to argue against because they know that Bible-believers do not believe such and because it gives them a way to make it look like Christians believe ignorant things):
"This seal have thou ever on thy mind; which now by way of summary has been touched on in its heads, and if the Lord grant, shall hereafter be set forth according to our power, with Scripture proofs. For concerning the divine and sacred Mysteries of the Faith, we ought not to deliver even the most casual remark without the Holy Scriptures: nor be drawn aside by mere probabilities and the artifices of argument. Do not then believe me because I tell thee these things, unless thou receive from the Holy Scriptures the proof of what is set forth: for this salvation, which is of our faith, is not by ingenious reasonings, but by proof from the Holy Scriptures."
(A Library of the Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church (Oxford: Parker, 1845), "The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril" Lecture 4.17.)
This is exactly what Bible believers hold to. Why does the Catholic Church refuse to hold to this "Apostolic tradition" except it be because if they were to do this they would have to do away with the entire Catholic system of sacraments, idol worship, and lording over the flock?
"We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith."
(Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, editors, Ante-Nicene Fathers (Peabody: Hendriksen, 1995) Vol. 1, Irenaeus, "Against Heresies" 3.1.1, p. 414.).
The Church was not claimed to be the ground and pillar of our faith by this true Apostolic tradition, rather the Scriptures were! This is another tradition that the Roman Catholic Church utterly refuses to acknowledge because it would take man's faith out of their system and leaders and put it in the God of the Bible.
"But take thou and hold that faith only as a learner and in profession, which is by the Church delivered to thee, and is established from all Scripture. For since all cannot read the Scripture, but some as being unlearned, others by business, are hindered from the knowledge of them; in order that the soul may not perish for lack of instruction, in the Articles which are few we comprehend the whole doctrine of Faith...And for the present, commit to memory the Faith, merely listening to the words; and expect at the fitting season the proof of each of its parts from the Divine Scriptures. For the Articles of the Faith were not composed at the good pleasure of men: but the most important points chosen from all Scriptures, make up the one teaching of the Faith. And, as the mustard seed in a little grain contains many branches, thus also this Faith, in a few words, hath enfolded in its bosom the whole knowledge of godliness contained both in the Old and New Testaments. Behold, therefore, brethren and hold the traditions which ye now receive, and write them on the table of your hearts"
(A Library of the Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church (Oxford: Parker, 1845), "The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril" Lecture 5.12.)
Notice that, like all Christian traditions (called "Apostolic tradition" by some early church fathers), tradition was based in and proved by the Holy Scriptures. The Roman Catholic Church uses tradition to prove things that the Scriptures rebuke or are silent on. Thus, unlike the early church fathers and true Apostolic tradition, the Roman Catholic Church proves tradition by tradition, instead of tradition by Scripture. If the Scriptures disprove and go against the Roman Catholic traditions, then they have nothing to do with Apostolic traditions, but are the vain traditions of men.
"The generality of men still fluctuate in their opinions about this, which are as erroneous as they are numerous. As for ourselves, if the Gentile philosophy, which deals methodically with all these points, were really adequate for a demonstration, it would certainly be superfluous to add a discussion on the soul to those speculations. But while the latter proceeded, on the subject of the soul, as far in the direction of supposed consequences as the thinker pleased, we are not entitled to such license, I mean that of affirming what we please; we make the Holy Scriptures the rule and the measure of every tenet; we necessarily fix our eyes upon that, and approve that alone which may be made to harmonize with the intention of those writings."
(Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, editors, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (Peabody: Hendriksen, 1995) Second Series: Volume V, Gregory of Nyssa: Dogmatic Treatises, "On the Soul and the Resurrection", p. 439.)
The Holy Scriptures are not the rule and the measure of every tenet of the Catholic faith, rather tradition without any proof and actually contradicting the Holy Scriptures is the measure for every tenet of the Catholic faith. This is a foreign concept from that of the early church fathers.
A favorite verse "proving" the unholy traditions that the Catholic Church hold to is 2 Thessalonians 2:15.
2 Thessalonians 2:15
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
The thing that the Catholics almost always avoid or stumble at is in their naming what traditions exactly Paul is talking about and what doctrines they are. Also, they can never prove that the oral traditions they hold to are the same as those Paul mentions here as being taught by word. Thus, one could use the Catholic line of reasoning for Apostolic tradition and say that the apostles taught anything. You could say that Paul taught by word that the earth is a cube, and if you use the Catholic reasoning of Apostolic tradition that is tradition and is proven by tradition then you would be just as truthful as they are about purgatory, indulgences, the pagan Eucharist, the Pope, etc.
Irenaeus - He knew Polycarp (a disciple of the apostle John). He lived from 130-202 A.D. He quotes from twenty-four of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. In these quotes he gives 1,800+ citations from the New Testament.
Clement of Alexandria - He lived from 150-215 A.D. He quotes from twenty-four of the twenty-seven New Testament books (save Philemon, James and 2 Peter). In these quotes he gives 2,400+ citations from the New Testament.
Tertullian - He lived from 160-220 A.D. In his quoting of the Scriptures he gives 7,200+ citations from the New Testament.
Origen - He lived from 185-254 A.D. He succeeded Clement of Alexandria at the Catechetical school at Alexandria. He makes nearly 18,000 New Testament citations.
While the early church fathers many times had questionable teachings, there was a universal agreement to base all doctrine on the Scriptures. Any Apostolic traditions would have been equally based by the Scriptures. Thus, the Catholic form of using Apostolic tradition to override the teachings of the Scriptures and to add to them is not a practice of the early church fathers.
Let's take the Scriptures and look at how men and women of God proved their points:
Ezra 3:2-5; Neh. 8:13-18; 10:34-39; 13:1-3; Dan. 9:2, 11-13; Mt. 1:22; 2:15, 17-18, 23; 4:4, 7, 10, 14-15; 8:17; 11:10; 12:17-21; 13:14-15, 35; 21:4-5, 13; 26:31; 27:9-10, 35; Mk. 1:2-3; 7:6-7, 10; 11:17; 14:27; 15:28; Lk. 2:23; 3:4-5; 4:4, 8, 12, 17-21; 7:27; 19:46; 20:17; 21:22; 22:37; 24:44-46; Jn. 2:17; 6:45; 7:38; 8:17; 10:34-35; 12:14-16, 38-41; 13:18; 15:25; 17:12; 18:9, 32; 19:24, 36-37; Acts 1:20; 7:42-43; 8:30-35; 13:29, 33; 15:15-17; 23:5; 24:14; Rom. 1:17; 2:24; 3:4, 10-12; 4:17; 8:36; 9:13, 17, 33; 10:11, 15-16; 11:8-10, 26-27; 12:19-20; 14:11; 15:3-4, 9-12, 21; 1 Cor. 1:19-20, 31; 2:9; 3:19-20; 9:9-10; 10:7; 14:21; 15:45, 54-55; 2 Cor. 4:13; 8:15; 9:9; Gal. 3:8, 10-13; 4:22-30; 1 Tim. 5:18; Jas. 2:8, 23; 4:5-6; 1 Pet. 1:16; 2:6; Rev. 17:17; etc.
Notice that each time the Scriptures were taken literally and that THEY were the proof behind statements and godly traditions. Using tradition to prove tradition would be like having a criminal be a witness for himself and believing him over true witnesses that testify against him. The Scripture is the true witness that witnesses against the vain traditions of man that make up the Roman Catholic Church.
Dear Roman Catholic reader, you can clearly see that the Roman Catholic Church itself is not even based on Apsotlic tradition. Can you not see that it is a religion set to keep in submission to it and to it alone. The Lord Jesus Christ has nothing to do with it. A false Jesus is mentioned every now and then, but over all your dedication is to the Pope, the Eucharist, a false Mary, etc. Please repent of this therefore thy wickedness and turn to the Lord in full faith and repentance. Forsake the pagan Roman Catholic Church and find a Bible believing church so that you can have fellowship with true believers whose lives are centered around the Lord Jesus Christ and His word and not to a man-made system dedicated to keep you in bondage to itself and the popery. Please contact me and tell me of your decision to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and reject the apostate religion of Roman Catholicism.
Some final words for the Roman Catholic reader will come from the Holy Scriptures:
Matthew 15:1-9
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mark 7:1-13
1 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.
2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.
12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;
13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
Colossians 2:8-10
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
1 Peter 1:15-21
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
