Dear E, Why Scripture Alone Matters

Dear E,

We are nearing Reformation Day, so I want to write to you about some of your Papa's convictions concerning Scripture. Over the next several letters, I want to talk about what we call the Five Solas of the Reformation.

Today, let's begin with Sola Scriptura.

It comes from Latin and means "Scripture Alone."

Now, if you're reading this as an adult, you probably already know what your Papa means by that. But I'll explain it again.

Sometimes good things need to be said more than once, especially if I've been gone for a while.

You see, E, when we say Scripture Alone, we are making a statement about authority.

And I want you to remember that word.

Authority.

What is the ultimate authority that we have as Christians? When we have a disagreement about what is true, where do we finally turn? What is the standard by which we judge everything else?

Well, we believe that standard is the Holy Scriptures.

Now, I want you to understand something. This does not mean that Christians have no other authorities. We certainly do. We have pastors, elders, parents, teachers, and the historic teachings of the church. Many of these are good gifts from God, and we ought not dismiss them.

But none of them has the unique authority of Scripture.

Why?

Because Scripture is the very Word of God.

Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16–17 that all Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, correction, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be equipped for every good work.

Think about that for a moment.

Breathed out by God.

These are not merely the religious reflections of men who lived thousands of years ago. Scripture has a unique origin.

Peter explains this further in 2 Peter 1:20–21. He tells us that prophecy did not originate in the will of man, but that men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

That's a remarkable claim, isn't it?

God used men, with their different personalities, backgrounds, and writing styles, to communicate His very Word.

And because the Scriptures come from God, they carry His authority.

Jesus Himself treated the Scriptures this way. In John 10:35, He tells us that Scripture cannot be broken. And in John 17:17, while praying to the Father, He says that His Word is truth.

So, E, when we open our Bibles, we aren't simply reading another book.

We are reading the Word of the living God.

But here's where things can become confusing.

Does believing in Scripture Alone mean that we should ignore the history of the church? Should we disregard the great councils that helped defend Christian doctrine throughout the centuries?

Absolutely not!

Consider the Councils of Nicaea, Ephesus, and Chalcedon. These were tremendously important moments in the history of Christianity. They helped defend and clarify essential doctrines concerning the Trinity and the person of Jesus Christ.

Your Papa is thankful for them.

And I hope you will be, too.

After all, we are not the first Christians to read the Bible. Many faithful men and women came before us, and we ought to approach their work with humility and gratitude.

But I want you to notice something.

Those councils did not create the truth about God.

They sought to recognize, explain, and defend truths that God had already revealed.

And this is where the distinction becomes important.

The church has authority, but its authority is not equal to the authority of God's Word.

Even Paul reminds us in 1 Timothy 3:15 that the church is the pillar and buttress of the truth. What an important responsibility! The church is called to uphold and defend what God has revealed.

But we should never confuse the church's responsibility to uphold the truth with the church being the ultimate source of that truth.

Think about the Christians in Berea.

In Acts 17:11, Luke praises them because they eagerly received Paul's teaching while examining the Scriptures daily to see whether what he said was true.

Can you imagine that?

Here was the Apostle Paul himself, and these believers were examining his message against the Scriptures.

And Luke praises them for it!

I want you to develop that same love for truth, E.

Not a suspicious spirit that assumes everyone is wrong, but a humble and thoughtful desire to test what you hear against what God has revealed.

Jesus also gives us a warning about religious tradition.

In Mark 7:8–13, He rebukes those who had elevated their human traditions in such a way that they were setting aside the commandments of God.

Now, that doesn't mean every tradition is wrong. But it does mean that traditions must never be allowed to overturn God's Word.

I hope you can see why this matters.

And this brings me to something else I want to explain.

Your Papa is Protestant.

That word means something historically. During the Reformation, men such as Martin Luther and John Calvin challenged teachings and practices within the Roman Catholic Church.

One of the great disagreements concerned authority.

As a Reformed, Presbyterian Christian, I believe that neither a pope, a church council, nor any other uninspired teacher possesses authority equal to the Holy Scriptures.

Now, a thoughtful Roman Catholic might object here.

They might point out that Paul commanded Christians to hold fast to the apostolic teachings delivered both orally and in writing (2 Thessalonians 2:15). And they would be right. Paul did say that.

But the question I would ask is this: Where can we find that divinely authoritative apostolic teaching with certainty today?

I believe God has preserved that authoritative witness for His church in the inspired Scriptures.

Paul's oral teachings were authoritative because he was an apostle commissioned by Christ, not simply because they were spoken traditions. And I do not believe that later, uninspired church leaders can claim the same infallible authority as the apostles themselves.

Now, there is much more we could discuss about that, and perhaps we will in another letter.

But for now, I want you to understand why the distinction matters.

Can the Holy Spirit use men who aren't inspired to guide and teach the church?

Absolutely!

He has done so throughout history.

God has given teaching gifts to His church, as Paul explains in Ephesians 4:11–13. We should thank God for faithful pastors, teachers, and theologians who help us understand His Word.

Your Papa has certainly benefited from them.

But do I believe these men are writing new, inspired Scripture today?

No, I don't.

I believe the apostles and prophets occupied a unique place in the foundation of the church, as Paul describes in Ephesians 2:20. I believe the completed Scriptures provide the church with the authoritative revelation it needs concerning faith and salvation.

That conviction about the completion of Scripture deserves its own discussion someday. Ha!

For now, remember that Scripture Alone does not mean you should read the Bible alone.

You need the church. You need sound teaching. You need other believers who can help correct you when you misunderstand something.

And goodness knows, we are all capable of misunderstanding things.

But every teacher must remain accountable to the Word of God.

Paul even warns in Galatians 1:8–9 that if someone were to proclaim a gospel contrary to the one the apostles preached, that message must be rejected—even if the messenger were an angel from heaven.

What a powerful warning.

The identity or reputation of a messenger does not give him permission to contradict the gospel God has revealed.

So, E, as you grow older, you will undoubtedly encounter people with different theological convictions.

Some will be Protestant. Others Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox. Some may have very little understanding of Christianity at all.

I hope you will treat them with kindness and respect.

Listen carefully. Ask questions. Learn from those who came before you.

But never forget that ultimate authority belongs to God.

And because the Scriptures are His Word, we must give them an authority that belongs to no merely human teacher or institution.

Psalm 119:105 tells us that God's Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

I love that picture.

As you navigate the difficult questions of life, I want you to have that light before you.

Not because your Papa had everything figured out. I certainly didn't.

Not because the Reformers were incapable of making mistakes. They weren't.

But because I believe the Scriptures are trustworthy, and the God who gave them is trustworthy.

And remember something else.

We do not believe in Scripture Alone because we worship the Bible.

We believe in Scripture Alone because we worship the God who speaks through it.

The Scriptures point us to Christ. Jesus explains in Luke 24:27 and 44 that the writings of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms testify to the things concerning Him.

And that is ultimately where I want you to go.

To Christ.

I love you so much, E, and I'm so very proud of you.

May you grow to love the Word of God, examine it carefully, and allow it to shape your convictions throughout your life.

And when someone asks you what Sola Scriptura means, I hope you'll remember the word your Papa wanted you to understand.

Authority.

God's Word is our ultimate authority because it is His Word.

I love you, E.

Papa