Sola Scriptura (Part 1)
These weekly theological tidbits are designed to expand the mind on the Triune God and provoke a moment of worship in the heart. T.T.O.W. (theological term of the week) is not exhaustive, rather it is a leaflet of information that hopefully leads to deeper investigation.
Term: Sola Scriptura
Better known as “scripture alone,” Sola Scriptura is a Latin phrase coined to identify the most foundational doctrine of Protestant Christians. Namely, it heralds this truth: the Bible is the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. This claim consists of three main parts: Scripture’s clarity, sufficiency, and authority. Sola Scriptura, though articulated by the Reformers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, can also be traced back to many in the early church, certainly the apostles, Old Testament believers, and Jesus himself. In this first installment, I will clarify those parts mentioned above. Part two will trace out the evidence for this doctrine from Scripture itself. Clearly defining and defending this foundational truth matters for the health of the church and the flourishing of our own souls.
What It Isn’t
A necessary task in explaining this doctrine is crossing out common misconceptions about its claims. First, Sola Scriptura is not saying that the Bible contains all truth. All truth is God’s truth, of course, but it comes to us through all sorts of different means for different subjects such as mathematics from textbooks, car mechanics from manuals, veterinarian medical practices from vet school, etc. Second, this doctrine is not stating that every verse in the Bible is equally clear to every reader. There are sections that are harder to understand than others requiring a thorough examination and even that might not result in a clear conclusion. Lastly, Sola Scriptura is not Solo Scriptura; What I mean is “scripture alone” is not deemphasizing the value of the church, pastors, theologians, and committees’ assistance in understanding the Scriptures. Simply isolating one’s private interpretation of the Bible from the exegesis of other believers, pastors, theologians, and church history is a distortion of the term.
What It Is
The initial affirmation of the beloved doctrine of Sola Scriptura is the clarity of Scripture. The reformers referred to this as the perspicuity of Scripture; Clarity is found in the Bible concerning what God requires of his creatures and how they may be saved from their disobedience of those requirements. In short, the Scriptures are understandable and reveal to all the message of salvation. Even a child can digest the story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration in the Bible. Above all, the gospel is able to be grasped by all from Holy Scripture itself.
Another vital aspect of Sola Scriptura is the sufficiency of Scripture. In other words, the Bible can adequately speak for itself, and believers are not in need of another infallible source of clarification on what the Bible has already spoken about. Again, this is not a denunciation of other tools to help clarify the text of Scripture; It is a declaration that we do not need anymore inerrant revelation. What God has given in his Word is sufficient to make the man of God “complete,” and “equipped for every good work” even “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15-17). Nothing more, nothing less. The Bible is abundant with that which is essential for any and all men to come to Christ and be discipled by him.
Finally, the Word of God is the highest authority for each and every believer. Elders (pastors), churches, and creeds also have authority, but all of these are under the final authority of Scripture. It is the Word that gets the last word. If the Bible is truly God speaking, then what He says is the highest command in the land. This authority is not next to the church, modern education, psychology, or anything else held up as a standard of authority; the Scriptures stand above all authorities as the binding standard which all others must submit to.
Reflective Worship
In an age of anti-authoritarianism, the doctrine of Sola Scriptura and its working parts seem like fences hindering our ability to be free. In one sense they most certainly are guardrails holding us back from theological destruction, but what is missed is their miraculous gift of glorious light. Each function mentioned above is a function of revelation. Namely, the means of God unveiling himself to his creatures.
Scripture is the barreling through of God to a world that has already suppressed the overwhelming evidence of his invisible attributes, eternal power, and divine nature (Romans 1:20). It is addition not subtraction. These doctrines are things we gain in our desperate need. What an act of mercy on the Lord’s part! Without light we are left in the dark. Without clarity we are doomed to the fog. Without sufficiency we are abandoned to confusion. Without authority we are left to anarchy. Sola Scriptura is a billboard spotlighting the joyful announcement that the Creator of the cosmos and the path back to him can be clearly and sufficiently known without any rivaling alternative. That path is one of freedom; A freedom found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I thank God for his clear, sufficient, and authoritative Word.
Further Study
Articles
What is Sola Scriptura? by Matthew Barrett
The Clarity of Scripture by Mard D. Thompson
The Sufficiency of Scripture by Matthew Barrett
The Authority and Inerrancy of Scripture by Matthew Barrett
Books
Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible ed. by Don Kistler
Scripture Alone: Exploring the Bible's Accuracy, Authority and Authenticity by James R. White
God’s Word Alone: The Authority of Scripture—What the Reformers Taught...and Why It Still Matters by Matthew Barrett