Over the next several weeks we will be taking a look at the five solas of the reformation. We owe much to the reformers of old and would do well to emulate them in making much of the principles laid out in these five precious doctrines. God helps us as we do our best to stand upon the shoulders of those who gave so much for the cause of Christ and His Church.

Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)

God's Word alone is the absolute authority on all matters of faith and practice. Scripture alone defines who we are, whose we are, what we are to believe, and the manner in which we are to carry out our mission. Scripture Alone is the manifesto of Christ's Church.

The doctrine that Scripture alone is the ultimate authority for standards of faith and practice was the cornerstone of the Reformation. In 1521, the Imperial Diet of Worms came to an abrupt end when Martin Luther declared in the presence of the Holy Emperor of Rome that he would not recant of his writings and boldly declared to the assembled council: Unless I am convinced by sacred Scripture or by evident reason, I will not recant. For my conscience is held captive by the Word of God. Here I stand, I can do no other. God help me. With these words the Great Reformation was launched in earnest.

The days in which we live (spiritually speaking) are not very different from those of Martin Luther. While popery was the authority in Luther's day, pragmatism and cultural relevance have become the authorities on which we base matters of faith and practice in our day. Our main concern in this age has more to do with the size of one's youth group than with how faithful to Scripture said ministry is. We desire to be relevant to the culture in which we live, but in doing so we sacrifice Scriptural relevancy. Our hope for today will not be found in thriving youth groups or in the relevance we crave from our God hating culture. We must again take up the battle cry of Sola Scriptura! Paul affirmed his belief in the sufficiency of Scripture and exhorted Timothy to do the same when he wrote, Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 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 competent, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:12-17 (English Standard Version)

Pragmatism and cultural relevance are not the standards upon which the Church is to stake its ministry. God's Word is sufficient and the message of Christ and Him crucified our only hope. Let us take our stand with Martin Luther and may our conscience be held captive by the Word of God.

I have taken an excerpt from the London Baptist Confession of 1689 revised by Charles H. Spurgeon to be used as an aid in your study of the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. Spurgeon said of this document : This ancient document is the most excellent epitome of the things most surely believed among us. It is not issued as an authoritative rule or code of faith, whereby you may be fettered, but as a means of edification in righteousness. It is an excellent, though not inspired, expression of the teaching of those Holy Scriptures by which all confessions are to be measured. We hold to the humbling truths of God's sovereign grace in the salvation of lost sinners. Salvation is through Christ alone and by faith alone. And to that I say, “Amen.”

The London Baptist Confession of 1689

The Holy Scripture:

1. The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience.

   Although the light of nature and the works of creation and providence manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God so much that man is left without any excuse, they are not sufficient to provide that knowledge of God and His will which is necessary for salvation.

   Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal Himself, and to declare His will to His church;

   • and afterward, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church, protecting it against the corruption of the flesh and the malice of Satan and the world,
   • it pleased the Lord to commit His revealed Truth wholly to writing. Therefore the Holy Scriptures are most necessary, those former ways by which God revealed His will unto His people having now ceased.

2. Under the title of Holy Scripture (or the written Word of God) are now contained all the following books of the Old and New Testament:

   OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

   Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

   OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

   Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans. 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, l & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2 & 3 John, Jude, Revelation.

   All these books are given by the inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life.

3. The books commonly called “The Apocrypha” not being of divine inspiration, are not part of the canon or rule of Scripture and are therefore of no authority to the church of God, nor are they to be approved of or made use of any differently from other human writings.

4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, depends not on the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God its Author (Who is Truth itself). Therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God.

5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the people of God to gain a high and reverent estimation of the Holy Scriptures. We may be similarly affected by the nature of the Scriptures—the heavenliness of the contents, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God, the full disclosure it makes of the only way of man's salvation, together with many other incomparable excellencies and entire perfections. By all the evidence the Scripture more than proves itself to be the Word of God.

   Yet, notwithstanding this, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth of Scripture and its divine authority, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.

6. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture, to which nothing is to be added at any time, either by new revelation of the Spirit, or by the traditions of men.

   Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word.

   There are some circumstances concerning the worship of God and church government which are common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word which are always to be observed.

7. All things in scripture are not equally plain in themselves, nor equally clear to everyone, yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded and revealed in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the educated but also the uneducated may attain a sufficient understanding of them by the due use of ordinary means.

8. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of its writing was most generally known to the nations) were immediately inspired by God, and were kept pure through subsequent ages by His singular care and providence. They are therefore authentic , so that in all controversies of religion , the church must appeal to them as final.

   But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God who have a right to, and an interest in the Scriptures, and who are commanded to read and search them in the fear of God, the Scriptures are therefore to be translated into the ordinary language of every nation into which they come, so that, with the Word of God living richly in all, people may worship God in an acceptable manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope.

9. The infallible rule for the interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself, and therefore whenever there is a question about the true and full sense of any scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched by other passages which speak more clearly.

10. The supreme judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and by which must be examined all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, and doctrines of men and private spirits can be no other than the Holy Scripture, delivered by the Spirit. And in the sentence of Scripture we are to rest, for it is in Scripture, delivered by the Spirit, that our faith is finally resolved.