Are the Scriptures Sufficient?

The Roman Catholic Church says that the Bible is materially sufficient but not formally sufficient. Materially sufficient means that everything the Christian needs to believe is found in Scripture. Formally sufficient means that in order to understand the Bible, the Roman Catholic Church has to interpret it. The problem here is that this position subjects the Bible to Roman Catholic interpretations and essentially makes Catholic sacred tradition superior to scripture  -  since it declares that the Bible can't be understood except through the Catholic Church's Magisterium. Since we don't see doctrines such as worship of Mary, prayer to Mary, her immaculate conception, purgatory, penance, etc., found in Scripture (material sufficiency), we must naturally ask if the Roman Catholic view of formal sufficiency is correct. It isn't.

The inspired word of God, the Scriptures, make statements about its own sufficiency.

• 2 Tim. 3:16-17, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 that the man of God may be adequate--equipped for every good work."

Let's take a look at the Greek. The word "inspired" is qeovpneustos (theopneustos), and it means literally, "God breathed." This means that God was the one working through people--breathing through them his words. The Scriptures, therefore, are perfect and without error because they come from God. Paul continues and says that these Scriptures are profitable for teaching, for proof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. In verse 17 he explains that this is so the Christian may be adequate--equipped for every good work. The word artios (artios) is defined as follows:

• "complete, capable, proficient, able to meet all demands."
• "complete, perfect of its kind, suitable, exactly fitted"
• "complete, perfect. 2a having reference apparently to "special aptitude for given uses."

So, we see from three sources that explain the Greek that Paul is telling us that the Scriptures are "complete, capable, proficient, able to meet all demands, exactly fitted, etc." This is fine; but Paul continues to tell us that this, so we might understand that by studying the Scriptures, we will be adequately equipped for every good work.

The Greek word for "equipped" is ejxhrtismevno" (exartismenos) and it means, "having been finished, fully equipped":

• "equip, furnish."
• "to be thoroughly prepared or furnished."
• "to complete, finish. 1a to furnish perfectly. 1b to finish, accomplish."

We can then see that we are equipped for every good work. Every good work is explained in the previous verse as teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. This means that the Bible is sufficient for all of these things. This naturally includes the teaching of doctrine because teaching correct doctrine is a good work by which we reprove, correct, and train. Furthermore, this means that we don't need sacred tradition to teach, reprove, correct, and train in righteousness because the Scriptures are what is sufficient for this.

What about correcting error

Is there any place in Scripture where Jesus or the apostles appealed to tradition in order to refute error? We know of no occurrence whatsoever. However, Scripture was repeatedly used. If the Scriptures are sufficient and thoroughly able to equip us for every good work, then we would not expect tradition to be consulted when correcting error. We would expect exactly what we find--the appeal to the Word of God as the standard by which truth is declared and error is exposed.

• Acts 17:2-3, "And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ."

• Acts 17:11, "Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so."

• Rom. 4:2-3, "For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."

It is not tradition that is appealed to in refutation of error but God's word.

Burden of proof is on the Catholics

Finally, if the Roman Catholic wants to say we need sacred tradition in order to be properly equipped doctrinally and spiritually, then he must establish that the Bible is not sufficient for teaching, or proof, correction, and training in righteousness--and doctrinal issues.

Conclusion

The Scriptures themselves declare that they are sufficient in and of themselves for us to know and establish spiritual truth. Therefore, we do not need the Roman Catholic Magisterium and sacred tradition.

http://carm.org/are-scriptures-sufficient

Is Jesus the Only Way?

Is faith in Jesus Christ the only way of salvation--the only way to gain eternal life? In thinking about this question, here are some fixed biblical teachings to keep in mind:

Not everyone will be saved. Some people will not make it to heaven (Mt 7:13-14; 25:41,46; 2Th 1:6-9; Heb 10:26-31; Rv 20:10-15).

People will be judged by their works. God does not condemn people who never heard of Jesus because they failed to believe in Him. Rather, God judges all people based on their works (Ps 62:12; Mt 16:27; Rm 2:6; Rv 2:23; 20:13). People who trust in Jesus are mercifully saved from God's just judgment by Jesus' death on their behalf.

None of us can be saved by doing good works. "For no one will be justified in His sight by the works of the law . . . For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rm 3:20,23). Two important conclusions follow. First, God is not obliged to save anyone, for no sinner deserves eternal life. Second, everyone needs a Savior.

Jesus is the only Savior available. Only Jesus died to save us from our sins (Mt 1:21; 1Co 15:3; 1Tm 1:15; 2Tm 1:9-10). That is why Jesus is "the Savior of the world" (Jn 4:42; see 12:47; 1Jn 4:14). Jesus claimed to be the only way: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (Jn 14:6). Peter agreed: "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people and we must be saved by it" (Ac 4:12).

Those who reject Jesus will be lost. Whatever may be said about those who have never heard the gospel, those who have heard and rejected it are in trouble. Jesus warned that those who reject Him are rejecting the Father (Lk 10:16; Jn 12:48). People who know that Christ died for them but refuse to follow Him face a terrifying judgment (Heb 10:26-27).

Does all this mean that no one who has not heard of Jesus can be saved? Not quite. We know that Old Testament believers were saved by trusting in God's mercy, even though they lived before Jesus came (Rm 4:1-7; Heb 11:4-32). The unborn, infants, young children, and people whose mental development is impaired are not capable of discerning good from evil or making moral choices (Is 7:15-16; Rm 9:11). We may presume that God does not condemn these souls even though they do not consciously choose to follow Jesus. Apart from these exceptions, it is clear that Jesus' command to take the gospel to all nations (Mt 28:19-20; Lk 24:47) assumes that people who do not know Christ as Savior are in spiritual darkness and need to hear and embrace the gospel (Ac 26:18; Eph 2:12). Every Christian should have a sense of urgency that all people everywhere need Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Robert M. Bowman, Jr.
Director of Research, Institute for Religious Research

INTERSPERSED WITH THE HISTORICAL RECITAL that makes up much of the early chapters of Deuteronomy are bursts of exhortation. One of the most moving is found in Deuteronomy 10:12-22. Its magnificent themes include:

 

(1) A sheer God-centeredness that embraces both fearing God and loving God (10:12-13). In our confused and blinded world, fearing God without loving him will dissolve into terror, and thence into taboos, magic, incantations, rites; loving God without obeying him will dissolve into sentimentalism without strong affection, pretensions of godliness without moral vigor, unbridled lust for power without any sense of impropriety, nostalgic yearnings for relationships without any passion for holiness. Neither pattern squares with what the Bible says: “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him . . . ?” (10:12).

 

(2) A sheer God-centeredness that pictures election as a gracious act. God owns the whole show—“the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it” (10:14). He can do with it as he wishes. What he has in fact done is “set his affection” on the patriarchs, loving them, and in turn choosing their

descendants (10:15; cf. 4:37).

 

(3) A sheer God-centeredness that is never satisfied with the mere rites and show of religion: it demands the heart (10:16). That is why physical circumcision could never be seen as an end in itself, not even in the Old Testament. It symbolized something deeper: circumcision of the heart. What God wants is not

merely an outward sign that certain people belong to him, but an inward disposition of heart and mind that orient us to God continually.

 

(4) A sheer God-centeredness that recognizes his impartiality, and therefore his justice—and acts accordingly (10:17-20). He is “God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome” (10:17). Small wonder then that he accepts no bribes and shows no partiality. (Never confuse election with partiality. Partiality is favoritism that is corrupted by a willingness to pervert justice for the

sake of the favored few; election chooses certain people out of God’s free decision and nothing else, and even then justice is not perverted: hence the cross.) And he expects his people to conduct themselves accordingly.

 

(5) A sheer God-centeredness that is displayed in his people’s praise (10:20-22). “He is your praise; he is your God” (10:21). Those who focus much on God have much for which to praise. Those whose vision is merely terrestrial or selfcentered dry up inside like desiccated prunes. God is your praise!

 

D.A. Carson  -  For the Love of God

June 6th Devotion