Sola Scriptura

Sola scriptura (Latin for “by scripture alone") is the doctrine that the Bible contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness. This theology rejects tradition or the words of any Christian leader as on the same plane as Scripture. This doctrine was in part a refutation of papal authority (ek cathedra - the pope can speak with absolute divine authority) and Roman Catholic traditions that had gained equal authority as Scripture itself. It is an important doctrine in order to remain faithful to the teachings of Christ and the inspired authority of written Scripture. If we accept other avenues of information to be considered as coequal with the written Word, then we dismantle the foundation upon which our faith is based. Many, if not most, cults have fallen prey to this deception and embraced extra biblical teachings as absolute truth. (Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, Charles Russell, etc.)
But as important a doctrine as it is, it can be believed and not practiced, which in essence, manifests a lip service and not a genuine faith service. In other words, if you say you believe in sola scriptura but do not adhere to what the Scriptures teach, then you do not actually believe in that doctrine. Of course there are cults and liberals who claim to believe the words written in the Bible but by their actions and teachings they in reality deny them. And so it is within the orthodox community. So often we are doctrinal taxidermists who stuff our doctrines with words and platitudes and long verbal phylacteries of personal pronouncements of faith, and hang them as dead trophy creeds. And yet we are unwilling to see, much less admit, that we fall embarrassingly short of manifesting a living representation of those doctrines we so loudly and eloquently defend.
I have for some time now called us to examine the words of Scripture in light of their literal meaning and how they should affect our lives and lifestyles. And when we deal with the discrepancy between what we say we believe about the Scriptures and what we practice, then we are actually addressing the core of our faith. When a man loudly and unequivocally claims that a certain woman is his wife, and then he willfully and without conscience continues to commit adultery, that is a serious situation and calls into question all sorts of issues concerning that same man. And it becomes especially indictable when the openly adulterous man contends he is being faithful to his wife and loudly judges others that he contends are not.
And so we have the case with a segment of the western evangelical church, and specifically those of us who calls ourselves orthodox, or conservative, or Biblical, or whatever other man made term we use in order to suggest we are completely faithful in following Jesus. That in itself is quite distasteful and self righteous. But I want to look specifically at the doctrine called “sola scriptura” which many wear as a badge of superiority but claim it is a badge of faithfulness. So often these doctrines, when compressed into neat little phrases, become rallying cries and unifiers among those who vote “yes” when polled about their stance on such things. And yet when they are placed in a living line up, they blend well into the ecclesiastical collage called the western church. And why is that? How is it possible that a believer who not only believes the Bible, but also makes its exclusivity a defining hallmark of his theology, can live a life that is so unremarkable in the midst of the evangelical masses?
This is where I suggest we have become blind to what the Scriptures actually teach, and the shadows of our man made doctrinal idols, blended with our self righteous and smug attitudes, have darkened the words of Scripture and have, over time, eroded the obvious meaning of their teachings. And this situation is allowed to continue unchallenged because of another mainstream idol, the Christian pastor and teacher. So when new believers are born, they are directed to listen to the pastor as if he knows what the Scriptures teach and without his guidance they may fall prey to either liberalism or some wild extremism. And these new believers are taught what to believe, how to act, and what level of spiritual intensity is acceptable. And the spiritual assembly line reproduces in like kind, and instead of vibrant and powerful spiritual nurseries that are filled with an insatiable hunger to serve and exalt the Risen Christ that eclipses and rises higher than their spiritual parents, we give birth to compromised duplicates. They look like us, talk like us, act like us, and believe like us, and with that we are pleased and they are approved.
And of course they all subscribe to sola scriptura, thank God. I mean what would the church look like and be if we abandoned sola scriptura? The western world would be going to hell in a hand basket, and our glaring light would be dimmed. Abortion might be legal and all sorts of sexual perversion might break out. Our Christian nation might turn to pluralism and this culture might spiral down into abject hedonism. And the church might be filled with divorce and adultery, and our youth might be disenchanted with our faith altogether. And if we rejected sola scriptura the church might be deceived into borrowing billions from the secular financial institutions, and we might end up paying more in interest for buildings than we do for missions, widows, and the poor. Thank God we have that hedge of protection around us known a s sola scriptura.
Sola scriptura (in which I happen to believe) is not a hedge of protection around the church. It has become a spiritual lullaby that comforts us, warm and cozy on a doctrinal rainy night, and we fall asleep contented and well fed. But we believe in sola scriptura and yet by our actions we do not believe in scriptura itself. That is a big difference. And we hoist a doctrinal banner that flutters in the wind and is powerless in the midst of a people who energetically behave in accordance with their beliefs. The children of darkness embrace their darkness without apology or compromise while the children of light are reduced to shouting “Light!” and hope someone hears light because they surely cannot see it.

So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

These are just a small sampling of Scriptures that have been diluted and culturally manipulated so that they actually have no substantive meaning. And how repulsive is it when the western church lives in lockstep with their Babylonian neighbors but rises to proclaim “sola sciptura!” and we think ourselves the servants, much less the prophets, of God. And the absence of God’s presence and power in His body does not alarm us and like Samson we do not even know His power and presence is gone. Buildings, music, books, sermons, youth groups, Christian schools, seminars, conferences, and all the rest have replaced the power of the Spirit that produces conviction, repentance, brokenness, divine love, and a thirst to know Christ and be conformed to His image. And men like Bill Mayer and Christopher Hitchens speak lies about Jesus but speak the truth about us, God’s people.
There is a growing company of believers who have become so disenchanted with the church and their own stagnant and unremarkable spiritual journeys that they are forced to confront the entire situation with nothing withheld from scrutiny. And let it be known that self righteousness loves this kind of self evaluation and repentance. I have often found that during times of deeper commitment and devotional growth I experience a strong temptation for self righteousness and carnal judgment. I have at times succumbed to that temptation.
But many long for Christ to burst forth afresh in their lives, free from the constraints of human contrivance and ecclesiastical prisms. Before that kind of resurrection can come forth something else must take place.

Crucifixion.

And that, my friends, will not be pleasant,

but it will be glorious in His sight.