A couple of years ago, I looked at the history of Reformation Day. We looked at the "5 Solas" for a few weeks after that. Would you mind visiting them again? These are of such crucial importance to the understanding and foundation of our faith. We will look at one of these each week and I pray that you will find this encouraging to your faith and walk with Jesus, as I have. Sola Scriptura means "Scripture Alone." "Sola" is Latin for "alone," but can also mean "ground" or "base." This term then comes to mean, Scripture alone is the authority (or grounding, or basis), for our faith in Jesus. Our entire faith is built on this foundational truth. It is simple, but so pivotal in the whole doctrine of salvation. Let's look into it a bit more.
Going back to 1517 and Martin Luther's 95 Thesis, this idea of Sola Scriptura was revolutionary. You see, the Roman Catholic church was the authority of the day. Not just among people interested in spiritual things, but politically and even in the field of medicine, the "church" held all the power and influence. The priest was the political head of all of Europe at the time. Only the priests were granted the opportunity to read from the hand-copied Scripture -- which was only available in Latin. Martin Luther, as a priest, was granted this privilege and through this he began to see the horrible crimes against humanity that the church was perpetrating on the rest of the population. By defending the authority of Scripture publically, and making the Scripture available to the people in their own language, Martin Luther and the leaders of the Reformation were bucking the system in a revolutionary way. No longer were the traditions of papal authority, forgiveness through indulgences, and many other heresies accepted on face value by many parishioners. Testing these against the authority of Scripture exposed these falsehoods for what they were: schemes of man to bring power to the elite of the church.
So where does Scripture tell us that Scripture is the foundation of our faith?
The early church is our example in this. Acts 17:11 tells us:
Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
The first church tested everything against the Scriptural authority! We need more Berean Christians in our churches today. 2 Timothy 3:15 refers to Scripture as the "word of truth."
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
We must know the Scripture and believe in its authority, to handle it correctly!
Jesus taught that Scripture, and not man's traditions, are the ultimate authority in Mark 7:6–9 (ESV):
6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,
“ ‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
7 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”
9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!
Whenever traditions of man veer from the authority of Scripture, we must stop and rethink those traditions. This will mean we face ridicule and even persecution from those who are unwilling to rethink traditions of man. As Christ-followers, Jesus calls us to stand on the commands of Scripture.
This is just a brief look at the authority of Scripture. I hope that it may trigger a desire for you to look into it further for yourself. To know and have confidence in the source in which your faith rests, is the secret to security in all areas of our lives.
Martin Luther said, when threatened by death if he would not recant his teachings on the sole authority of Scripture (among other things):
"Unless therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture, or by the clearest reasoning, unless I am persuaded by means of the passages I have quoted, and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the Word of God, I cannot and will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand, I can do no other; may God help me! Amen!”
I pray that our church will be filled with such men and women who will stand in the face of death on the authority of God's Word, defending it and living out its teaching. What a "Reformation" we could see in Kingsport and beyond!
Soli Deo Gloria!
💓Heather Sparks💓
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