Salvation by Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura)

Salvation by Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura)

Protestant Christian Understanding:  A man is saved by the word of God, the bible is all that is needed.  You only need the bible, and a "church" or man made religion is not needed, nor was it intended by God.

Catholic Christian Understanding: The scriptures speak of Faith as a response to God's word.  "Faith comes by hearing", St. Paul says in Romans chapter 10:9-10.  Faith is a response of the whole person, emotions and intellect to the Word of God.  So if a Christian wants to be a person of Faith the way God intended, it is imperative to ask the question, "What is the true Word of God?"  

During the Protestant reformation, a monk named Martin Luther propounded the thesis that the Word of God was found in scripture (bible) alone and the bible was all that was needed to be saved.  And this became one of the two founding principals of the Protestant reformation.  This idea of "sola scriptura", or scripture alone, is known as the "formal principal" and states by scripture alone is how we must live.  The other principal was known as the "material principal" Faith alone, or "Sola Fide".  

The Catholic Church does not agree with the bible alone mentality, because the Bible itself does not teach that.  This isn't something that the Catholic Church just felt like they had to disagree with just to disagree.  Catholics do not agree with bible alone because the Catholic Church is completely flush with the bible and the very idea of bible alone is not biblical.  In fact, the bible teaches the exact opposite, in many passages, just like the one we mentioned above, Romans chapter 10:9-10.  

So what does the bible actually teach?  First, it teaches the Word of God was originally and primarily an oral entity, passed by word of mouth and teaching.  The word of God in Genesis chapter 1 is God speaking and teaching.  "Let there be light" and then there is light.  He didn't write it on paper then send it to darkness to be carried out.  When the Word of God makes it's first appearance in the bible itself, is an oral thing.  When God spoke it happened, when God commanded Adam and Eve to follow his rule of paradise it was spoken to them.  There was no writing.  God speaks to Noah, God speaks to Abraham, God speaks to Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.  There is no reference to scripture at all in the first book of the bible, Genesis.

In the second book of the Bible we come to Moses and God speaks to Moses via the burning bush and here for the first time we encounter the command to write down what God said.  But it is very clear that Moses didn't write down everything that God said, just certain laws.  Moses not only passed on God's law via scripture to his successor Joshua, but other teachings as well.  God continues to speak and teach the prophets by oral form after Moses and the Word was binding on all the consciences it was to come, whether in written form or in oral form.  There is no law that says the Word of God must come to us in only written form.  In fact, many of the prophets never write.  Elijah is probably one of the greatest prophets of the old testament, after Moses, and he doesn't write anything. And any of the old testament prophets who do write, only write a fraction of their prophetic ministry.   Good example of this would be Obadiah, who's book takes up only one page of the old testament.

So when it is time for God to save the human race and put forth who He really is, does he drop a book out of the sky with exact directions and His own writings?  No.  He sends forth His only Son Jesus, who was to walk the earth and TEACH by word of mouth how to live as God wills and how to be saved.  In John's gospel verse 14 "Jesus is the Word made flesh".  Jesus said, "Whoever HEARS me, HEARS the Father who sent Me. My words are the words of God."  Jesus never wrote a single scrap of scripture.  At the end of His life before He leaves earth and knew He was leaving the human race to follow what He taught, what does He do?  He does not say, "Well writing is the only way so I must write a book to instruct everyone."  No.  Jesus did not do that at all.  Jesus did exactly what His Father had done.  He sends his Apostles to go and TEACH by mouth His message. "As the Father has sent Me, I send you," Christ said.   Jesus selected and sent forth inspired messengers to pass on His teachings.  It is also interesting to note that Jesus never commanded any one of them to write anything.

Only 2 of the 12 Apostles wrote any gospels, Matthew and John.  So if writing was intended by Christ to be the only way, then 10 out of the 12 Apostles absolutely missed the message and Christ was a bad teacher.  The Apostles did exactly as they were commanded by Christ, to carry out God's word primarily in an oral fashion.  And even the Apostles who did the most writing, which was Paul who wrote 12 to 13 Epistles, writing more than all the other Apostles put together, yet even he primarily passed on the word of God in an oral form.  

In Romans Chapter 9 and 10, Paul says, "Faith comes by hearing. And hearing he says,

"8 But what saith the scripture? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart. This is the word of faith, which we preach.  9 For if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  10 For, with the heart, we believe unto justice; but, with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.  11 For the scripture saith: Whosoever believeth in him, shall not be confounded  12 For there is no distinction of the Jew and the Greek: for the same is Lord over all, rich unto all that call upon him.  13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.  14 How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? Or how shall they believe him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear, without a preacher?  15 And how shall they preach unless they be sent, as it is written: How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, of them that bring glad tidings of good things!  16 But all do not obey the gospel. For Isaias saith: Lord, who hath believed our report?  17 Faith then cometh by hearing; and hearing by the word of Christ."

Paul then makes a similar statement in First Thessalonians Chapter 2:13, "Therefore, we also give thanks to God without ceasing: because, that when you had received of us the word of the hearing of God, you received it not as the word of men, but (as it is indeed) the word of God, who worketh in you that have believed. [14] For you, brethren, are become followers of the churches of God which are in Judea, in Christ Jesus: for you also have suffered the same things from your own coutrymen, even as they have from the Jews, [15] Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and the prophets, and have persecuted us, and please not God, and are adversaries to all men."

In the book of Acts 20 is another example which is the farewell address of Paul to the Bishops of Asia Minor.  "[18] And when they were come to him, and were together, he said to them: You know from the first day that I came into Asia, in what manner I have been with you, for all the time, [19] Serving the Lord with all humility, and with tears, and temptations which befell me by the conspiracies of the Jews; [20]How I have kept back nothing that was profitable to you, but have preached it to you, and taught you publicly, and from house to house,  [21] Testifying both to Jews and Gentiles penance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. [22] And now, behold, being bound in the spirit, I go to Jerusalem: not knowing the things which shall befall me there: [23] Save that the Holy Ghost in every city witnesseth to me, saying: That bands and afflictions wait for me at Jerusalem. [24] But I fear none of these things, neither do I count my life more precious than myself, so that I may consummate my course and the ministry of the word which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. [25] And now behold, I know that all you, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.  [26] Wherefore I take you to witness this day, that I am clear from the blood of all men; [27]For I have not spared to declare unto you all the counsel of God. [28] Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. [29] I know that, after my departure, ravening wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. [30] And of your own selves shall arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.  [31] Therefore watch, keeping in memory, that for three years I ceased not, with tears to admonish every one of you night and day. [32] And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, who is able to build up, and to give an inheritance among all the sanctified.

Another example would be St. John in the following chapter Acts 21:25 when he says:  "[25] But there are also many other things which Jesus did; which, if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written."  John also makes another very interesting point on this in 2nd John verse 12 "[12]Having more things to write unto you, I would not by paper and ink: for I hope that I shall be with you, and speak face to face: that your joy may be full."

In St. John's message here, he clearly shows that communicating face to face was far superior than communicating by a letter, which can be misinterpreted.  How many times do we today misinterpret emails and texts?  This is more biblical proof that even the Apostles recognized that a letter could be misunderstood by the faithful, even if the person has the best will in the world.  When the teacher is there in person, it can be made clear what is meant.  The oral communication of the Word of God is far superior than any other form.  

St. John makes the same point in 3rd John 13:14, "[13] I had many things to write unto thee: but I would not by ink and pen write to thee. [14] But I hope speedily to see thee, and we will speak mouth to mouth. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name."

What have we discovered here?  That the word of God in the old and new testaments came primarily by word of mouth.  Secondly, in the life of Jesus Christ Himself his teachings were exclusively oral.  Thirdly, the lives of the Apostles who wrote much but preached they did not write it all and that, like Christ, they prefer the oral form of teaching God's Word.  

St. Paul says in 2nd Thessalonians Chapter: "[13] Whereunto also he hath called you by our gospel, unto the purchasing of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. [14] Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle. [15] Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God and our Father, who hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope in grace".

Two things needed to be pointed out about this verse that negates popular anti-Catholic beliefs.

1) Tradition.  The Bible is a tradition.  You can't be against tradition and at the same time not be against the bible.  "Stand firm and hold fast to ALL THE TRADITIONS YOU HAVE RECEIVED from us, whether they are written or oral."  So the written is a tradition.  "Traditio, from the Latin word "proderae" which means "to hand on".  The written word of God is a tradition, but it is not the FULLNESS of tradition because the bible commands us to hold fast to what we have heard and read.  So believing that we only need the Bible to be saved is non-biblical because they are only following half of the command that the bible contains.  St Paul gave both the written form and the oral form.

2) Oral Form.   How was the Word of God to be passed orally from generation to generation be done?  Was is supposed to be passed on by fallible individuals who were to study both forms and do the best they can with no divine intervention at anytime?  Absolutely not.  Apostolic succession was to be how the Word would be passed on, by those chosen by Christ and they choose successors to carry on the traditions, just as Christ did.  Christ would continually work through all of them till the end of time, as He promised in the bible when He said, "The gates of Hades shall not prevail against his Church."  This is His Church.  The Catholic Church.

In first and second Timothy and Titus, every single verse in those letters shows that St. Paul ordained both of those men to rule as bishop.  Titus over Crete and Timothy over Emphasis.  He appoints them as his successors when he says to both of them, "My true sons in the faith."  Why does he call them his sons.  They are not his biological sons, nor are they his sons spiritually speaking. Timothy had already been raised in the faith by his mother and grandmother.  They are his sons in terms of the "Teaching Office".  The prophets in the old testament  had guilds of prophets who taught what the one prophet taught and were appointed by that one prophet.    

First Timothy 3:15 St. Paul taught that there is a speaking office of the church and said, "The Church is the pillar and foundation of the truth."

What good is an infallible book if fallible minds are free to interpret it however they feel?  In the book of Acts 8:31we have a fantastic biblical example of understanding scripture on our own, without guidance, where the Ethiopian Eunuch replied about understanding scripture on his own.  He was reading the scroll of Isaiah and Phillip was brought up alongside his chariot by the Holy Spirit and Phillip said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And the Ethiopian Eunuch, the treasurer of Queen Candice said, "How can I understand, unless someone guides me?"

In 2nd Peter Chapter 1:20, "[19] And we have the more firm prophetical word: whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: [20] Understanding this first, that no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation.  [20] No prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation: This shews plainly that the scriptures are not to be expounded by any one's private judgment or private spirit, because every part of the holy scriptures were written by men inspired by the Holy Ghost, and declared as such by the Church; therefore they are not to be interpreted but by the Spirit of God, which he hath left, and promised to remain with his Church to guide her in all truth to the end of the world. Some may tell us, that many of our divines interpret the scriptures: they may do so, but they do it always with a submission to the judgment of the Church, and not otherwise."

In 2nd Peter 3:15-17, "[15] And account the longsuffering of our Lord, salvation; as also our most dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, hath written to you:

[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction. [17] You therefore, brethren, knowing these things before, take heed, lest being led aside by the error of the unwise, you fall from your own steadfastness.[18] But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and unto the day of eternity. Amen."

The bible itself warns us against interpreting the bible on our own and thinking we can, through the Holy Spirit, interpret parts of the bible on our own.  These biblical examples prove that reading the bible by oneself and interpreting the bible according to what one feels is incorrect and the complete opposite of what the bible teaches. Why would we even want to put ourselves in the position to accidentally "twist the scripture" as Peter 3:16 says, only to our own destruction … as in … GOING TO HELL.  It makes no sense, according to the bible and this passage, to even attempt to read the scriptures without guidance.  The price you pay is hell if you are wrong and don't heed to the direct advice given in Peter 3:16.  

Jesus loves his Church that he established on earth VERY MUCH.  And He has given us the word of God in 1) Scripture 2) Tradition 3) Majestarium.  If we read all three of these working together, then ONLY THEN, will we realize the fullness of the Faith that God intended.