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By Roger A. Scully, Jr.
- The title, Sola Scriptura, is a Latin ablative meaning: by Scripture alone. It is the ideology that the Holy
Scriptures (i.e. the Bible) is all that is needed to determine man’s proper conduct in ever aspect of his life (cf.
2 Pet 1:3). It is the belief that when one consults the Bible, properly understanding it, and lives according to
the standard set forth therein, then he will please God, and will ultimately live a life in heaven with Him. Others
have suggested this claim to be an impossibility, and advocate that man is need of more than the Bible in
order to learn how to be pleasing to the God of heaven. It has been stated that there are many religious
institutes, claiming to be following God according to the Bible alone, yet are divided as to what they believe,
and the manner in which they worship. While it must be admitted that there are many different religious
groups divided in practice, etc. all claiming to follow the Bible alone, this is not proof that the Bible alone is not
sufficient. Catholics, as an example, as those who are the strongest advocates of anti-sola scriptura, claim to
depend on the Bible along with the traditions of the Church. Yet, there is a great deal of division among
Catholic scholars on doctrinal issues. Hence, that of which they accuse others, they themselves are guilty.
The division, which exists among those claiming to follow Scripture alone, is a result of man’s inability to
properly discern that which is written. All through school, grade school, middle school, high school and
college, my classmates and I all used the same textbooks, and were taught the same information by the same
teachers/professors. Yet, we often found that many received different grades after taking the same tests.
Some made As, others Bs, yet others Cs, Ds and Fs. What was the problem? Was the problem due to the fact
that we were all using the same textbook, following that alone? No, the problem was in those who failed and
their inability to properly learn that which the textbooks had set forth. So, it should be concluded, then, that
the concept of sola scriptura being false because of division is itself a false concept. It is now the burden of
this writing to briefly make the case for Sola Scriptura.
In the first place, the Bible writers expected men to believe in God, and Jesus as His Son, based upon
that which was written. The apostle John wrote, “these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (20:31). Later the same apostle
wrote, “this is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony
is true” (21:24). We know that John and the other Bible writers were inspired of the Holy Spirit of God (cf. Eph
3:3, 4); hence that which is written by them is the word of God, which word is truth, “sanctify them through thy
truth, thy word is truth” (Jn 17:17; cf. Psa 119:142). Where is this truthful word that sanctifies? It is recorded in
the book of books, the Bible, “whereby when ye read, ye may understand” (Eph 3:3, 4).
In addition, the Bible writers, those inspired men, expected men to worship God, and live in a manner
which pleases God, based upon that which is written. The apostle Peter explained that God has given to man
“all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet 1:3), thus man is expected to “not go beyond that which is
written” (cf. 1 Cor 4:6). Jesus accused the Pharisees of worshiping vainly because they had “taught for
doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt 15:9; Isa 29:13), again it is recorded, “making the word of God of
no effect through your traditions” (Mrk 7:13). Let’s not forget that Paul reminded Timothy, “All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16,
17); and it was this same inspired Scripture that Timothy, hence all preachers, was commanded to “preach,”
for, wrote Paul, “preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all
longsuffering and teaching. (4:2).
In the second place, Jesus rebuked those of His time using Scripture. He told the Sadducees, “you are
mistaken, nor knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God” (Matt 22:29). What did they not know? They did
not know the Scriptures. He told Satan, “it is written,” then proceeded to quote Scripture in response to each
temptation offered by the old serpent (Matt 4:4ff). In verse 4 in particular Jesus said, “man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (cf. Dt 8:3). By what is man to live? By
the word of God. Where is this word found? It is found in the Bible, for God does not acknowledge anything
else as being authoritative.
Jesus declared that all authority was vested in Him (Matt 28:18). He also stated that He was sending the
“Spirit of truth” to “guide the apostles into all truth” (Jn 16:13). That truth in which they were guided is that
which has been written in the Bible, “God has revealed them to us through His Spirit…that we might know the
things that have been freely given to us by God” (1 Cor 2:9-13), and again, “how that by revelation He made
known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my
knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Eph 3:3, 4); thus it must be concluded that the authority of Jesus is
found in the written word, the Bible.
God has been so wise as to reveal to man that which man needs to be in fellowship with Him. His wisdom
has further been shown in that He did not leave the words of life to word of mouth, or mere hearsay, but had
them recorded to last for all time. If anything says more than that which the Bible says, then it says too much.
If anything says less than that which the Bible says, then it doesn’t say enough. If it says the same thing as
that which the Bible says, then we don’t need, for we have a Bible.