I was asked to explain the concept of “Sola Scriptura” and inerrancy of scripture. ehm.. Took me a while to figure out on how to explain this.
“Sola Scriptura” basically means scriptures alone. Being a Christian myself, I believe that we have to acknowledge this else what is the point in believing in Him yet doubting His words.
“Sola Scriptura” acknowledge that the Bible today is His special revelation to us. The Bible contains information that is authoritative, supernatural, not restricted in time, easily comprehended which an individual does not need to be specially trained to understand it.
To elaborate when I said authoritative, even Jesus himself quote from the Bible to be victorious against Satan’s temptation as it is recorded in Matthew 4:4, “It is written, Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Through faith we choose to believe in Him, I strongly believe that by faith we have to accept His word to us as it is with no doubt that it is inerrancy. May be God knows that we human tend to challenge the challenges, just as the Chinese street saying “lag! lag!” (trying to be smart!), He has prepared for us by giving us His instruction as found in Revelation 22:18-19.
“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and I the holy city, which are described in this book.”
And yet again, here it proves to us that His word alone is sufficient for us, as it is written in Psalm 119:160.
"All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal."
Even in Prayer, through the Bible we know that Jesus taught us how we should pray as recorded in Matthew 6:9-13. Again it proves to us that his word is self-sufficient.
Many may argue, if the Bible contains no error, why is that there are phenomenal, events and others which is not explainable in today’s sciences, archeology evidence and so on? In my opinion, this could be the consequences that we have to live with in this life, after all, this limitation was brought onto ourselves due to the fall of Adam and Eve, resulting us inherited the original sin. Adam and Eve were given the freedom to choose on eating the forbidden fruit. They made a choice then. We today is given the choice to make decision as well. We have to choose between to Believe Him or to prove that He existed?
Just wish to add this, if someone to ask if I am Chinese? Well, my birth certificate says that I am Chinese. I look like Chinese. I felt like Chinese. Is it necessary to prove the inerrancy that I am Chinese? :)
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What do you mean the Bible contains information that are supernatural?
ReplyDeleteAs about the Bible contains information that is not restricted time?
- how about the Old Testament for the sacrifies of animals? Doesn't it only apply to the time of the Old Testament only? If it is, wouldn't it be restricted to time?
Lastly, I believe that we need to at certain extent be trained to correctly interpret and understand Scriptures otherwise we would incorrectly interpret and understand Scriptures. Think about it: "If Scriptures were all so easy to understand without any guidance, why are there so many cults today?"
Good job David on your blog.
I like the authenticity and the Malaysian feel =)
I choose to just believe in Him for i know He existed. No need to prove. Amen.
ReplyDeleteHow were early Christians to use sola scriptura, when they did not even have the full Scriptures?
ReplyDeleteDear Andrew,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your input.. Took me a while to reply as my engine is still on CNY holiday mode.. ha! ha!!
Well to me the Bible contains information that is supernatural, as there are events, about God and many more that is beyond the capability of mankind or science. Just to name one is the creation the universe.
As to the sacrificial practices in the OT times, it was replaced by Jesus Christ, thus we no longer need to slaughter any animal in the NT and current. The sacrificial has stopped because Christ died for us, thus, the fact that God died for our sins will be the fact regardless of any generation from NT to now or to the future.
I do agree with you there has to be some extend of training required to fully understand and correctly interpret the scripture. But if for a lay man to understand who is God and what God did for us Iand to be able to read the Bible, I believe anyone who is literate in English would be able to do so.
Thus, I still stand that no special training is required. But if we are to take the content of the Bible and to go into in depth of Theological teaching and application, then training is a must. I believe that we will not categorize someone being cult for missed interpreting verses for their own. But if that person is to take a statement out off the full context and claiming that is the true teaching of God, then I will think that will be cult.
Thanks for your kind words and I hope that the above is agreeable to your point of view.
:)
Dear Michael,
ReplyDeleteAs to you comment, truly I am not clear of your definition of “early Christians”. Are we talking about before 90 A.D. or after 90 A.D.?
I believe that there should be no differences as well for early Christians, presuming that they do not have the Bible as what we have today, but then they have the scripts, are manuscripts which our today Bible is being translated from.
Thus, solar scriptura still holds. Just for argument sake, will there be a differences in contents of Genesis between now and early Christians time if our Bible is being translated from the earliest known script? It is still the word of God.
Dorcas,
ReplyDeleteAmen would be my response as well. At times I think is it good to be simple.