2. Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura)
Five Solas Series [1]
Selected Scriptures
© October 29, 2017
Pastor Paul K. Kim 2

3. THE NEED OF REFORMATION FOR THEN [IN 16TH CENTURY]
Moral Corruption of the Church
Monolithic, political, economic, religious, and military power of the Church
Selling indulgences for remission of temporal punishment for sin.
Then the pope decided that the buying of indulgences could be applied to deceased family members in purgatory as well: “Once a coin into the coffer clings, a soul from purgatory springs.” 
Doctrinal Corruption of the Church
Dual authority—Tradition & Scripture as the two infallible sources (but, the ultimate authority of the Magisterium of the church over Scripture).
Deviation from the teachings of Scripture: doctrine of indulgence & penance, justification by faith plus works, transubstantiation, etc.
Monopoly of reading Scripture (only in Latin) not in one’s native language.

4. Reformation for Then and Now October 29th ~ December 3rd
THE FIVE SOLAS:
Reformation for Then and Now
October 29th ~ December 3rd
Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura)
Christ Alone (Solus Christus)
Grace Alone (Sola Gratia)
Faith Alone (Sola Fide)
God’s Glory Alone (Soli Deo Gloria) 4

5. THREE QUESTIONS ABOUT SCRIPTURE ALONE (SOLA SCRIPTURA)
What is sola Scriptura?
Why is sola Scriptura still so important and relevant even in today's world?
In what practical ways can we uphold sola Scriptura to reform today's church & culture/trends?

6. WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT SOLA SCRIPTURA?
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
1) Sola Scriptura means:
Scripture alone is the INERRANT authority for our faith and conduct.
It is the inspired [breathed out by God] Word of God.
It is the infallible [trustworthy, perfect] Word of God.
It is inerrant [no errors whatsoever] Word of God.
Popes err and councils err; but the Word of God cannot, does not, and will not err.

7. WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT SOLA SCRIPTURA?
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
1) Sola Scriptura means:
Scripture alone is the INERRANT authority for our faith and conduct.
Scripture alone is the SUFFICIENT authority for our faith and conduct.
It is sufficient for teaching spiritual truths.
It is sufficient for reproof and correction.
It is sufficient for training in righteousness.
It is sufficient for equipping for every good work in spiritual maturity.

8. WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT SOLA SCRIPTURA?
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
1) Sola Scriptura means:
Scripture alone is the INERRANT authority for our faith and conduct.
Scripture alone is the SUFFICIENT authority for our faith and conduct.
Scripture alone is the FINAL authority for our faith and conduct.
Its authority supersedes all other authorities.
It has the supreme authority over all Christian faith and conduct.
It alone has the final rule for the church as well as for each believer.

9. “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason—for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves—I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor wise to go against conscience. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.” Martin Luther (on April 18, 1521)

10. WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT SOLA SCRIPTURA?
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
2) Common misunderstandings of sola Scriptura:
It does NOT mean that Scripture contains all truth of every kind; but it contains all truth necessary for our salvation and spiritual life.
It does NOT mean Scripture teaches everything we want to know about God; but it teaches everything we NEED to know about God.
It does NOT mean “solo Scriptura” [me and the Bible alone]; it is not only authority but it alone is the final authority over all others (e.g., tradition).

11. Although tradition does not rule our interpretation, it does guide it
Although tradition does not rule our interpretation, it does guide it. If upon reading a particular passage you have come up with an interpretation that has escaped the notice of every other Christian for two-thousand years, or has been championed by universally recognized heretics, chances are pretty good that you had better abandon your interpretation. R. C. Sproul
The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Westminster Confession of Faith

12. WHY SOLA SCRIPTURA IS STILL SO IMPORTANT IN TODAY'S WORLD
13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:13-15
Sola Scriptura is still so important in today’s world because…
By default, we drift away from Scripture and God-centered view & life.
Without it, we are lured by worldly wisdom/ways, resulting in the low-view of Scripture that leads us to compromise our faith with the world.
With it, we can experience the spiritual vitality and power of God’s Word daily as Christ’s church as well as Christ-followers.

13. THE NEED OF REFORMATION FOR NOW [IN 21ST CENTURY]
Evangelicals are not heretics, at least not consciously. If we ask whether the Bible is the authoritative and inerrant Word of God, most will answer affirmatively, at least if the question is asked in traditional ways. Is the Bible God’s Word? Of course! All evangelicals know that. Is it authoritative? Yes, that too. Inerrant? Most evangelicals will affirm inerrancy. But many evangelicals have abandoned the Bible all the same simply because they do not think it is adequate for the challenges we face today. They do not think it is sufficient for winning people to Christ in this age, so they turn to felt-need sermons or entertainment or “signs and wonders” instead. They do not think the Bible is sufficient for achieving Christian growth, so they turn to therapy groups or Christian counseling. They do not think it is sufficient for making God’s will known, so they look for external signs or revelations. They do not think it is adequate for changing our society, so they establish evangelical political groups and work to elect “Christian” congressmen, senators, presidents, and other officials. They seek change by power politics and money.
— James Montgomery Boice

14. UPHOLDING SOLA SCRIPTURA TO REFORM TODAY'S CHURCH
1) We are to uphold sola Scriptura by ELEVATING OUR VIEW OF SCRIPTURE as our final authority in all issues of our faith and conduct.
23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers,  and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you. 1 Peter 1:23-25
Our view of Scripture determines all other beliefs and practices of our lives as an individual believer and as a corporate body of Christ.
If so, we ought to be vigilant against drifting away from Scripture.
This drifting may be subtle and gradual, but the wave will be increasingly more powerful to take us far away from sola Scriptura.

15. ELEVATING OUR VIEW OF SCRIPTURE AS FINAL AUTHORITY
If Scripture is God’s Word, then it alone has the final authority over...
Human opinions/authorities (“According to the leading experts…”)
Culture/trends (“The latest hot trend is…”)
Pragmatism/consumerism (“The best practices for growing a church are…”)
Majority/convention (“Most Americans think this way these days…”)
Experiences/feelings (“It cannot be false because I experienced…”)
Extra-biblical/signs & wonder (“God spoke to me to…”)

16. UPHOLDING SOLA SCRIPTURA TO REFORM TODAY'S CHURCH
2) We are to uphold sola Scriptura by ANCHORING ourselves in Scripture as our sufficient authority.
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season;  reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.  3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 2 Timothy 4:2-4
To prevent subtle drift, Scripture must be our anchor of faith and conduct.
To anchor in Scripture, we must trust fully in the sufficiency of Scripture.
To trust fully in the sufficiency of Scripture, we must be deliberate in embracing all Scripture (tota Scriptura) as the whole counsel of God for us.

17. ANCHORING IN SCRIPTURE AS OUR SUFFICIENT AUHORITY
If Scripture is God’s Word, then it alone has the sufficient authority in...
Current moral controversies (e.g., homosexuality, abortion, racism, etc.)
Family life and marriage (e.g., parenting, marriage, value system, etc.)
Providing guidance in life (e.g., in decision-making, discerning options, etc.)
Sanctification/spiritual growth (e.g., Scripture-guided real transformation)
Preaching/teaching/worship (e.g., a Bible-based & Bible-saturated church)
Social reformation (e.g., reformation begins inside out, starting with me)

18. UPHOLDING SOLA SCRIPTURA TO REFORM TODAY'S CHURCH
3) We are to uphold sola Scriptura by SUBMITTING to what Scripture says in our everyday life to experience the transforming power of God’s Word.
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any  two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:12-13
Submitting to Scriptural authority requires us to seek the author’s intent of what we are reading in Scripture honestly and humbly.
This submission ought to be pre-decided (esp. for difficult passages).
Our wholehearted submission to Scripture’s teaching will lead us to experience the transforming power of God’s Word in our everyday life!

19. When the church ceases to treat the Bible
as a final standard of spiritual truth and wisdom,
it is going to wobble between maintaining its tradition
in a changing world and adapting to that world, and
as the wobbles go on, uncertainty as to what is the real
substance of faith and the proper way of embracing
it and living it out will inevitably increase.
J. I. Packer

20. THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE
In what ways will you elevate your view of Scripture rightly as a result of this foundational principle of sola Scriptura (Scripture alone)?
What would it mean for you to anchor yourself in Scripture as the sufficient authority as a Christ-follower and Christ’s church?
What is your first step toward submitting to to what Scripture says in your everyday life to experience the transforming power of God’s Word?