BACK TO BASICS

1. BACK TO BASICS Sola Scriptura: Scripture Alone Pastor Albert Clavo March 4, 2012

2. Fivefold Battlecry of the 16th Century Reformation • Sola Christus – In Christ Alone • Sola Fide – Through Faith alone • Sola Gratia – By Grace alone • Sola Deo Gloria – To the Glory of God alone • Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone

3. Sola Scriptura – Scripture Alone • Sola Scriptura was a conviction that upheld the supremacy of written Scripture when it comes to matters of faith and practice. • Due to the fact that after almost 1,500 years of Christianity, the ‘official’ church had added on various teachings and practices that were no longer consistent with God’s written revelation. • This led to a decline not only in faith, but even in morals.

4. Sola Scriptura – Scripture Alone • The Holy Bible, all 66 books (39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament) are authoritative over every Christian beliefs and practices. • This means that every doctrine we hold to be true must derive itself from a careful study of the Scripture. • This also means that every act or practice that we do also derives itself from the same Scripture. • Therefore, we uphold the divine inspiration, supreme authority and absolute reliability of Holy Scriptures.

5. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) • All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, • so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (GNB) • All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living. • so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed.

6. Scripture is supreme over religious traditions Mark 7:5-8 • So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with ‘unclean’ hands?” • He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. • They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ • You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.

7. Scripture is supreme over religious traditions Examples of religious traditions contrary to Scriptures: • Idolatry • Praying for the dead • Indulgence • Trying to earn salvation by own works.

8. Scripture is supreme over human philosophies Colossians 2:9 • For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. Examples of human philosophies contrary to Scriptures • anti-nomialism – no prohibitions, everything is ok • New Age – mixture of all religious beliefs, “I have to decide what I believe based on my own conviction.” • Universalism – “all religions lead to God.”

9. Scripture is supreme over personal interpretations Galatians 1:6-9 • I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – • which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. • But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! • As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

10. Scripture is supreme over personal interpretations Examples of cults resulting from personal interpretations • 1970’s – Jim Jones, the Guyana tragedy • 1990’s – David Coresh, Waco Texas tragedy • Felix Manalo as the last prophet (Iglesiani Cristo) • Apollo C. Quiboloy as the appointed son of God

11. Scripture is supreme over individual dreams, visions or prophecies Zechariah 10:2 • The idols speak deceit, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 • Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you brothers, • not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the Lord has already come. • Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

12. Scripture is supreme over individual dreams, visions or prophecies Examples of false visions and prophecies: • End of the world in 2012 • Harold Camping – end of the world last year • Book - 88 Reasons Why the world will End in 1988

13. Diligently search the Scripture Acts 17:11 • Now the Bereans were of noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

14. Application John 20:29-31 • Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” • Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. • But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

15. Application Not only is Scripture supreme, it is also sufficient to reveal to us who Christ is and lead us to salvation in him. • Do you hold the bible as the supreme authority in your life? • Have you discovered who Jesus is? • Have you received his salvation for your life as revealed in the bible?