Sola Scriptura

"Sola scriptura" (Latin - "by scripture alone") is the doctrine that the Bible contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness. It was a foundational doctrinal principle of the Protestant reformation. Behind this principle is the idea that the Bible should stand alone.

Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." While most of us would agree with this statement, I'm curious as to how many of us live it out.

If God's word is living, powerful, and sharp then I want you to consider that through our reasoning we have made it dead, powerless, and dull. I'm afraid that we live in an age where our theology often trumps God's Word. Rather than take His Word for what it says, we have created a belief system that explains why God does not operate the way He did in His Word. I say all of this realizing that I'm a part of a denomination that proclaims that we need no creed other than the Word of God. However, is that how we treat what has been revealed in the Bible?

Yesterday I shared with you some building blocks of faith. I told you to hang on to the precious promises of the Word of God and to trust in His goodness. But if we have allowed our theology, religious background, or a teaching to override what God has said in His Word then we are not standing on the promises. The Scriptures must be the foundation that we build our lives upon. It is through the written Word that the Spirit of God leads us into truth. As we gain knowledge of the truth then we are able to live in freedom.

I believe that we are seeing a generation of believers in the church who are reclaiming the Word of God. We have grown weary in the wilderness of unbelief and have come to understand that we cannot do this in our own ability. We have seen the programs at work in the church and have found them tiring. We have witnessed what many people call ministry and struggle to see the lasting impact. Only when we begin to operate according to the Word of God will we begin to reap eternal rewards.

We must preach His Word instead our opinions.
We must trust His Word rather than our plans.
We must honor His Word above our traditions.
Then, and only then, can we join with the early reformers and say "by scripture alone"!