Tuesday, October 10, 2006
John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed on him, If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed; And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
SOLA SCRIPTURA -- Abide in MY Word
The key question of the Reformation was "Who shall tell us God's truth concerning our soul's salvation?" Not surprizingly, the answer Martin Luther found is reflected the very first of his 95 Theses: "Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, in saying: 'Repent ye,' etc., intended that the whole life of believers should be penitence."
"Jesus Christ said." Here is the heart of things. God led Luther to realize that "What does Jesus say?" should be our chief concern -- whether the question was relics or indulgences or anything else pertaining to salvation. The Word of the Lord is decisive. Indeed, Luther notes that in matters pertaining to issues of salvation, "whatever does not have its origin in the Scriptures is surely from the devil himself."
Furthermore, the Spirit of God led Luther to see that if it is not SOLA Scriptura, then it wouldn't be Scripture at all -- not really -- not finally. Reason and dreams and human authority -- all that amend the Word really strike it out. For to add to Scripture is to say it is not sufficient in matters of faith and life. Luther says that it is surely a presumptuous abomination when men attempt "to teach God his lessons and blue-pencil the 'mistakes' of the Holy Spirit".
Error first is satisfied with being accepted on a par with Scripture, but it is not long before it displaces the Truth. That's why to stand on the Scripture, to follow it's leading and guiding, will mean following ONLY Scripture in matters on which it speaks.
It is folly to do otherwise. Yet how commonplace this foolishness is, and how deadly. May we ever stand with the Reformer who once said, "I am not so senseless as to be willing that the Word of God be made to give place to fables, devised by human reason."
SOLA SCRIPTURA
