Determining If God Has Spoken, Sola Scriptura, and the Authority of Scripture

Welcome back to The Think Institute Newsletter. Every Friday, you get one idea from me, one quote from somebody else, and something to think about.

AN IDEA FROM ME

Question: “Do you have a methodology for determining if some words came from God?”
Answer: If it is in Scripture, then it came from God. Scripture is the epistemological foundation for me to know whether or not words came from God.

If we’re talking outside the Bible, then you’re going to have to show me how what you’re telling me accords with Scripture. Predictions about the future must come true exactly as stated—that’s the test of a prophet according to Scripture. Again, Scripture is my standard.

—From my video:
🎥 Watch here

A QUOTE FROM SOMEBODY ELSE

“The key to understanding what the doctrine of Sola Scriptura means is to recognize that it is a statement about the nature of Scripture that implies an exclusivity to the nature of Scripture. Scripture is unlike anything else—no Greek lexicon, no historical study, no tradition is theopneustos [God-breathed]. Only Scripture is God-breathed...
If Scripture is God speaking, then Scripture has an epistemological authority that is unique in and of itself. This is why liberalism’s first target is always a denomination’s view of Scripture. You must debilitate the highest view of Scripture to then bring in false doctrine...
The problem is that so many Protestants don’t know what Sola Scriptura actually means or don’t apply it. They have a pitifully narrow understanding of what it actually means, and so there’s confusion even within Protestant circles...
When you haven’t thought through what Sola Scriptura actually means, then the other side gets you to defend a definition of Sola Scriptura that is not what we actually believe. You end up turning the Bible into something that it should never be.”

—James White
🎥 Watch the full video

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

What standard do you use to judge whether a message really comes from God?
How would you explain to someone why only Scripture has final authority?

In Christ,
Joel Settecase
President, The Think Institute

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• John Gleeson, aka The Godless Engineer

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