Authority of Scripture

[GoodGnus]

What would you say to someone who said:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,born of the virgin Mary,suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died and was buried.He descended into hell.On the third day He rose again from the dead.He ascended into heavenand sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting.


But maintained that scripture was no more authoritative than "Pilgrim's Progress". I am not asking this because I dont have an answer; I am asking because I am amazed at how many Christians dont have a good answer for this. I would ask you to reflect on the question and pray that the answer you come to will be edifying.

 

[tourist]

This affirmation of faith is said during each Catholic mass.I would say that this person has a good understanding on certain critical spiritual truths regarding the divinity of Jesus and salvation from His shed blood on the cross.

 

[crossnote]

What would you say to someone who said:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,born of the virgin Mary,suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died and was buried.He descended into hell.On the third day He rose again from the dead.He ascended into heavenand sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting.


But maintained that scripture was no more authoritative than "Pilgrim's Progress". I am not asking this because I dont have an answer; I am asking because I am amazed at how many Christians dont have a good answer for this. I would ask you to reflect on the question and pray that the answer you come to will be edifying.

Let's see, saying a Creed which summarizes Scripture but denying it's foundation. Hmmm, sounds like they then just parrot something that has no authority since their view of Scripture is that it too has no authority.

 

[MarcR]

What would you say to someone who said:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,born of the virgin Mary,suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died and was buried.He descended into hell.On the third day He rose again from the dead.He ascended into heavenand sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting.


But maintained that scripture was no more authoritative than "Pilgrim's Progress". I am not asking this because I dont have an answer; I am asking because I am amazed at how many Christians dont have a good answer for this. I would ask you to reflect on the question and pray that the answer you come to will be edifying.

Isn't that exactly what the RCC in fact does?


It would not surprise me if Satan, himself, could recite that confession. Unless one believes in the authority of Scripture, the confession is meaningless.

Jesus is the Word of God. Scripture is the Word of God. The Bible is the visible representation of Christ until His return.

The Bible is the absolute standard of truth; and ANYTHING that contradicts it is a lie or an error!

 

[Dan58]

What would you say to someone who said:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,born of the virgin Mary,suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died and was buried.He descended into hell.On the third day He rose again from the dead.He ascended into heavenand sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting.


But maintained that scripture was no more authoritative than "Pilgrim's Progress". I am not asking this because I dont have an answer; I am asking because I am amazed at how many Christians dont have a good answer for this. I would ask you to reflect on the question and pray that the answer you come to will be edifying.

I'd tell them that a double minded person is unstable in all their ways (James 1:8). Everything they profess to believe comes straight out of the bible, they wouldn't know any of it without the bible. If scripture is not an authoritative source, then neither is anything they believe.

 

[DesiredHaven]

It says,

All scripture is God breathed 2 Tim 3:16

and given for reproof

I love this, it says,

Prov 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Even as the prophecy come not in this way

2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Whereas it says here,

1 Cr 2:11...The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

And again,

Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Just as the disciples were God breathed (upon)

Jesus breathed on them, and saith unto them,

Receive ye the Holy Ghost

1 Cr 2:16...But we have the mind of Christ.

And even as it says,

All scripture is given by the inspiration of God,

Of the same inspiration it also says,

Job 32:8 But there is a spirit in man:

and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

And Jesus ...

Luke 24:25 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

But when it says this...

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness

They wont argue the verse are profitable for all these things (just not enough)

but is the end game of these same?

... That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

So if they are sufficient, even profitable for all those things to the end that the man of God be perfect, what can be any more authoritive than the words of God for us?

The better answer might be the Spirit in us which desires us to abide in the scriptures alone.

Although no answer ever suffices an entity that desires to lord over your faith.

 

[just-me]

This affirmation of faith is said during each Catholic mass.I would say that this person has a good understanding on certain critical spiritual truths regarding the divinity of Jesus and salvation from His shed blood on the cross.

Presbyterians, and Lutherans say it too, not just the Catholics. I've been to all three at one time or another. Resiting this apostles creed has become no more than a ritual, without true faith in what it says. There is nothing wrong with it in itself. It's Pharisaical if a person never stops to think about what they are saying.

 

[SweetShelly35]

If it is in the Bible it is true. Everything in the Bible is true. It is the Living Word.
I was born catholic, went to catholic church, and school until I was 17 years old. I didn't learn anything about the life of Christ but I knew about the roles that the Pope, Bishop, and Priest had. A friend led me to start attending a Baptist Church in my adulthood and I was born again. I learned about walking with Jesus, His love for me, and only then I was able to leave the catholic guilt behind. I know I may be told off by catholics for my little post here but this is my experience. Being born again changed me in ways I never thought possible. I felt alive. Catholics really you should experience this, it's the only way to heaven.

 

[Utah]

Isn't that exactly what the RCC in fact does?


It would not surprise me if Satan, himself, could recite that confession. Unless one believes in the authority of Scripture, the confession is meaningless.

Jesus is the Word of God. Scripture is the Word of God. The Bible is the visible representation of Christ until His return.

The Bible is the absolute standard of truth; and ANYTHING that contradicts it is a lie or an error!

What Marc said.

 

[crossnote]

Satan can even recite Scripture let alone a Creed and not believe it.

 

[GoodGnus]

Let's see, saying a Creed which summarizes Scripture but denying it's foundation. Hmmm, sounds like they then just parrot something that has no authority since their view of Scripture is that it too has no authority.

What is "its"? Scriptures foundation or the foundation of the creed.

Scripture cannot be the foundation of the creed as the elements of the creed (belief that Jesus is the Son of God) predate the writing of the New Testament and are not contained explicitly in the Old Testament.

 

[GoodGnus]

Isn't that exactly what the RCC in fact does?


Unless one believes in the authority of Scripture, the confession is meaningless.

So anyone making this confession the day after Pentecost was "meaningless"? .. there was no scripture to believe in.

 

[GoodGnus]

they wouldn't know any of it without the bible.

Paul knew all of it without a Bible.

 

[crossnote]

What is "its"? Scriptures foundation or the foundation of the creed.

Scripture cannot be the foundation of the creed as the elements of the creed (belief that Jesus is the Son of God) predate the writing of the New Testament and are not contained explicitly in the Old Testament.

But the Creed was formulated after the Apostles had written, i.e. after 100AD.
By 'it's', I was referring to the Creeds, IOW the foundation of the Creed were the letters written early on by the Apostles.

 

[dcontroversal]

Well I would first argue that Christ went to Abraham's Bosom (paradise and not hell) The OT reference is to the grave.....

and then I would argue that ALL SCRIPTURE is inspired and profitable, are the very word's of God (unless context states otherwise) and carry as much weight as if God was standing here speaking them in the present context and in person!

 

[SeaBass]

What would you say to someone who said:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,born of the virgin Mary,suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died and was buried.He descended into hell.On the third day He rose again from the dead.He ascended into heavenand sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting.


But maintained that scripture was no more authoritative than "Pilgrim's Progress". I am not asking this because I dont have an answer; I am asking because I am amazed at how many Christians dont have a good answer for this. I would ask you to reflect on the question and pray that the answer you come to will be edifying.

Would not part of "authority of scripture" include "scripture alone" for when one leaves scripture he has left the authority of scripture? So a beginning to the solution to the problem you present is accepting scripture alone as authority and not man man doctrines/traditions as authority.

 

[MarcR]

So anyone making this confession the day after Pentecost was "meaningless"? .. there was no scripture to believe in.

Not so! The OT was and is regarded as Scripture ans as the NT writings came to be recognized as inspired they became Scripture long before the Nicine council

 

[crossnote]

Not so! The OT was and is regarded as Scripture ans as the NT writings came to be recognized as inspired they became Scripture long before the Nicine council

for sure...

2 Peter 3:15-16
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

 

[GoodGnus]

If it is in the Bible it is true. Everything in the Bible is true. It is the Living Word.
I was born catholic, went to catholic church, and school until I was 17 years old. I didn't learn anything about the life of Christ but I knew about the roles that the Pope, Bishop, and Priest had. A friend led me to start attending a Baptist Church in my adulthood and I was born again. I learned about walking with Jesus, His love for me, and only then I was able to leave the catholic guilt behind. I know I may be told off by catholics for my little post here but this is my experience. Being born again changed me in ways I never thought possible. I felt alive. Catholics really you should experience this, it's the only way to heaven.

What a wonderful story! My story is kind of the exact opposite of yours and maybe that is why I am so screwed up LOL. I knew the Bible very well, but I did not believe "in the forgiveness of sins". It is not enough to recite a creed or believe in the authority of scripture. What is really important is "walking with Jesus, [learning about] His love".

 

[peacefulbeliever]

What would you say to someone who said:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,born of the virgin Mary,suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died and was buried.He descended into hell.On the third day He rose again from the dead.He ascended into heavenand sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting.


But maintained that scripture was no more authoritative than "Pilgrim's Progress". I am not asking this because I dont have an answer; I am asking because I am amazed at how many Christians dont have a good answer for this. I would ask you to reflect on the question and pray that the answer you come to will be edifying.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. Luke 1:26,27

Then said Mary unto the angel, how shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Luke 1:34,35

Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell [the grave], neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up,
whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath ched forth this which you now see and hear. . . . Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Acts 1:39-33,36

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem, whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, . . . . Acts 10:38-40

How can you believe the words in a creed but not believe scripture? The creed itself was taken from scripture.