Which Came First,

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Which Came First, “Faith Alone” or “Scripture Alone”?


  • Total voters
    4
L

Locoponydirtman

Guest
#41
Those terms were "coined" by Martin Luther in the same document.

  • Sola Scriptura, or “God’s Word alone,” maintains that the Bible is the highest source of authority in a Christian’s life, the final court of appeal (though not the only authority: the Bible itself mentions governmental and other authorities).
  • Sola fide, or “faith alone,” affirms that justification—being made right with God—comes only through faith in Jesus.
  • Sola gratia, or “grace alone,” says sinners are saved as an unearned gift of God’s grace, “not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8–9).
  • Sola Christo (“solus Christus”), or “Christ alone,” emphasizes the exclusivity of Jesus’ role in salvation: “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
  • And soli Deo gloria, or “to the glory of God alone,” says that the purpose of creation, salvation, and everything—including our goal as Christians—is the glory of God, “that God may be all in all” (1 Cor 15:28).
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,131
3,689
113
#43
You still don't get it. It was Jesus who appeared as "the Word of God" or "the Word of the LORD" to Abraham!

Now notice this very carefully: After these things the Word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward... And, behold, the Word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. (Gen 15:1,4)

The Word of the LORD is clearly a person in these two verses. And He presents Himself as GOD. Since no man has seen God the Father at any time, it was the pre-incarnate Christ as "the Word of the LORD" who appeared to Abraham. And it was Jesus who said "Before Abraham was I AM".

There was no written Bible ("Scripture") for 2,500 years. "Scripture" means "sacred writings". So faith came first, just like the chicken came before the egg (when God created the birds).
I know that very well brother. Scripture is the word of God, either written, spoken, or preached. Scripture preached to Abraham, the Word of God, one and the same. Scripture spoke to Pharaoh through Moses.

Word is not capitalized in that passage. Why did you capitalize it?

1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
3,056
905
113
#44
Scripture came first. Without the word of God, one can not have biblical faith.

Faith come by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17
The apostles did not have a New Testament when the gospel was first spoken to them by Jesus.

Paul was converted on the road to Damascus, no New Testament then.

Many converts to Jesus responded to the apostles preaching the gospel, in the first decade of church history. The New Testament did not exist then.

A person that can't read can be fully converted to faith in Jesus Christ.
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,131
3,689
113
#47
The apostles did not have a New Testament when the gospel was first spoken to them by Jesus.

Paul was converted on the road to Damascus, no New Testament then.

Many converts to Jesus responded to the apostles preaching the gospel, in the first decade of church history. The New Testament did not exist then.

A person that can't read can be fully converted to faith in Jesus Christ.
Agreed, the word of God can come through the written word, preaching, evangelism, etc..
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,777
113
#48
Word is not capitalized in that passage. Why did you capitalize it?
Here's why: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:1,14)

The Lord Jesus Christ is "the Word of God". The Greek has Logos and the Hebrew has Dabar.

So John Gill's Commentary confirms what I have already said:
the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision; Christ, the essential Word, appeared to Abram in an human form, visible to him, and with an articulate voice spoke unto him:
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,131
3,689
113
#49
Here's why: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:1,14)

The Lord Jesus Christ is "the Word of God". The Greek has Logos and the Hebrew has Dabar.

So John Gill's Commentary confirms what I have already said:
the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision; Christ, the essential Word, appeared to Abram in an human form, visible to him, and with an articulate voice spoke unto him:
I don't know about John Gill, but I'm just allowing the scripture to be as honest to me as possible. Nonetheless, the word of God spoken is equated to scripture.
 

RaceRunner

Well-known member
Oct 13, 2022
1,576
289
83
#51
Non-denominational Christians came before "Faith Alone" and "Scripture Alone".