Sola Scriptura

It’s been several weeks since I completed Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace by James Montgomery Boice, but I’m just now making the time to sit down and report on it. As you might guess, my favorite chapter was “Scripture Alone,” referred to as “sola Scriptura” by the Reformers. Following are two of my favorite passages.

The Reformers wanted scripture to stand alone as the church’s true authority. Today, at least in the evangelical church, that is not our chief problem; we assert biblical authority. Rather, our problem is in deciding whether the Bible is sufficient for the church’s life and work. We confess its authority, but we discount its ability to do what is necessary to draw unbelievers to Christ, enable us to grow in godliness, provide direction for our lives, and transform and revitalize society. …in the sixteenth century the battle was against those who wanted to add church traditions to Scripture, but in our day the battle is against those who would have us use worldly means to do God’s work.

Referring to Romans chapter six: Paul’s “method” for sanctification is biblical doctrine. That is, to live as Christians we must know what God has done to us in making us Christians. We must know what has happened, and the only way we can know what has happened is to know the Bible. …This has nothing to do with either a method or an experience. It has everything to do with knowing and living by the sufficient Word of God. Is it not true that one reason we see such immature and even sinful behavior among Christians today is that they have not really been taught what God has done to them and for them when he saved them? And aren’t our churches immature precisely because the pastors are not teaching Bible doctrines?

I thank God that since my conversion I have been in churches that preach Biblical doctrine!

I could sit here and type for the rest of the day and not include everything that I want to share with you. I highly recommend this important book.