In this episode of the Theopologetics Podcast I discuss Sola Scriptura, the doctrine that the Bible contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness, and that it is the ultimate authority and rule of faith for the believer. I look at what serves instead as the authority for Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, as well as the view of some Christians, such as the Churches of Christ, who take Sola Scriptura to an unjustified extreme.

Music

Megadeth, Truth Be Told, from the The System Has Failed album, 2004

FLAME, Sola Scriptura, from the Rewind album, 2005

Promoted Resources

Unbelievable?, with Justin Brierley.

Available on Premier Christian Radio in the United Kingdom, Saturdays 2:30-4:00pm.

Also available in the Unbelievable? podcast (new episodes posted shortly after they air).

Terminology

Bibliology: the study of the nature of the Bible, the Word of God.

Roman Catholicism: Christians and churches belonging to the Roman Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See.

Mormonism: the most populous branch of the Latter Day Saint movement (LDS), founded by Joseph Smith.

Jehovah’s Witnesses: a pseudo-Christian nontrinitarian movement distinct from mainstream Christianity, directed by the Governing Body of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Inspired: from the Greek theopneustos, meaning “God-breathed.”

Inerrancy: the view that as the recorded words breathed out by God, the Bible is without error as originally written, and that it has been transmitted reliably throughout the millennia.

Doctrinal Explanations

Catholicism

Catholic Encyclopedia: “Tradition and Living Magisterium“

Mormonism

www.mormon.org: “God’s Commandments“, “Follow the Prophet”

www.lds.org: “Prophets“; “Prophets of God“

Jehovah’s Witnesses

The Watchtower, Nov. 1, 1990; Feb. 15, 1983; Feb. 15, 1967

Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 1939

Qualified to be Ministers, 1967

Biblical References

Testing false prophets

Deuteronomy 18:20-22

Deuteronomy 13:1-3

Galatians 1:6-7

2 Corinthians 11:2-4,13-14

Acts 17:1-12

Scripture is God-breathed

2 Timothy 3:16-17

2 Samuel 23:1-2

Luke 1:68-70

Acts 3:17-18

Romans 1:1-2

2 Peter 1:20-21

Acts 1:15-16

Titus 1:1-2

Hebrews 6:13-18

John 17:17

Romans 3:4

Revelation 21:5

2 Peter 3:15-17

Ephesians 3:3-5

1 Corinthians 14:37

1 Thessalonians 4:15

1 Timothy 4:1

John 3:32-34

Matthew 5:17-18

Matthew 24:35

False prophets in the latter days

1 Timothy 4:1

2 Peter 3:1-2

Jude 17-19

1 John 4:1,6

Capacity to interpret through indwelling of the Holy Spirit

John 16:12-14

John 14:23

Teachers gifted by God to the Church

Proverbs 27:17

Ephesians 4:11-13

Romans 12:6-7

James 3:1