Lord's Day: Nov 23, 2025  Preacher: Carlos Montijo  Series: It Is Written: Scripture Alone  Topic: Scripture  Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:6–7; 2 Peter 1:19–21; Acts 4:19; 3 John 9–12; James 1:17–18; Matthew 7:24–27; Mark 7:6–13; 2 Peter 3:16; Psalm 119:89; Romans 15:4–6

6Now these things, brothers, I have applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to go beyond what is written, so that no one of you will become puffed up on behalf of one against the other. 7For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? 1 Corinthians 4:6–7

19And we have as more sure the prophetic word, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. 20Know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes by one’s own interpretation. 21For no prophecy was ever made by the will of man, but men being moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 2 Peter 1:19–21

I.  Scripture alone does not mean solo Scriptura or nuda Scriptura

• Meaning Scripture and nothing else at all, no other church authorities at all, which ironically contradicts Scripture, but rather sola Scriptura, that Scripture is our only final, ultimate, infallible authority.
• Unbiblical rejection of any other spiritual authorities in the life of Christians and the church, including Biblical authorities ordained by God through human means within the church.
• So-called “Protestant” movements that caricature Scripture alone are plagued by pietism, emotionalism, shallowness, ignorance, lack of decency and order and qualified leadership.
• Sound very pious, but are types of spiritual/church anarchy, disorder, divisiveness, anti (human) authority.

II. We believe, teach, confess, and maintain a careful, systematic balance of these bookend doctrines

• Puritan principle: The Bible alone and the Bible in its entirety is the Word of God written, and to it nothing may be added nor from it may anything be taken away.
• Subject every and any truth claim (tradition) to the Berean Test, Scripture Test, “It is written” Test, “Do not go beyond what is written” Test, Jesus Test (Mark 7:9-13)—Does it nullify or contradict the Word of God, at any point?
• Whenever people become puffed up with conceit, to the point of placing other traditions or authorities above God and His Word, or equal to God’s Word, and abandon the sole ultimate authority of Scripture alone, and exchange the solid rock foundation of Christ’s own words, “these words of Mine,” for the imbalanced, contrary, unstable traditions of sand (Matt 7:24-29), it creates a domino effect leading to an avalanche of errors.

III. The more permanent prophetic word

• 2 Peter 1:19-21
• Weymouth: “And in the written word of prophecy we have something more permanent.”

We meet on Sundays for worship at 10:00am:

• ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church
  4712 Montana Ave
  El Paso, Texas 79903

Contact us at:

• web: ThornCrownCovenant.Church
  call/text: (915) 843-8088
  email: [email protected]

Scripture quotations marked LSB are from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com