The doctrine of scripture sufficiency is at the heart of what it means to be Protestant. Protestantism and Roman Catholicism have much in common in terms of basic theology, as a commitment to the doctrines of the Trinity and the incarnation. However, there are important differences. One of them refers to the scriptures: Are the scriptures sufficient as an authority for the church or not?
Scripture sufficiency is, of course, a doctrine that is positively related to many other theological beliefs, such as inerrance, canon extension, and scripture acumen or clarity, all of which help shape our understanding of sufficiency. But it goes beyond the scope of this short article. I will therefore focus on doctrine as generally understood by those who accept the Protestant denominational consensus on these issues, as evidenced by London’s second confession, the three forms of unity and the Westminster standards.
What does it mean that the scriptures are sufficient?
Of course, we must discuss what it means when we say that Scripture is sufficient. If my car breaks down or if I try to investigate who has committed a crime in a particularly complex puzzle, I will not find the answer in the Bible. Nor will I find the discussion about the human genome, the rules of a game, or the wing marks of American butterflies. Indeed, the scope of biblical sufficiency is simply summarized in Question 3 of the Westminster Brief Catechism:
In other words, the scriptures are sufficient for a specific task: they reveal who God is, who man is in relation to him, and how that relationship should be articulated in terms of worship.
Even with this definition, however, we must be specific about the nature of this sufficiency. In some areas, the scriptures are sufficient to teach principles, but not to provide specific details. For example, while they clearly teach that the church will gather to worship on a Saturday, they do not specifically specify the time and place. Neither my local congregation nor the duration of our service is mentioned anywhere in the New Testament. The adequacy of the scriptures is not affected by this lack. Scripture never intended to speak specifically of these local details.
The last observation may be obvious. A more subtle point about the suitability of the scriptures can be inferred from Paul’s pastoral epistles. When Paul wrote them, he established his model for the post apostolic church. It is therefore significant that he does not merely tell Timothy and Tite to make sure that copies of the Bible are available to the church. If the scriptures themselves and outside themselves were sufficient to keep the truth of faith, that is certainly all I should have done. Instead, he emphasizes not only the importance of the scriptures, but also says that there is a need for officers (elders and deaconos) and adherence to a form of solid words (a traditional teaching of the creed). Therefore, to say that the scriptures are sufficient for the church is not to say that there is only one thing Civil servants and beliefs/confessions/statutes of faith (forms consistent with solid words) also seem to be a fundamental part of Paul’s vision for a post-apostolic church.
Given these factors, there is a sense in which we can say that Protestants believe in scripture inadequacy: we recognize that the scriptures are insufficient for many details of daily life, such as maintaining a motorcycle and cooking meat. It is even insufficient for the daily health and good health of the Church: we need elders, deachonos, and models of strong words; However, it is sufficient to regulate the doctrinal content of the Christian faith and the life of the Church to a higher level. This is Paul’s point in 2 Timothy 3:16. In other words, talking about the adequacy of the scriptures is a way to talk about the unique authority of the scriptures in the life of the Church and the believer as an authorized and sufficient source for the principles of faith and practice.
What are the scriptures for?
We can do it. First, Scripture is sufficient as a noetic basis for God’s knowledge. This means that each theological statement must be consistent with the teaching of the scriptures. God is the Trinity?it is nowhere in the Bible; but its conceptual content is there. That is why it must be affirmed by all Christians. On the other hand, “Mary was conceived without original sin?it is not a concept found in the scriptures. Roman Catholics who affirm the notion thus reveal their Consider that Scripture is not a sufficient basis for theology, but should be complemented by the teaching of the church.
Second, the scriptures are sufficient for Christian practice. In terms of behavior, the scriptures offer principles that guide believers in their daily lives. This can be a complicated area: the advent of Christ requires that the codes of Old Testament law be read in the light of his person and his work, and this question goes beyond the immediate scope of this small treaty, but the principle of sufficiency is clear: given the historical-redeeming dynamics, Scripture provides general principles that are fully adequate and sufficient to be applied. in specific ethical situations. For example, the Bible may not refer to stem cells, but it does contain principles that should shape our attitudes toward them.
Third, at the church and institution level, the scriptures are once again sufficient for the principles of public organization and worship. In terms of organization, I have already noticed the fact that Paul considers those who have roles and denominations/beliefs to be vital to the current health of the church. As for those in office, the scriptures also describe the type of men who will be appointed. As for beliefs, my first point above?That the scriptures are sufficient as standard for the content of the doctrinal statement?clearly relevant.
Fourth, in terms of public worship, the scriptures are sufficient to establish their elements: singing praise, prayer, reading and preaching the Word of God, decimating and offerings for church work, baptism, and the Lord’s food. The scriptures are also sufficient to regulate the agenda and content of sermons, songs of praise, prayers, what the money will be spent on, who is baptized, and who receives the Lord’s Supper.
In short, much can be said about how a particular church understands the suitability of the scriptures by examining its form of governance, the content and emphasis of its collective worship, and how the elders lead the congregation.
Translation: Matheus Fernandes. Crítica: Yago Martins. © 2016 Faithful Ministério. All rights reserved. Website: MinisterioFiel. com. br: The scriptures are sufficient
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