Is the Docrine of Sola Scriptura Biblical?
Cross
Examination Session
The following is a
cross-examination session between Moses Flores and Benjamin Rosado concerning
the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. Each of
the participants met in a private chat room and were
given 30 minutes to exchange questions and answers.
Examiner: Ben Rosado
BEN: Do you
believe that scripture is good?
MOSES: Sure.
BEN: I agree
with you. Do the scriptures (the word)
help lead a person to Jesus Christ (The Word)?
MOSES: According to 2 Timothy 3:15-16,
I would certainly agree that the Scripture contain the sufficient information
needed to lead a person to the true understanding of the person and work of
Jesus Christ unto salvation
BEN: let me ask, is it possible for a person to have the wrong
interpretation of scripture?
MOSES: according to 2 Peter 3:16, it is
certainly possible that "corrupted and unlearned men twist the Scriptures
to their own destruction". The
counter of that is that pure and learned men may certainly come to the correct
understanding of Scripture through diligent study (2 Tim. 2:15) and the help of
the Holy Spirit (I John 2:20,27)
BEN: How is it
possible for a person to have the wrong interpretaion
of scripture?
MOSES: Men in their natural state do
not like to hear the voice of God calling them to accountability just as Adam
fled from the presence of God and hid in the Garden. Men distort the word of God for selfish
reasons as well, like in 2 Cor. 2:17 for monetary gain; lack of understanding
of the Scriptures, for instance lack of understanding of context, perhaps even
grammar and syntax, lack of cultural understanding of the times in which the
text was written. Too many reasons
preclude me from mentioning all of them exhaustively.
BEN: So, in
your belief then, can sola scriptura ever lead a man to come to the wrong
interpretation of the Bible?
MOSES: Sola Scriptura is not a
statement about hermeneutical methods, per se, or about handling Scripture
correctly. Rather Sola Scriptura is a
statement about the nature of Scripture alone as God-breathed revelation and
thus, its sufficiency and infallibility to all matters in which it speaks,
especially regarding faith and life unto salvation.
BEN: Let me ask
in another way then. Can a person who
believes in sola scriptura come to the wrong understanding of Christ?
MOSES:
Theoretically, if they are consistent with the doctrine, then no.
It’s actually the abandonment of the practice of Sola Scriptura that
leads one to insert foreign elements into the faith rather than those that are
revealed by God alone. So,
theoretically, it is not possible.
Existentially, men are not consistent with the doctrine because we are
fallen and have remnants of sin in us, we are
inconsistent with practicing the doctrine.
However, misappropriation of the doctrine or the Scripture does not mean
that it is necessarily false in anyway.
BEN: So why do
the Jehovah’s witnesses have a wrong understanding of
Jesus and His message (being that they firmly believe in sola scriptura)?
MOSES: Actually, the Jehovah's
Witnesses DO NOT believe in Sola Scriptura.
Jehovah's Witnesses, much like Roman Catholics I believe, have in place of the authority of the Scriptures alone, an
"infallible interpreter" in the Watchtower Society. The text that they follow is NOT based on the
best manuscripts and is poorly translated by their scholars to meet their
theological agenda. Obviously, the
Scriptures do NOT teach that the Jesus Christ is created as they do. Thus, it is clear that foreign elements have been
inserted into the text and meaning of Scripture. Thus, they DO NOT practice Sola
Scripture nor are they considered to be members of mainline Protestantism, nor
historical Protestantism in any way.
BEN: But if you
asked them what their authority is, they would say the scriptures alone. Isn’t that true?
MOSES: From
what I understand, Scripture functions as "an authority" but not
alone as infallible. Rather, the
Watchtower Society and its publications serve as the "infallible
interpreter" of what the Scriptures say.
I can't speak for them authoratively as I only know what I have read
from them and through their publications.
BEN: So if I
told you that my beliefs were based only on the scriptures, wouldn't that make
me a believer in sola scriptura?
MOSES: Not necessarily as there is a
difference between the doctrine stated and the doctrine practiced. The claims of the professed doctrine are
ultimately tested in it practice.
BEN: Aren’t you
saying that Sola Scriptura is only true when it has the right interpretation?
MOSES: Again, Sola Scriptura is a
statement about the nature of Scripture as the sole God-breathed authority in
the Church. Thus, it alone, as the very
breath from the mouth of God speaking His word, it is able to give all that is
necessary for faith and life. Thus, Sola
Scriptura asserts that Scripture is authorative by nature as the Word of God
and not dependent on its handlers, interpreters, etc...for
its authority. Scripture
is always Scripture, always the Word of God.
BEN: If Jehovah’s
witnesses have the scripture what else do they need to come to the true
understanding of Christ?
MOSES: Well, as mentioned before,
unfortunately, they don't have their text of Scripture as pure. Anyone aware of the significant difference in
the
BEN: do you
love the Bible brother Moses?
MOSES: I love the word of God as I love
the voice of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
BEN:
me too