It’s finally here, beloved brethren, it’s Reformation Day! Is that an official holiday yet? It should be! Instead of candy everyone could hand out tulips. I’ll admit, the ecumenical parties have tainted this anniversary for me. It’s frustrating to see the very thing the Reformers faught against, and in some cases died for, being imbraced and celebrated today. Compromise.
What a beautiful thing that this day fell on Twisted Tuesday, the day I usually discuss a verse that’s being misused, misinterpreted, or twisted. Instead of giving you a specific verse today I’m going to do something special to mark this anniversary.
Today I give you Sola Scriptura!
Scriptures alone.
We’re warned throughout the Bible to stay on the straight and narrow path. The other path, the wide and winding path, leads to eternal damnation. How do we find the straight and narrow way? There’s only one map, one instruction manual, that is the Bible. Sola Scriptura.
I’m not saying that commentaries aren’t helpful, they certainly are! Church history, expository preaching, descriptive books, are all helpful, in so much as they line up with the Word. When we decide that Gods Word will not be our sole authority we open ourselves up to the wide way. Where can we find the narrow path, only in the scriptures.
What is the narrow path? Salvation by grace, through faith in Christ alone, for the glory of God!
This is why the issue is so very important, this is no secondary discussion. This is the road to the Celestial City we’re talking about! If the Bible says stay straight, but your extra biblical, ‘prophetic’, follow your heart, book of advice says make a left turn, your in trouble. If you have a greater working knowledge of mans written word than Gods written Word you’re at risk to be led astray by every wind of doctrine.
So, my dear friends, be good Berean’s and study to show yourselves approved. And have a happy Reformation Day!
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Tulips & Honey 
Good words.
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Thank you, sister. God bless you, and yours!
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Thank you, sister, and Happy Reformation Day to you as well! Yes, on God’s Word alone we stand. Catholics say Sola Scriptura is like having a car with no trained driver but the Holy Spirit has preserved the believing church throughout the centuries without an authoritarian hierarchy. What a miracle! Without Sola Scriptura as its guide, the Roman magisterium has created all kinds of non-Biblical and anti-Biblical doctrines to suit its purposes. Conservative Catholics mock Sola Scriptura but are dismayed by their current pope who is dismantling some of their cherished traditions. Jesus Christ, the Word, is my foundation and nothing else.
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Amen, brother! It’s funny to consider that analogy, a car with no trained driver. I don’t think they’ve thought through that logic. If the car is the Bible and I’m the driver then I have the greatest trainer of all time, the Holy Spirit! There are so many verses that contradict the idea that only hierarchy can drive the car.
I can see the fulfillment of scripture with the current state of the RCC, that is exactly what happens when you build a house on sand. Like you so rightly stated, Jesus Christ, the Word, is our foundation! Have a great Reformation day, God bless you!
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Deuteronomy 21: 18-21
18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
Deuteronomy 22: 23-24
23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;
24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.
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Hello Catherine, I’m glad you brought these two things up. They’ve been explained more times then anyone cares to admit, however for whatever reason atheists still use them. I’m thankful that they do, as it reveals how very little you actually care about the truth. You know the truth, in fact we’ve discussed these two things before. You suppress that truth in unrighteousness, because to admit how wrong you are would mean admitting you’ll be held accountable for your sin. Catherine this is a small fraction of the Bible, and you’re so very wrong in your assumptions of what it means. If you can be wrong, and cling to this falsehood as you do, then it’s clear you can be wrong in other areas. Your wrong about the origin of the world, you have a god which you crafted in your own image, you have a false view of heaven and hell, and you have absolutely no biblical literacy whatsoever. You’re basing eternity on these incorrect assumptions. Please, humble yourself and recognize the magnitude of your mistake, repent of your sins, put your faith in Jesus Christ, and be saved. Read Psalms 50, it explains what I’m saying better than I can.
For my readers sake, who might come across these two arguments whilst sharing the Gospel I’ll once again respond. Although, I hope everyone reading this will understand, I am in no way the first to do so. Please don’t take this for any type of intelligence on my part. I’m merely repeating what wiser believers have explained regarding these verses.
Let’s start with Deuteronomy 21, which is an ironic argument in light of the atheistic response to Josh Duggars behavior. How many, believers and nonbelievers, said the parents should have prosecuted him to the fullest extent? Yet then they look at this verse and hypocritically call God bad. Obviously this is not referring to a young child, but an adult who is breaking the laws of Israel. Israel was to be set apart, a nation of people who obeyed God. Their laws were different, that’s true. The penalty for breaking those laws were Texas style death row to be sure. However, let’s look at this specifically, here a grown man is breaking the laws of God, knowing that the punishment for such is death. Today people still do that, if you go to Texas people still commit acts that will land them on death row, all the while knowing what they’re doing will lead them there. Why? Because mans heart is exceedingly wicked.
Why the law then? So that we can see clearly the desperate need we have for a savior. We can’t earn salvation, the Law was difficult deliberately.
Now for Deuteronomy 22, which the repeating of really does reveal just how little the person quoting from this verse actually knows about the Bible. This verse and the one before are often used to give the appearance that the person using it has really read up! But a quick google search can show what they mean. Not to mention reading the text in its fullness. So, what’s happening here is adultery, not rape. Rape is a crime punishable by death, had the man raped the woman he would have been the only one to die. That’s not what’s happening. Women did not go into cities alone in the Jewish culture, for this very reason. If a man tried to take her she would scream out and three or more cousins, brothers, servants, would put a stop to it. This is referring to two individuals caught in a mutually agreed upon act. It was adultery because engagements were considered binding.
We don’t have to agree with these laws, firstly because God is far greater then we are and assuming our wretched hearts and limited minds could EVER match His is the height of foolishness. Secondly, because these laws were for Israel. They’re helpful to read in context to see how we could never remain clean under the law, especially when Jesus expanded adultery to lustful thoughts, and murder to hatred of others. Can any of us be righteous on our own? No. We can not even desire to be righteous on our own! Sin came through the first Adam, and with it death. Salvation came with the second Adam, and with Him eternal life. The wages of sin IS death, however the gift of God IS eternal life!
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Good response
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Thank you, brother, that means a lot coming from you. I can’t take any credit, I had the great blessing of stumbling onto several debates between atheists and believers. These two arguments were always brought up, after hearing them often enough it’s seems to have been committed to memory. I praise God for His Word, which was written for our benefit. It’s difficult to see anyone twist it, or malign it. May God bless you, Pastor Jim!
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Keep up the good fight sister
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Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
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I remember 10 years ago when I was saved, and I had just gotten a Bible, and had no idea where to begin studying. Then, one day our pastor made a comment while preaching that we ought not to believe anything just because he said it, but check it all to see if he was right or not. Well, that was it, and I was off. I have always been sort of a compulsive note taker anyway, so this worked perfect. My study for a couple of years was just taking each sermon and picking it apart and wandering around all the places he went. Not is, several dozen notebooks later, and I still do the same thing.
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That’s such an excellent idea, brother! Every church needs someone bold like that, who can hold the leadership accountable. We also need more leadership willing to listen prayerfully to correction when given. What a testimony your diligence is to the love of Gods Word and your brethren’s spiritual walk!
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Good post by the way sister
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Thank you for so much encouragement, you’ve been a blessing brother!
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