Sola Scriptura: The Holy Spirit does not guide us to understand the Bible!

Illumination of the Holy Spirit to understand the Bible is a false doctrine and contrary to "sola Scriptura": Most Protestants are as bad a Catholics and Orthodox

The Holy Spirit a!e us the Bible and "e can understand it as any other boo#$ %hy can "e understand ne"spapers& but not the Bible "ithout the Holy Spirit' This false doctrine ma#es (od incapable of "ritin to be understood& "hile men can be understood in the ne"spaper$ It also ma#es all boo#s on earth understandable "ithout the Holy Spirit& except for the Bible& "hich "e are& accordin to this false doctrine& pre!ented from understandin until the Holy Spirit illuminates the meanin for us)

Sola Scriptura home page

I. Roman Catholic and Orthodox defenders make this correct observation about the Protestant "inward witness of the ol! Spirit to understand the "ible"#
*$ Protestants all claim to interpret the Scripture by the li ht of the Holy Spirit& and yet they mana e to come up "ith a multitude of different interpretations of the same passa e$ +o" either the Spirit is playin ames "ith these people or there is somethin "ron "ith their theolo ical method$ ,fter all& Cal!inists and ,rminians cannot both be ri ht- all the dialectic in the "orld cannot reconcile t"o completely irreconcilable doctrines$ .TH/ %,0: %hat /!ery Protestant Should 1no" ,bout the Orthodox Church& Clar# Carlton& *223& p 4*5

II. Protestant$Reformed# Inward %itness Creedalists#

&. 'alsel! believe the "ible# ol! Spirit guides or "illuminates" them to understand the

*$ "+e!ertheless& "e ac#no"led e the in"ard illumination of the Spirit of (od to be necessary for the sa!in understandin of such thin s as are re!ealed in the %ord" .%estminster Confession of faith& 6:65

7$ If the Scriptures be a plain boo#& and the Spirit performs the functions of a teacher to all the children of (od& it follo"s ine!itably that they must a ree in all essential matters in their interpretation of the Bible$ ,nd from that fact it follo"s that for an indi!idual Christian to dissent from the faith of the uni!ersal Church .i$e$& the body of true belie!ers5& is tantamount to dissentin from the Scriptures themsel!es$ .Charles Hod e& Systematic Theolo y& Presbyterian Cal!inist& *438& *:*495 8$ "By assertin the principle that Scripture is its o"n simplest& most certain& and direct interpreter& :uther sou ht to re!erse this process and extract Scripture from the "rappin s of commentaries and interpreters$ The scriptures can be understood only throu h the Holy Spirit by "hom they "ere "ritten and this Spirit is no"here to be found more li!in and present than in His o"n sacred "ritin s$" .;ohn M$ Headley& :uther<s !ie" of Church History& *268& p 475 9$ "If "e desire to pro!ide in the best "ay for our consciences=that they may not be perpetually beset by the instability of doubt or !acillation& and that they may not also bo le at the smallest >uibbles="e ou ht to see# our con!iction in a hi her place than human reasons& ?ud ments& or con?ectures& that is& in the secret testimony of the Spirit$$$$ If "e turn pure eyes and upri ht senses to"ard it& the ma?esty of (od "ill immediately come to !ie"& subdue our bold re?ection& and compel us to obey$" .;ohn Cal!in& Institutes of the Christian @eli ion& I$ !ii$ 95 A$ :et this point therefore stand: that those "hom the Holy Spirit has in"ardly tau ht truly rest upon Scripture& and that Scripture indeed is self=authenticatedhence& it is not ri ht to sub?ect it to proof and reasonin $ ,nd the certainty it deser!es "ith us& it attains by the testimony of the Spirit$$$$ %e see# no proofs& no mar#s of enuineness upon "hich our ?ud ment may lean- but "e sub?ect our ?ud ment and "it to it as a thin far beyond any uess"or#$$$$ (od& therefore& !ery ri htly proclaims throu h Isaiah that the prophets& to ether "ith the "hole people are "itnesses to him- for they& instructed by prophecies& unhesitatin ly held that (od has spo#en "ithout deceit or ambi uity BIsa$ 98C$ Such then is a con!iction that re>uires no reasons- such& a #no"led e "ith "hich the best reason a rees=in "hich the mind truly reposes more securely and constantly than in any reasons- such& finally& a feelin that can be born only of hea!enly re!elation$ I spea# of nothin other than "hat each belie!er experiences "ithin himself=thou h my "ords fall far beneath a ?ust explanation of the matter$ .;ohn Cal!in& Institutes of the Christian @eli ion& I$ !ii$ 95 6$ "In order for the Holy Spirit to spea# throu h Scripture& some human a ency must be in!ol!ed& e!en if that human a ent is simply one indi!idual readin the text of Scripture$ .The Shape Of Sola Scriptura& 1eith ,$ Mathison& @eformed Protestant& 7DD*& p 7965 3$ "It Bthe churchC o"es its "hole authority to the fact that it is a common understandin of the "ritten "ord& attained and preser!ed under that teachin of the Spirit& "hich secures to belie!ers a competent #no"led e of the plan of sal!ation therein re!ealed$" .Charles Hod e& Systematic Theolo y& Presbyterian Cal!inist& *438& *:**65 4$ "They "ho stri!e to build up firm faith in Scripture throu h disputation are doin thin s bac#"ards$$$$ BbecauseC e!en if anyone clears (odEs Sacred %ord from manEs e!il spea#in & he "ill not at once imprint upon their hearts that certainty "hich piety re>uires$ Since for unbelie!in men reli ion seems to stand by opinion alone& they& in order not to belie!e anythin foolishly or li htly& both "ish and demand rational proof that Moses and the prophets spo#e

di!inely$ But I reply: the testimony of the Spirit is more excellent than all reason$ For as (od alone is a fit "itness of himself in his %ord& so also the %ord "ill not find acceptance in menEs hearts before it is sealed by the in"ard testimony of the Spirit$ The same Spirit& therefore& "ho has spo#en throu h the mouths of the prophets must penetrate into our hearts to persuade us that they faithfully proclaimed "hat had been di!inely commanded$" .;ohn Cal!in& Institutes of the Christian @eli ion& I$ !ii$ 95 2$ :uther tau ht that the Spirit accomplishes His "or# in the Church$ The Spirit= inspired %ord of (od and the Spirit=ind"elt people of (od must be distin uished& but they cannot be artificially separated$ .The Shape Of Sola Scriptura& 1eith ,$ Mathison& @eformed Protestant& 7DD*& p *DD5

Protestant$Reformed# Inward %itness &nti(Creedalists#

*$ Sebastian Franc#& *922 = *A97 ,G& is an example of a man "ho re?ected the church creeds& "hile continuin to belie!e the Holy Spirit directly uides you to understand the Bible$ 7$ Initially a :utheran pastor& he re?ected all creeds& councils and traditions& and tau ht that (od communicates "ith indi!iduals "ithout the help of human institutions throu h the personal illumination of the Holy Spirit$ 8$ Franc# said of the Bible "is a boo# sealed "ith se!en seals "hich none can open unless he has the #ey of Ga!id& "hich is the illumination of the Spirit$" 9$ Franc# said of creeds: "Foolish ,mbrose& ,u ustine& ;erome& (re ory=of "hom not one e!en #ne" the :ord& so help me (od& nor "as sent by (od to teach$ @ather& they "ere all apostles of ,ntichrist$" .Sebastian Franc#& *A8D ,G5 by Ste!e @udd

Sola Scriptura: "Read and you will understand"!

'or those who think )od is an incompetent writer* The Bible can be interpreted correctly by e!ery person$ %ithout the church to interpret for you$ .false doctrine5 %ithout the illumination of the Holy Spirit$ .false doctrine5

Children read and understand the "ible* "from childhood you ha!e #no"n the sacred "ritin s" 7 Timothy 8:*A Sola Scriptura home pa e

"Read and you will understand" Eph 3:3-5

*$ "that by re!elation there "as made #no"n to me the mystery& as I "rote before in brief$ By referrin to this& "hen you read you can understand my insi ht into the mystery of Christ& "hich in other enerations "as not made #no"n to the sons of men& as it has no" been re!ealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit" /phesians 8:8=A 7$ "For "e "rite nothin else to you than "hat you read and understand& and I hope you "ill understand until the end" 7 Corinthians *:*8 8$ "from childhood you ha!e #no"n the sacred "ritin s "hich are able to i!e you the "isdom that leads to sal!ation throu h faith "hich is in Christ ;esus$" 7 Timothy 8:*A 9$ "He read from the boo# before the s>uare "hich "as in front of the %ater (ate from early mornin until midday& in the presence of men and "omen& those "ho could understand- and all the people "ere attenti!e to the boo# of the la"$ $$$ They read from the boo#& from the la" of (od& translatin Bcf$ /Hra 9:*4C to i!e the sense so that they understood the readin $" +ehemiah 4:8&4 A$ "For the heart of this people has become dull& %ith their ears they scarcely hear& ,nd they ha!e closed their eyes& Other"ise they "ould see "ith their eyes& Hear "ith their ears& ,nd understand "ith their heart and return& ,nd I "ould heal them$" Matthe" *8:*A

6$ ",nd the one on "hom seed "as so"n on the ood soil& this is the man "ho hears the "ord and understands it- "ho indeed bears fruit and brin s forth& some a hundred=fold& some sixty& and some thirty$" Matthe" *8:78 3$ "Therefore "hen you see the abomination of desolation "hich "as spo#en of throu h Ganiel the prophet& standin in the holy place .let the reader understand5& Matthe" 79:*A 4$ %ith the exception of * I 7 Timothy and Titus& all of Scripture is "ritten to the Christian in eneral& not the leaders: @om$ *:3- * Cor$ *:7 - 7 Cor$ *:* - (al$ *: 7 - /ph$ *:* - Phil$ *:* - Col$ *:*- * Thess$ *:*- 7 Thess$ *:* - * Pet *:*- 7 Pet *:*@e!$ *:9$ +!pical false statement b! those who re,ect sola Scriptura# "The idea that the Scriptures are self=interpretin is patently absurd$ It assumes a de ree of absolute ob?ecti!ity that "ould ma#e the most ardent positi!ist crin e "ith embarrassment$ $$$ this is exactly "hat the doctrine of sola Scriptura assumes: a bare text that someho" imposes its meanin on the reader$" .TH/ %,0: %hat /!ery Protestant Should 1no" ,bout the Orthodox Church& Clar# Carlton& *223& p *DD5

+hree false sources of truth other than the "ible#

-.# Illumination of the Church Organi/ation b! the ol! Spirit

The church is not an infallible source of truth The church is not illuminated by the Holy Spirit)

The @oman Catholic and Orthodox churches both claim the Bible cannot be understood by the common man and that only the church can properly interpret scripture$ This is false doctrine$

-0# Illumination of the Individual b! the Spirit

The Holy Spirit does not " uide us" to understand the Bible$ Personal illumination of the Holy Spirit is a false doctrine

ol!

Protestant& @eformed& Baptist& Pentecostal churches belie!e the Holy Spirit personally illuminates them to properly understand the Bible$ %ithout the Holy Spirit& the common man cannot understand the Bible$ This is false doctrine$

-1# Illumination of ol! Spirit

uman Creeds b! the

Many reli ions falsely belie!e creeds are e>ual to the Bible$ Illumination of creeds by the Holy Spirit is a false doctrine$

Catholic& Orthodox and Protestant churches all belie!e creeds are "functionally e>ual" to the Bible because they belie!e the Holy Spirit assisted in the "ritin of the creed$ This is false doctrine$

SOLA SCRIPTURA HOME PAGE http://www.bible.ca/sola-scriptura-start.htm POR STEVEN RUDD

Defining Sola Scriptura correctly.

It means ,ust what it sa!s2 the bible alone* Is !our church a "Pseudo(Sola Scriptura" church3 "eware of both anti(sola Scriptura churches and Pseudo(Sola Scriptura churches

Sola Scriptura home page

Top ten list of why the Roman Catholic and Orthodox take the wrong view of tradition

&. 4efining Sola Scriptura# ""ible Onl!"

*$ 7$ 8$ 9$ :atin: "Sola" J ,lone :atin: "Scriptura" J Scriptures :atin: "Sola Scriptura" J Bible Only (ree#: ",nti" J .,nti=Sola Scriptura5 "a ainst& opposite or opposed to usin the Bible only A$ (ree#: "Pseudo" J .Pseudo=Sola Scriptura5 ",pparently similar& counterfeit& pretended& spurious& false" They claim to use the Bible only& but in fact do not)

". Sola Scriptura means#

*$ 7$ 8$ 9$ A$ 6$ 3$ The Bible alone "ithout creeds$ .ie ,postles creed& +icene creed$5 The Bible alone "ithout councils$ .ie /cumenical Councils$5 The Bible alone "ithout church canons$ .ie Canons of Gort$5 The Bible alone "ithout statements of faith$ .most churches create one$5 The Bible alone "ithout oral tradition$ .unless it is found in the Bible$5 The Bible alone "ithout church tradition$ .unless it is found in the Bible$5 The Bible alone "ithout a "church interpreter"$ .Catholic& Orthodox& ;eho!ahEs %itnesses all say only the church can correctly interpret the Bible& not the indi!idual$5 4$ The Bible alone "ithout indi!idual illumination of the Holy Spirit$ ./!an elicals& Baptists& Charismatics and Cal!inists belie!e they are personally uided by the Holy Spirit to correctly interpret the Bible$5 2$ The Bible alone "ithout modern day prophecy and inspiration$ .Pentecostal& Charismatic and most of the *2th century cults& .Mormons& Se!enth=day ,d!entists5 all claimed to ha!e li!in prophets$5

C. Pseudo(Sola Scriptura churches

*$ Catholics& Orthodox& ;eho!ahEs %itnesses claim an infallible or aniHation$ 7$ Pentecostals and Charismatics claim infallible pastors$ .inspiration5 8$ /!an elicals& Baptists and Cal!inists claim infallible indi!iduals$ .Illumination of the Holy Spirit5 9$ Sola Scriptura Scriptura: Fallible Christians claim an infallible boo#)

4. Sola Scriptura and the infallible book*

*$ Sola Scriptura re?ects the false doctrine of infallible church or aniHations& pastors and indi!iduals and claims only the Bible is infallible$$$ and "e best start readin it to #no" exactly "hat it says) 7$ %hile Catholics claim and infallible or aniHations& Charismatics claim infallible pastors& Baptists claim infallible indi!iduals& Christians claim an infallible boo#$ 8$ Be"are of Pseudo=Sola Scriptura churches 9$ Sola Scriptura means ?ust "hat it says: the bible alone)

4. 5an! claim Sola Scriptura but in practice den! it b! using creeds

*$ If your church claims to use the Bible only& but uses creeds& they are not sola Scriptura Scriptura& e!en if they claim they are) 7$ Classic @eformers li#e 1eith ,$ Mathison complains that Christians ha!e altered the definition of "sola Scriptura" and see# to restore the definition bac# to the "ay their founder& Cal!in defined it$ %hile Mathison "ants "his boy" .Cal!in5 to be the standard by "hich all others are ?ud ed& "e s#ip o!er Cal!in bac# to the Bible itself and the earliest apostolic Fathers "ho did not use "ritten creeds as uni!ersal standards of doctrine$

6. "eware of anti(sola Scriptura churches & list of &nti(sola Scriptura churches#

*$ ,ll @oman Catholic family of churches 7$ ,ll /astern (ree# Orthodox family of churches

'. "eware of Pseudo(Sola Scriptura churches & list of Pseudo(Sola Scriptura churches#
*$ 7$ 8$ 9$ ,ny church that claims to spea# in ton ues$ .Charismatics and Pentecostals Most TK preachers$ ,ny church that belie!es in /!an elicals& Baptists ,ll @eform churches& .Gutch @eformed& Christian @eformed& Classical @eformed5 because they not only belie!e in personal illumination of the Holy Spirit& but also accept the +icene creed as inspired$ A$ ,ll Cal!inist churches that adhere to ;ohn Cal!in$ .personal illumination of the Holy Spirit5

). 7arious t!pes of churches who re,ect sola Scriptura#

*$ 6cclesiasticall! Illuminated2 +raditionalist2 Creedalists# @oman Catholic and Orthodox churches maintain that the scriptures can only be interpreted in li ht of "hat the current church or aniHation proclaims$ The scriptures are not understandable by the common man in the pe" and that the Holy Spirit communicates "ith the or aniHation to correctly understand truth$ /xtra= Biblical& oral tradition doctrines are seen as e>ual to scripture itself$ These churches are hea!y users of creeds$ In buffet style& they pic# and chose "hich doctrines of the apostolic fathers they feel are authoritati!e& "hile re?ectin others$ 8uotes#

"But the appeal to anti>uity is both a treason and a heresy$ It is a treason because it re?ects the Gi!ine !oice of the Church at this hour& and a heresy because it denies that !oice to be Gi!ine$ Ho" can "e #no" "hat anti>uity "as except throu h the Church' L I may say in strict truth that the Church has no anti>uity$ It rests upon its o"n supernatural and perpetual consciousness$ $$$ The only Gi!ine e!idence to us of "hat "as primiti!e is the "itness and !oice of the Church at this hour$" .Henry /d"ard Mannin & The Temporal Mission of the Holy (host: Or @eason and @e!elation& *46A& p 773=7745 "The idea that the Scriptures are self=interpretin is patently absurd$ It assumes a de ree of absolute ob?ecti!ity that "ould ma#e the most ardent positi!ist crin e "ith embarrassment$ $$$ this is exactly "hat the doctrine of sola Scriptura assumes: a bare text that someho" imposes its meanin on the reader$" .TH/ %,0: %hat /!ery Protestant Should 1no" ,bout the Orthodox Church& Clar# Carlton& *223& p *DD5 7$ 6cclesiasticall! Illuminated2 &nti(+raditionalists2 Creedalists# ;eho!ahEs %itnesses& li#e Catholics belie!e only the leaders of the church .ie$ the (o!ernin Body "ho "rite the %atchto"er ma aHine5 can understand scripture$ The common "sla!e class" ;eho!ahEs %itness .the ones "ho #noc# on your door5 cannot understand scripture themsel!es apart from "hat the %atchto"er says$ :i#e Catholics& they belie!e the Holy Spirit uides the or aniHation to understand the Bible$ 0et unli#e the @oman Catholic and Orthodox churches& ;eho!ahEs %itnesses enerally re?ect all traditions and creeds as false doctrine$ %hile ;eho!ahEs %itnesses re?ect the historic creeds& the %atchto"er ma aHine itself& is their creed& "hich is updated on a "ee#ly basis& as the Holy Spirit brin s "ne" li ht" to a blind people$ 8uotes# "The Bible cannot be properly understood "ithout ;eho!ahEs !isible or aniHation in mind$" .%atchto"er& Oct *& *263& p $ A435 "He does not impart his holy spirit and understandin and appreciation of his %ord apart from his !isible or aniHation$" .%atchto"er& ;uly *& *26A& p $ 82*5 "Only this or aniHation functions for ;eho!ahEs purpose and to his praise$ To it alone (odEs Sacred %ord& the Bible& is not a sealed boo#$" .The %atchto"er- 3M*M*238& p 9D75 "%e all need help to understand the Bible& and "e cannot find the scriptural uidance "e need outside the Efaithful and discreet sla!eE or aniHation$E" .%atchto"er& February *A& *24*& p$*25 ",!oid independent thin#in $$$>uestionin the counsel that is pro!ided by (odEs !isible or aniHation$" $$$ "Fi ht a ainst independent thin#in $" .%atchto"er& ;an$ *A& *248 p $ 77& 735

"The e!idence of the holy spirit in the >uality and content of the "ritin s published by the %atchto"er Society .%atchto"er ma aHine5 should be the thin that satisfies& that con!inces& to ether "ith a comparison of these thin s "ith the inspired %ord of (od& the Holy Scriptures$" .%atchto"er& Oct$ *& *2A2& p$ 6D3=6D45 8$ 6cclesiasticall! 9 Inward %itness Illuminated2 Creedalists# Most Protestant churches .Baptist& @eformed& Pentecostal& Cal!inist& Presbyterian5 belie!e the Bible cannot be understood "ithout the direct illumination of the Holy Spirit to uide the indi!idual to the correct interpretation$ 0et& li#e Catholics& they also belie!e the Holy Spirit uides the corporate church to correct understandin of truth$ ,ll these churches hea!ily endorse the use of creeds& both historic and modern "hich they belie!e to be "functionally e>ui!alent" to scripture$ Some say their creeds are re!elations of the Holy Spirit& "hile others "ould deny this& yet all belie!e creeds are an acid test of orthodoxy$ %e call these churches "pseudo sola Scriptura" or aniHations because althou h they claim to use the Bible only& they certainly do not in practice since they use creeds& belie!e the Bible is not understandable apart from the illumination of the Holy Spirit& both in the indi!idual and the corporate church$ 8uotes# "It is only "ithin the Church that "e find Scripture interpreted ri htly& and it is only "ithin the Church that "e find the ospel$" .The Shape Of Sola Scriptura& 1eith ,$ Mathison& @eformed Protestant& 7DD*& p 7645 "the Holy Spirit is promised to uide the people of (od into the #no"led e of the truth& and therefore that "hich they& under the teachin of the Spirit& a ree in belie!in must be true$" .Charles Hod e& Systematic Theolo y& Presbyterian Cal!inist& *438& *:**85 "+e!ertheless& "e ac#no"led e the in"ard illumination of the Spirit of (od to be necessary for the sa!in understandin of such thin s as are re!ealed in the %ord" .%estminster Confession of faith& 6:65 "The ecumenical creeds represent the hermeneutical consensus already reached by the Church$ They declare the basic essential truths "hich ha!e been confessed by all Christians from the first days of the Church until today$ They represent that "hich the entire Church has seen in Scripture$ $$$ if the Holy Spirit has been promised to uide the Church into the #no"led e of the truth of Scripture- if the entire Church for thousands of years confesses to bein tau ht by the Spirit the same essential truths in Scripture& then it follo"s that those truths are "hat Scripture says$" .The Shape Of Sola Scriptura& 1eith ,$ Mathison& @eformed Protestant& 7DD*& p 74D5 The Holy Spirit is the ultimate criterion of truth& but He bears "itness to the truth throu h this reciprocal relationship bet"een Christian Scripture& the Christian Church& and the Christian creed$ /ach of these three relates

to the other t"o in a uni>ue "ay$ The Scripture is the Spirit=inspired %ord of (od that bears "itness to the truth of the re ula fidei and bears "itness to the identity of the Church$ .The Shape Of Sola Scriptura& 1eith ,$ Mathison& @eformed Protestant& 7DD*& p 7635 9$ Inward %itness &nti(Creedalists# ,lthou h the !ie"s of Sebastian Franc#& *922 = *A97 ,G& did not endure& he is an interestin example of a man "ho sa" the fla"s of Protestant churches$ Initially a :utheran pastor& he re?ected all creeds& councils and traditions& and tau ht that (od communicates "ith indi!iduals "ithout the help of human institutions throu h the personal illumination of the Holy Spirit$ Franc# said the Bible "is a boo# sealed "ith se!en seals "hich none can open unless he has the #ey of Ga!id& "hich is the illumination of the Spirit$" $$$ "Foolish ,mbrose& ,u ustine& ;erome& (re ory=of "hom not one e!en #ne" the :ord& so help me (od& nor "as sent by (od to teach$ @ather& they "ere all apostles of ,ntichrist$" .Sebastian Franc#& *A8D ,G5 Fran# also re?ected the almost uni!ersally held idea that the corporate church "as uided by the Holy Spirit$ %e obser!e that had Franc# eliminated the final e!il .illumination of the Spirit5 he "ould ha!e been one of the first to restore the true sola Scriptura of the early church and the apostolic fathers$

. )enuine Scriptura churches

+R:+ # Sola Scriptura# *$ "that by re!elation there "as made #no"n to me the mystery& as I "rote before in brief$ By referrin to this& "hen you read you can understand my insi ht into the mystery of Christ& "hich in other enerations "as not made #no"n to the sons of men& as it has no" been re!ealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit" /phesians 8:8=A 7$ "For "e "rite nothin else to you than "hat you read and understand& and I hope you "ill understand until the end" 7 Corinthians *:*8 8$ "from childhood you ha!e #no"n the sacred "ritin s "hich are able to i!e you the "isdom that leads to sal!ation throu h faith "hich is in Christ ;esus$" 7 Timothy 8:*A This is the truth$ The scriptures& bein "ritten by the Holy Spirit& are understandable by e!ery man on the planet in the same "ay a common ne"spaper is$ %e re?ect the idea that the Holy Spirit pre!ents non=belie!ers from understandin the Bible& until they are illuminated$ (i!e a list e!ery !erse in the Bible on a sin le topic to *DD people and they "ill all a ree$ This& in fact& is ho" our thousands of churches all o!er the "orld operate and "e ha!e no central or aniHation& no or aniHation lar er than the local church$ %e use no creeds& catechisms or statements of faith$ Oral tradition doesnEt brin about unity because the @oman Catholic and Orthodox churches both claim they ha!e oral tradition yet their doctrines are so different& they are not e!en in fello"ship .communion5 "ith each other$ The fact they also both claim "apostolic succession" yet differ po"erfully

refutes any such notion$ ,ppealin to creeds& as a rule of faith brin s one into irreconcilable contradiction both "ith the Bible and bet"een the !arious creeds themsel!es$ The in"ard illumination of the Holy Spirit to understand scripture is pro!en a false doctrine because the Holy Spirit is not oin to re!eal different doctrines to different people$ Those "ho belie!e in the in"ard illumination of the Holy Spirit are therefore self=decei!ed into thin#in that "hate!er they belie!e& is truth& because the Holy Spirit led them to that belief$ Our !ie" is that scripture alone& is the only "ay unity can be attained "orld "ide$ *$ %e !ie" scripture itself as our only creed and statements of faith$ 7$ %e use no man=made creeds& catechisms& statements of faith$ 8$ @e?ect all councils and canons not because they contain error& but because they compete "ith the authority of the Bible$ %e re?ect the "apostles creed" e!en thou h "e a ree "ith it& because it is not needed& since "e ha!e the Bible itself) 9$ ,ccept scripture is a complete inspired re!elation from (od in order to determine all essential matters of faith& litur y and "orship$ A$ Stron ly belie!e (od "as smart enou h that He could "rite the Bible in such a "ay& so as to be understood "hen read$ 6$ %e belie!e that& "ho (od created man& "rote the Bible in such a "ay& so that man "ould be able to understand the Bible unaided$ It is ridiculous to for Catholic traditionalists& to "rite a boo# to pro!e "e cannot understand the di!inely authored Bible oursel!es& "hile expectin us to understand their humanly authored boo# itself$ 3$ %e belie!e it is insultin to (od to thin# that Catholic and Orthodox defenders can "rite a boo# and be understood by the common man unaided& but (od cannot "rite the Bible and be understood unaided$ 4$ %e belie!e it is insultin to (od to thin# that "personal illumination" defenders can "rite a boo# and be understood by the common man unaided by the Holy Spirit& but (od cannot "rite the Bible and be understood unaided$ 2$ %e utterly re?ect the idea that only the church or aniHation ."hich is nothin more than a fe" fallible men at the top5 can understand the Bible$ *D$ %e utterly re?ect as false doctrine that the Holy Spirit directly illuminates each indi!idual into a correct understandin of the Bible$ Such a doctrine is not tau ht in scripture$ If it "ere true& then "hy do the "Pseudo=Sola Scriptura" churches that claim such "personal illumination" differ as reatly in their doctrine& as the ",nti=Sola Scriptura" do in re ards to their tradition$ Clic# here to locate a enuine sola Scriptura church in your o"n home to"n$

Sola Scriptura vs. Infallibility

In the table belo" you can see the "ay different non=sola Scriptura churches claim their doctrine is correct and their eneral !ie" of scripture$ Denomination Is Organization Infallible? Are Leaders Infallible? Is Individual Infallible? Unaided Personal Interpretation? Bible AllSufficient?

Truth: Sola Scriptura

No * Tim 9:* OT capti!ity& crucifixion Yes

No (al 7:*D :am 7:*9 ;er 72:4 Yes: Pope and successors Yes: Joseph Smith and successors Yes: Governing Body Yes: Ellen White

No Col 7:*4 /He# *8:*=3

Yes /ph 8:8

Yes * Pe *:8

Catholic

No

No: Organiz Needed

No

Mormon

Yes

Yes: HS guides

No: HS needed

No

Jehovahs Witness

Yes

Yes: HS guides

No: Organiz needed

Yes

Seventh-day Adventist

Yes

No

No: HS needed

Yes

Pentecostal & Calvinistic

Indirectly through HS guiding leaders Indirectly through HS guiding to that church Indirectly through HS guiding to that church

Yes: Pastor/ Prophets

Yes: HS guides

No: HS needed

Yes

Calvinistic nonPentecostal

Yes: but in no way different from nonleaders Yes: All leaders have "entire sanctification"

Yes: HS guides

No: HS needed

Yes

WesleyanArmenian

Yes: "entire sanctification"

No: HS needed

Yes

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