Must Christians follow Scriptural Teachings only ?
There is no greater commander and higher authority to christians than that of Christ Jesus Himself.
And His commandments are most readily available (in non-supernatural fashion) in the gospels of the Bible.
He is the Word of God (Jn 1vv1-12, Heb 11v3), and the Bible/scriptures is the Word of God ( 2Sam 12v9, 1Th 4v15, Ti 2v5, 1Pet 1v25 ).
Christ Himself relied on scriptures in facing all temptation by the devil. No other earthly auathority was relied upon. And the devil had no word against His relying on scriptures. Even the devil himself was recorded to be attempting to quote scripture to support his proposition. For things are as it is written.
There are false prophets ( Matt7v15, Matt24v11, Lk 6v26, Rev 16v13 ), and false teachers ( 2Pet2v1 ), deceivers (2Jn 1v7, 2Pet2v3 ), pretenders ( Php 3v2 ), liars ( 1Tim4v2, 1Jn2vv4, 22, 1Jn 5v10 ), deceivers ( 2Cor11v26, 2Jn 1v7 ), diviners ( Dt 18v14, Ezk 22v28 ), soothsayers ( Lv 19v26, Jer 27v9 ), and other servants of demons and Satan the Devil ( 1Tim 4v1, Rev 2v2 ).
Prophesies are not necessarily the Word of God, for there are false prophets, who also prophesied. In the same token, teachings from some authorities are not necessarily holy. But events are to be fulfiled as it is written, in scriptures. They are the prophets, and Christ.
Christ taught that there will be Anti-Christs ( Matt 24v24, Mk 13v22 ) and there are advocates of other ways.
1Tim 4 vv 1, 2:
v1: But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,
v2: by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,1John 2 v 4:
The one who says, "I have come to know Him (Jesus)," and does not keep His commandments (at least all those as recorded in scriptures), is a liar, and the truth is not in him;
The Spirit speaks through scriptures. It moves through the bible/Biblia.
Christ taught that there will be pseudo-christians, false circumcision ( Lk 11v23 ).
John also taught that there will be anti-Christs ( 1Jn 4v3, 2Jn 1v7 ).
Scriptures teaches us to test the Spirit ( Jg 6v39, Jb 12v11, 1Jn 4v1, Rev 2v2 ) of those who bring us message. The authority of God allows us to act according to His words. It does not do everything for us.
Rev 2v2:
...and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;
Yet, the scriptures are tested, and confirmed by the Spirit of God to reveal His true teachings and will. The synoptic gospels and the letters of the apostles are recognised by the apostles. All letters of Paul in the New Testament were recognised. Not all letters are included. What are included are there that the man of God may be adequate. Adequacy is stressed. No overdoing of total inclusion. No lack of supply. Always cautioning man to seek the presence of God.
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The term "sola scriptura" meaning by scriptures (ie: the Bible, the Word of God) only, has its root in the reformation.
The reformation was a moment of intellectual reformers against the Roman Catholic church and Orthodox churches. These churches/organisation have been holding onto doctrines that are contrary to Biblical teachings, practices, and doctrines of the Apostles.
The reformers, represented ideologically by Martin Luther and John Calvin, believe that the christian church was corrupted through the Catholic churches and reformation is necessary to bring forth the true teachings of Christ as is recorded in the Bible.
They do not see that these churches are synagogues of Satan, and made complete break from them. In other words they chose to build their foundation on these organisation for continuity.
There are, in God's provision, Christians such as Ana-baptists, who made complete break with these organisation and seek to follow Christ according to Biblical doctrines and teachings. Nowadays pseudo-christians are also stealing into ana-baptists groups.No christian doubt that the word of God/Christ as handed down to us in the Bible is true and trustworthy. No prophet was recorded to doubt that. Not even the devil. So the Bible is used as the reference point by which all christian teachings are judged.
Roman Catholic doctrines and Orthodox doctrines are found to be anti-scriptural, holding very different teachings to what the Bible teaches. So they are regarded as false teachings. Revelation Catholics claimed to have contradict often with scriptures, and Christ, and revelation of God to christian churches. One against another. No harmony. No synoptics. No righteous unity. No Christian would like to follow any gospel other than that of Christ.
In terms of affirming signs and miracles, no such trust worthy (that is to protestant reformers) signs have been reported or recorded after the apostlic age of the first 2 centuries after Christ.
So the signs of prophets and manifesting gifts of the Spirit is regarded to have ceased, bringing no new revelation after the book of Revelation, forming the last book of the Christian Canon. This is the Reformers' doctrine of Ceasationism; also called the sixth point of Calvinism.The Reformers do not see that the lack of signs and prophesy amongst their fellow believers is due to their unbiblical interpretation and practice. So God has shut up much blessings onto them while the Catholic churches have been receiving no greater favour from the Most High. They too lack prophets and seers, although the popes down the centuries claim that their words/utterance on religious issues and faith and Christian practices are infallible prophesies of God.
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The Reformers also think that scriptures are all sufficient for Christian teachings, and conduct; and see no need for more Divine Revelation on Earth. This idea is not confirmed by God biblically and extra-biblically (ie: dreams, visions, prophesy ).
A verse from the Bible is quoted to support this belief:
1 Cor 13vv 10-12
v10: but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.Reformers like to teach that "the perfect" here refers to the completion of the Bible.
What is "the partial" then?
Some Reformers say: " Prophesies; the manifesting gifts of the Spirit such as tongue speaking."
Paul later on in this letter teach the continuing practice of speaking in tongues and prophesy ( 1Cor 14 ). No teaching of ceasation.
If the perfect refers to the complete Bible, the partial should refer to incomplete Bible. Where will this be done away? We still have Christians having only parts of the Bible.
v11: When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
Even atheists like to quote scriptures, such as this verse, to show they have grown out of their earlier childish mode.
What is so childish about having an incomplete Bible?
In the days of the apostles, believers were taught by them for days at times. Do reformers look childish and incomplete not having so much of the apostles' teachings of Christ?
Do we reason very differently nowadays, having the whole Bible? And the christians in the apostolic age reason very childish because they did not have a complete Bible?
More because they did not abide in the teachings of Christ they received from the apostles.Have all reformers become men having read the Bible?
Knowledge is not what all man is made of. There is intelligence, strength, stature, deeds and much more.v12: For now we see in a mirror ( in a riddle ) dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known.
Even Paul in this verse did not express full comprehension of what was seen.
Paul meant to be seeing God face to face, and learn what appeared to be a riddle from the Father and Christ. However Reformers would like to teach that face to face refer to the completion of the Bible (ie: when the book of Revelation is completed). They can then read the whole Bible and come to learn all that is to be revealed that was to be contained in one Bible between the front and back covers.
Reformers like to believe that knowing in part refers to the incomplete status of the Bible at the time of Paul, and he shall know fully the will and teachings of Christ when the Bible is completed.
However, Paul knew that he was to depart this world before the Bible was completed or canonised. he did not have any chance reading the whole Bible.
Fully known by God, not by the scriptures, rather recorded in scriptures.
Not fully knowing scriptures, the Bible.
The term "then" refers to a foreseeable time, rather than an imagined period in the future.
Paul teaches full knowledge of the truth/God as he is know by God.
Who on earth ever know the truth or God fully by the study of the Bible. Full knowledge? You know not.Who sees God face to face by seeing a Bible?
Would Paul be satisfied with having a Bible? More likely that he would with Christ.
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The Reformers and the Catholics do not want to acknowledge there are Christians living and functioning and growing outside their camps.
But, yes, there are. There are the Ana-baptists at their time, through their persecution, isolation, deprivation, and still exist nowadays. There are the Mennonites, and the Amish.
There are also Bible believing people that stirred their jealousy up. There are the Charismatics. There are the Pentecostals, the Assemblies of God (the Scriptural name of the body of Christ). Almost 2,000 years have passed and the Roman Catholics and the Orthodox churches and the Reformers still do not know they have unscriptural names. Very inspirational and authoritative, isn't it?
The Roman Catholics got so jealous that the Charimatics have the gifts of the Spirit, able to speak in tongues and prophesy in the name of Christ, that they themselves follow suit and produce Charismatic Catholics to equalise the Charismatics.
Interesting to see that for over 17 centuries the Roman Catholics did not have Charismatics, gifts of the Spirits and such doctrines, while claiming to be the authority, the reference, the true mother church of Christ.
The Reformers, having their doctrine of Ceasationism, stepped up their teaching, campaign and voice to produce Anti-Charismatic movements; publishing literature, making speeches, and calling Charismatics names, even ordering them to move over to another patches, as their counter measure to a spiritual movement.
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Charismatics/Christians with the belief of ongoing spiritual gifts and activities, also revere the Bible, and would bring all spiritual utterance to cross reference with Bible teachings.
This, however, does not mean Catholic teachings can be acknowledged as true Christian teachings at any time, and at any place.
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Catholics want to believe, and would like to cause others/all mankind to believe, that the Spirit of God would only speak through the Roman Catholic Church, and especially through the Holy See/the Pope in Rome.
What wishful thinking! What lunacy!
The Spirit can not be stopped by their propaganda, stakes and guns.
The Biblical gospel and doctrines is being preached round the world, and the harvest is great (as told by Christ). Men are still being freed from sin through repentance to Christ.
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