It Is Written: God’s Words Alone | Acts 17:10-13, 2 Timothy 3:15-17

Okay, welcome back beloved to another awesome Lord's Day Please turn with me in your

Bibles to Acts chapter 17 verse 10 Acts chapter 17 Acts chapter 17 verse 10

God's Word speaks to us and says and the brothers

Immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea and when they arrived they went into the synagogue of the

Jews Now The synagogue of the Jews now these were more noble -minded than those in Thessalonica for they received the word with great eagerness examining the scriptures daily

To see whether these things were so Therefore many of them believed along with not a few prominent

Greek women and men But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the Word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also

They came there as well shaking up and disturbing the crowds Amen Turn with me now to 2nd

Timothy chapter 3 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verse 15 2nd

Timothy chapter 3 verse 15 These are two extremely important passages in Scripture regarding the scriptures themselves 2nd

Timothy chapter 3 verse 15 God's Word says and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings

Which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith through faith which is in Christ all scripture is

God breathed and Profitable for teaching for reproof for correction for training and righteousness so that the man of God may be equipped having been thoroughly

Equipped for every good work. This is God's Word Amen So beloved as I mentioned these these passages teach one of the first and Most important principles of the

Reformation of the Bible and of our faith of our very own faith They constitute a core doctrine that defines our faith in the sacred scriptures and I had been preaching the last few sermons on the

Reformation and this is this is likely going to be the beginning of a new series on the scriptures themselves on the doctrine of Scripture on the various aspects of Scripture and so this is one of the most important things that we need to understand, especially in our day and in light of the attacks on this doctrine and Misrepresentations as well.

It's very important that we understand this ourselves and know how to explain and defend it as well By way of reminder.

I want to ask everybody again to please read and sign The Reformation Day statement and declaration from the

Trinity Foundation. They are excellent summaries of what we believe the doctrine of justification by faith and Scripture alone.

I highly recommend them and commend them to you and you can also sign them as well

So Regarding these passages and in particular Acts 17

We see that all of us as believers not some not just pastors or leaders all of us as Believers are called to be mature good matured discerning

Bereans Who examine the scriptures daily? Especially when we are challenged or Met with Somebody's preaching or teaching

So this the I really want to focus on Defending the doctrine of Sola Scriptura defining and defending it for us scripture alone and including against some of its most prominent attackers and So much of this will be

Apologetic in nature as well but these passages are among the clearest in the entire

Bible which revealed to us the ultimate authority of Scripture alone the ultimate authority of scripture alone of what

God breathed out and wrote down Now notice these words are very carefully chosen in our confessions in our statements of faith they are very carefully chosen and they all mean something very specific and When we look at the path these passages especially the one in Acts 17 the

Bereans themselves practice this very same Reformation principle that we hold to today as Protestants and that is scripture alone scripture alone of What God breathed out and wrote down because the

Bereans Examined they examined the word that was preached to them the oral preaching of the

Apostles Themselves and Submitted it to the written the written

Word of God. This is an extremely important interpretive principle that we need to understand This is a defining

Aspect of how we are different from just about everybody else Okay Now I want to restate

Redefine or restate for us what sola scriptura it is. What is scripture alone mean?

Okay This is what the scripture frequently refers to as it is written.

It is the it is written principle Hence the sermon title it is written

God's words alone what is written by God himself is

The ultimate authority the ultimate authority This is the doctrine of scripture alone of sola scriptura now as I mentioned last time the first sentence of our

Baptist confession of faith Says that the Holy Scripture the written Word of God is the only sufficient

Certain and infallible or inerrant without error or incapable of error rule or authority of all saving knowledge faith and obedience and To this

I would clarify and say it's not just saving knowledge. It's all knowledge all knowledge Not just saving knowledge, but notice the words there

They're all important and they all matter because if you take any one of them out

It changes the entire meaning of what it means what scripture alone means and what the doctrine means

Especially the adjectives which describe God's Word alone

Again, that's a very important qualifier alone these adjectives sufficient certain infallible inerrant rule or authority

These adjectives when you combine them all together Nothing else nothing else meets

Those criteria, but the scriptures alone the Word of God alone

Nothing else in existence meets those criteria Not any other tradition not anything else, especially nothing that comes from man right, it is only the

Word of God that meets all of those specific criteria and Because the supreme or highest judge by which all religious controversies are to be settled and all decrees of councils opinions of ancient writers doctrines of men and individual thinkers or private spirits are to be examined

What does this remind us of this is it isn't this exactly what? The Bereans did they examined the preaching of the

Apostles with the scriptures that were written down at that time The confession continues can be none other

None other right none other than the Holy Scriptures delivered by the

Spirit So in the verdict in the judgment of Scripture Our faith is finally

Determined finally determined Amen, right? That's chapter 1 first sentence first chapter of our

Baptist Confession right now Turn with me to Psalm 138

Psalm 138 here we find one of many passages

This this the subject of the scriptures is so vast. This is why I had to kind of turn it into a series

Because the scriptures themselves has much to say about the nature of Scripture the authority of Scripture the inspiration or God breathed character of Scripture Psalm 138

Beginning in verse 2. This is David speaking through the

Holy Spirit I will bow down in worship Toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your loving -kindness and your truth your faithfulness for you have magnified your word together with your name

Amen Magnified your word and some molar translations say they magnified

I you have magnified your word above your name The point here is God's Word is magnified together with God's name.

What is higher than God's name or God's Word? Nothing, that is why The confession explains that the supreme judge the highest authority the final

Inerrant authority is the Word of God Amen, so Beware now beware because many who oppose our

Protestant faith Very frequently misrepresent and twist what the doctrine of Scripture alone actually means

Okay, there are numerous misrepresent misrepresentations that you'll hear a

Lot of this is due to false assumptions that the opponents hold to or they try to impose on us that are not valid and Because it's they're just simply not representing the doctrine accurately so Scripture alone

Does not mean that Scripture is the only authority for us Okay, it doesn't mean that it's the only authority.

It means that's the only final Infallible sufficient certain

Authority, that's what it means. It is the highest authority not that it's the only authority

We have other authorities because Scripture tells us there are other authorities, right? That's why we have pastors

That's why we have teachers that's why we have men who teach us the Word of God who are qualified called and ordained by God to teach us and we

Are to submit to them like Hebrew says, right? So there are other authorities. We have confessions.

We have catechisms. We have creeds those authorities however are Subordinate standards they are under the

Scriptures and they help us to understand and explain what Scripture itself teaches they are Submitted to the

Scriptures the ultimate standard. Okay, that's one of the first biggest misrepresentations of the doctrine of Scripture alone now another misrepresentation is

That Scripture we supposedly claim is that Scripture Contains all knowledge about everything again.

This is a misrepresentation That's not what Scripture alone means It does not mean that Scripture contains all knowledge or that it's exhaustive about everything

There's lots of things that Scripture does not directly address. It doesn't even directly address things in the

Bible like Jesus childhood We don't really know Jesus childhood, right? but That's not what it means that is not what it means what it does mean however

What it does mean is that? Scripture is our very first principle of knowing it is our principle of knowing of Epistemology how we know what we know the very first principle of knowing and is our ultimate authority

It is still our ultimate authority as I said for all knowledge not just religious knowledge quote -unquote

Not just a subset of knowledge. It is the ultimate authority for all knowledge Why?

because God Has the monopoly on truth, right? God is truth and his truth is not restricted to religion or two matters of faith.

It is Everything it is truth about everything So That's what it means of It because Scripture grounds it is the first principle of our faith our axiom it grounds and justifies all our knowledge all truth because in Christ Remember what

Colossians 2 3 says right in Christ who is the full knowledge of?

God's mystery in him are hidden all the treasures of what all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge

Amen Colossians 2 2 through 3 in Christ are hidden all treasures of wisdom and knowledge not some

That's categorical all Right, so that is important to understand

That's the distinction that we need to understand because so many misrepresented as well And therefore because God and his word have the monopoly on truth anything

Anything or anyone that contradicts? Scripture is false It's false

It's false Because God cannot lie right

God cannot lie Titus 1 2 and it is Impossible for God to lie

Hebrew 618 why God cannot lie. It is impossible for God to lie because God is

Truth and his word is what? truth What did

Jesus say sanctify them in? your Truth thy word is truth

John 17 17 Always not some of the time.

It's always true always And that is also why Jesus said the scripture cannot be broken ever.

It's true once for all time Doesn't change truth doesn't change

Postmoderns and liberals are Totally messed up in the head because they do not

Understand the nature of truth truth does not change It cannot change

The Word of the Lord is what forever forever

Amen, so The end this also is not a principle that is particular to us to us as Baptist or reformed

Baptist It is a pan Protestant principle that all Protestants who are confessional

Share whether Lutheran or Presbyterian or or a Baptist. It doesn't matter

It is a pan Protestant principle such that we can heartily agree with Confessing Lutheran known by the name of Quintet from the 17th century

These are some awesome words that he said That explained this very thing the canonical holy scriptures in the original text are the infallible truth and Are free from every error not some error every error

In other words in the canonical sacred scriptures there is found no lie

No falsity no error not even in the least

Whether in subject matter or expressions But in all things and all the details that are handed down in them

Whatever they speak to directly or indirectly in other words They are most certainly true and always true whether they pertain to doctrines or morals to faith to history or chronology to topography or nomenclature

No ignorance. No thoughtlessness. No forgetfulness No lapse of memory can dare be ascribed to the amanu

NC's of the Holy Ghost in their penning of the sacred writings

Can we not say a hearty amen to that beloved this is What God's Word is the sacred writings the scriptures that is an excellent description?

They are without error infallible inerrant In all matters that they speak to directly and indirectly

It's so there's a common saying right all truth is God's truth

But that saying is backwards. It's not that all truth is God's truth. How did how should it go?

God's truth is all truth Anything that is not

God's truth is not the truth. Amen. So Again and While we maintain that scripture is without any error of any kind many other traditions and churches and even so -called

Protestants liberals usually They claim that even though scripture may be inspired according to them and inerrant in matters of faith

It can still contain historical geographical scientific errors, etc and Or we may need other infallible authorities or traditions in addition to scripture

Like the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox traditions teach so this is

Something that we have to bear in mind if scripture contains errors about history

How can you trust it with anything else? How do you know when it's true and when it's not?

That's the issue It's the truth that's at stake Because that's what the

Bible claims to be the truth not sometimes Not lies here and there

It's the truth always and forever Again in contrast what these people say in contrast to Jesus and the scriptures themselves declare

Thy word is truth God's truth God's word is truth.

Not only that not only that I'll raise you one beloved turn with me to Psalm 119 116

Psalm 119 verse 160 This one this is one. This is the longest song in the

Bible and it is all about God's Word Psalm 119 160 verse 160

This is a very powerful word from God. We should mem. This is a great memory verse as well.

We should all become intimately familiar with this passage and these other ones as Sola scriptura believers

Protestants Psalm 119 verse 160

God speaks to us and says The sum of your word the totality of your word is what?

truth truth and Every one of your righteous judgments is everlasting

Amen right not some of Your word that there's a hump.

There's a homophone. They're not some of your word but the sum of your word the entirety of your word is true is truth

Remember that beloved that is the principle of Scripture alone God's Word is

God's Word because it is entirely true by its very nature

Because God himself is truth and the source of all truth. Amen so this this written principle

This written principle That the

Bible teaches us that Christ taught us. It is written. It is written. It is written That was the highest thing.

He quoted the highest authority. It is written This is what separates us from and sets us against all other

False Christianities and views that do not hold to the doctrine of Scripture alone of Scripture alone the example of the more noble -minded

Bereans concretely this Manifestly reveals to us

It reveals to us the striking

Reformation principle of Scripture alone of Scripture alone

Which refutes any other claim any other claim to authority? Especially oral tradition that is equal to or even above what is written or somehow also infallible

It refutes it Because what oral tradition can you place above the very preaching of the

Apostles themselves? The inspired Apostolic preaching of the Apostles themselves, what can you place above that?

What other tradition can you place above that nothing? Right, and why is that? The Bereans exercised the same exact principle that we do today as confessing

Protestants Because they examined the oral preaching of teaching of the Apostles themselves daily daily

Which eventually became the New Testament? the writings the

New Testament But they subjected it to they submitted it to and they make examined it by what was already written down written down to the written words of God in this case primarily the

Old Testament the Old Testament was written already Never forget this principle beloved this principle

Shatters it utterly shatters all other false claims to tradition that are somehow equal or infallible or above the

Word of God the Word of God Notice also the

Bereans had examined the scriptures that they already had right

They already had the scriptures Again it was primarily the

Old Testament at that time Even though the New Testament was still being written during that time and Even though it took time for the early church to compile what the

Apostles and their companion companions had handed down to them but the

Christians and Paul's day nevertheless Still had the scriptures the grapha the writings, right?

They still had them Even though it was primarily the Old Testament and They used the

Old Testament Written down to judge the New Testament apostolic preaching of the

Apostles. I Cannot stress how strikingly important that is and why we are

Protestants beloved this clearly Contradicts the

Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox and many other claims like claims that there were no clearly defined scriptures until centuries after this event after the

New Testament era When they were supposedly determined in a much later Consensus quote -unquote of church councils and the

Spirit of God allegedly working in their own respective churches Right, you know

We all have different canons and I won't be able to focus on the canon today Lord willing next week

I'll preach on the canon of Scripture, but everybody has different Bibles We have a smaller

Bible From the Old Testament the Roman Catholics have their own and the

Eastern Orthodox have their own as well so and Remember what

Luther said? Why did Luther a bet? Why did Luther be? Have to Become separated from the

Church of Rome. He was kicked out of the church. He was trying to reform it He was kicked out because he said popes and counsel so often contradict themselves

So often contradict themselves and error How can you call that infallible?

You cannot You cannot and many continue to distort

Back then and now They continue to distort what Scripture alone actually means

Here's another example The early church needed to have the entire completed

Bible For them to hold to the doctrine of Scripture alone Now we just saw that act 1711 completely refutes that that notion it completely destroys it, right?

Because they subjected the New Testament preaching of the Apostles to the written

Old Testament So This is clearly false and it disregards another important biblical principle that we hold and it is a principle of progressive revelation right progressive revelation

What does that mean? The doctrinal principle of Scripture alone means that the scriptures which had been revealed

To the people of God at that specific time Even during the

Old Testament those scriptures Those written scriptures are the final authority of God's Word Even when the full biblical canon was not yet completed even when it wasn't completed, right?

That's the principle of progressive revelation because not God didn't give us the Bible in one sitting

It took thousands of years right from Genesis to Revelation it took thousands of years to fully reveal to us and Finish it because it is finished.

Some people claim it's not finished, but It is finished. The the faith was once for all delivered to the

Saints at the New Testament era, right? now a

Distinction here the spoken words of God Thus saith the Lord, right? Those are equally authoritative as well from the mouth of the prophets of God Those are authoritative but writing that this is another key principle here

Writing them down Makes them permanent. It makes them more permanent and endure

When you write it down, that's why God put all these words down in a book for us and preserve them for us

That is the important thing to understand and Writing them down makes them it solidifies their authority as the highest authority

Because they are God's words Whom he used men as a menuen sees like the

Lutheran Theologian said who were God's pen to write down his words

So This is extremely important Those written scriptures are the final authority of God's Word at that time

It also means that progressive revelation also means that while newer revelation make

Canon does in fact clarify explain or expand and expand

Fulfill all the revelation and Even establish new and better covenants founded on better promises like Hebrews 8 tells us, right?

It can even establish New and better covenants the the later revelation nevertheless

The later It the the the newer revelation

Never contradicts it never contradicts earlier revelation

Okay, never Newer revelation May be more complete more thorough more authoritative even in a sense when it is written down but It never contradicts what came before it never ever in other words

The scriptures are always Authoritative even when God had not yet finished breathing them out and writing them down Amen So I want to read from the

Chicago statement on biblical inerrancy. It's an excellent document There's three actually there's a statement on biblical inerrancy statement on biblical hermeneutics and statement on biblical application

I highly encourage you to read those read all of those There might be some nuances that I might take issue with here and there the wording or whatever

But they are excellent summaries Summarizing these biblical principles that scripture teaches us and that we hold to us

Protestants exclusively, okay now article 5 of the

Chicago statement of biblical inerrancy states We affirm that God's revelation within the holy scriptures was progressive progressive right revealed over time

We deny that latter later revelation which may fulfill earlier revelation ever corrects or contradicts it the older one

We further deny that any normative revelation Any more scripture in other words has been given to us since the completion of the

New Testament writings Amen, that's an excellent Summary of what we hold to what the

Bible teaches like we're seeing RC Sproul explains this statement

He expands it on it a little bit here. Very helpful Throughout sacred scripture the content of divine revelation is expanded

Ultimately to the fullness reached in the New Testament That is what is meant by progressive revelation in this context

That the revelation within scripture unfolds in an ever -deepening and broadening way

But it stops at the New Testament. It stops with the book of Revelation Amen That's what it means now however

There are more objections coming right? There are more objections here But don't we need both the oral and the written traditions?

Don't we need both? Isn't that what the Apostle Paul said whether by word of mouth or by letter

Don't we need both? Turn with me now to 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 15

Let's dig into this passage many other traditions including

Professing Christian traditions claim like Roman Catholic is Eastern Orthodox. They claim that we

Protestants disobey this passage 2nd

Timothy 2 15 Let's see what

God Speaks to us and says here 2nd

Timothy 2 15 Now here this passage the reason is that is because we are we are accused of Holding only to a partial written tradition and not to the oral tradition of the

Apostles This supposed oral tradition of the Apostles according to this passage as if there were a substantial difference between the two traditions, right?

What does it say? Let's read what it says verse 15. So then brothers stand firm and hold to the traditions

The traditions which you were taught Whether by word of mouth that of mouth is added for for clarity

Whether by word of mouth or by letter from us So whether whether oral or written right?

That's the contrast By us by who by us the Apostles Now these other traditions who accuse us of this of not

Not holding to the oral tradition. They base their entire Extra biblical traditions in light of this verse

They stuff all of their extra biblical traditions Into this passage because of what

Paul said about oral tradition They stuff it into this verse and subject all other teachings in Scripture everything else to their oral traditions

Including Acts chapter 17 11 and 2nd Timothy 3 15 through 16 17 and on so they say

They impose they is a jeet in essence their traditions there as oral traditions that Paul was referring to Which are not referred to in the

Bible in the canon and Notice note also Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic and Protestants all have the same

New Testament On that much we do agree But we as Protestants however

What how do we make light sense of this? How do we answer this this accusation?

Because it seems to say Paul is holding both in equal authority, right? Whether by word of mouth or by letter what what you have

Received from us the tradition that you have received from us the Apostles We as Protestants, however

We reverse this the other way around we flip it the other way around and Submit all tradition

We submit all tradition Including oral tradition now, why is that because the oral tradition that Paul is referring to here is

The same thing as the written tradition. There is no difference between the two.

It's the same thing the oral tradition in 2nd Timothy 2 15 was the preaching of the

Apostles in The New Testament that eventually became the New Testament writings

Okay, it's the same thing. There's no difference That is why we submit all tradition to the written

Scriptures According to and in light of Acts 17 11 and 2nd

Timothy 3 15 through 17 We turn this the up the other way around Because that's what

Scripture teaches us. That's what God's Word teaches us. Just like the more noble -minded

Bereans and God -breathed Apostles did why were the Bereans commended turn back with me to Acts 17 11 10 up 10 through 13 turn back with me there.

Let's reread that passage. Why were the Bereans commended? beloved God's Word explains this to us.

It reveals to us and says and the brothers the believers immediately sent by Paul Immediately sent by Paul It's not

I'm sorry sent Paul and Silas the Apostles right and apostolic associates Away by night to Berea and when they arrived they went into the synagogue of the

Jews Now these were more noble -minded more mature more discerning why then those in Thessalonica because they received the word preached the oral word the oral tradition with great eagerness

Examining Examining on a clean on this discerning examining the scriptures the graph us

What is written down daily to see whether these things that they were preaching were so right

They exercise discernment with the written Word of God of righteousness of truth to judge the oral preaching of the

Apostles Themselves that is why the written Word is the ultimate standard nothing else nothing else beloved

Therefore many of them believed along with not a few prominent Greek women and men But when the

Jews and Thessalonica found out that the Word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea It calls it the

Word of God Proclaimed orally and yet the Bereans were more noble -minded and discerning because they examined it by the written

Word Amen, you cannot contest this. This is this is unequivocally clear unequivocally clear beloved and There's another important principle here that we need to keep in mind

Whenever you hear people say that they have two principles two fundamental principles Well, we have scripture, but we also have tradition, right?

That's like the what the Catholic Church says and the Eastern Orthodox say we have scripture, but we also have something else we have tradition

We have the councils. We have the church fathers. We have the ecumenical councils We have something else the

Book of Mormon, whatever it may be Whenever you see people holding to more than one principle one of them always wins the day

One of them always becomes final that's human nature and that is logically necessary Whenever you hold to more than one principle equally

Supposedly one of them always rules the day That is why we are honest enough to say that the

Bible alone is our ultimate authority And nothing else is above it right

Nothing else is above the scriptures But you'll hear these other traditions say scripture and tradition, however

When you hear what they say and what they mean by it They say well, but we the church gave the

Bible to you. The church gave the Bible to you It helped to confirm what it is.

It gave it to you They're implying that the church has higher authority and the church has to infallibly interpret the

Bible for you When the Roman Catholic Church has basically zero verses authoritatively interpreted so that makes it pretty useless for one thing, but They say you need to have scripture infallibly interpreted for you

And therefore it's not scripture and tradition. It's the church alone

The Catholic Church of Rome the Magisterium of Rome the papacy that is supreme not the scriptures

That trumps the scriptures just like Eastern Orthodoxy as well their councils their traditions

Supersede the Word of God That is why you cannot hold to more than one principle beloved.

There has to be one there has to be one. I Highly encourage you to read the books of Gordon Clark to understand this principle better as well

This is such an important thing. The principle of knowing Is foundational now

So we understand we it is it is incredibly important for us to understand these things that Even the old tradition that was passed down by the

Apostles themselves Cannot and does not contradict the ultimate written

Word of God right The very faith which was once for all handed down to the

Saints long ago back then from Jude 3 right before the 2nd century before the 100s

The faith was already handed down Now it's just a matter of developing

Systematizing what was already handed down the scriptures alone ultimately Turn with me now beloved to Titus chapter 1

Titus chapter 1 We can see again to cement this point and bring it home

There's so many more scriptures beloved that we can dive into and I will recommend some resources as well

For you all to dig into because it is incredibly important to Understand this this this is the foundation of our faith this is the foundation of our faith and many people have claimed

To fall away from Protestantism and convert to Rome or to Orthodoxy because they did not understand

This doc these doctrines and principles what's sola scriptura actually means?

What's what scripture alone actually means and teaches they fell for the lies and the deceptions the pastoral letter of time at Titus chapter 1 verse 1

Paul a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ For the faith of God's elect and the full knowledge of the truth, which is according to godliness in the hope of eternal life

Amen, which the God who cannot lie

Amen promised from all eternity, but at the proper time what manifested his word in preaching in preaching

With which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our

Savior Jesus Christ, right? This is a clear

This is clearly showing you the progressive nature and revelation of God and his word The word was given to the

Apostles by Jesus Christ he ordained them as his Apostles and they preached the word and eventually in Scripturated it wrote it down and it became the final word of God the final written

Word of God Amen now To show that this is nothing new by any stretch of the imagination

You can pull up you can write entire volumes just quoting the early church leaders

Explaining these very same things, but I'm gonna quote to you one Just to show how clear some of these early church leaders taught the same principle the same principles

This is from a very early Christian leader by the name of Irenaeus Irenaeus he was a bishop of Lyons or Lyons.

I don't know if you say French or whatever, but He was from the second century beloved the 130s 130 to 203

Very shortly after the cannon was closed He said in one of his books against heresies written in around 180

AD, okay We have learned From none others the plan of our salvation

Than from those through whom the gospel has come down to us. Who is he referring to the

Apostles, right? Which they did at one time proclaim in public

Right, they preached it in public and at a later period by the will of God Handed down to us in what the scriptures the scriptures

To be the ground and pillar of our faith Now this is fascinating.

Amen, right? This is fascinating because Irenaeus is applying the passage of the ground and pillar of our faith

That's what God is Referring that to the church, but here he applies it to the scriptures handed down by the

Apostles To be the ground and pillar of our faith of our faith There's an interesting distinction there of our faith

Because the church is the pillar and ground of the truth, right? But the church is not the truth

The church is not infallible. It is the ground of the truth because it preserves and maintains the truth in the world in society

It is not the truth. It upholds the truth, right? That's what it means but he

Applies this to the Word of God by saying it is the pillar and ground of our faith of our doctrine

Amen He also says He also says this since therefore the tradition from the

Apostles does Thus exist in the church and is permanent among us

Among us the tradition that was handed down. Let us revert

Let us fall back Let us appeal to the scriptural proof the scriptural proof

Furnished by those Apostles who did also write down the gospel in which they recorded the doctrine

Regarding God Pointing out that our Lord Jesus Christ is the truth and that no lie is in him

Beloved this sounds exactly what I have been preaching and What the

Protestant Church has been explaining and confessing for centuries all the way back to the early church

Okay, what is he saying here? He is describing what the Bereans did

Let us prove the tradition that the Apostles handed down by what by the scriptural proofs

By the written proofs, right? Irenaeus and Catholics and Eastern Orthodox love to put

Irenaeus on their side But it's not that clean -cut beloved These guys in some respect not saying that there were

Protestants in every way like we are right There has been maturity of doctrine and development but But by God, they are amazing witnesses to the same exact doctrinal principles that we hold to the same exact principles

The scripture is the final appeal. It is the final Verdict, that's what we use to judge everything else

Including the traditions of the Apostles themselves like Irenaeus said like the

Bereans did Amen This is it beloved. Let us finish up today with our final passage 2nd

Timothy 3 6 16 to 17 Fit I meant to include verse 15 here.

Yeah, I meant to include verse 15 2nd

Timothy chapter 3 beginning in verse 15. Let us see what

God speaks to us here and says Starting in verse 15 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verse 15 and that from childhood

You have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise unto salvation

Through faith, which is in Christ Jesus all scripture is God breathed and profitable for teaching all

Scripture is God breathed and profitable for teaching for reproof for correction for training and righteousness

So that the man of God may be equipped may be complete complete

Having been thoroughly equipped for what? Some good works or for every good work beloved every good work

This Beloved this passage is yet another one of the clearest passages in Scripture that teaches us the sufficiency and ultimate authority of the

Scriptures alone Because only the written words the the graph a the graph a every scripture is breathed out by God Breathed out by God now.

Yes the oral Prophet the the oral prophecies of God were also breathed out by God But all of them were written down It includes that But they ultimately are finally and permanently authoritatively

Authoritatively held by the scriptures. That's why it says here the scriptures the writings every scripture

That's emphatic. Not some scripture Every scripture is breathed out by God.

All scripture is God's breath. That's literally what it means theopneustos

God's breath even though there are

Others who claim like Eastern Orthodoxy that their their entire canon is divinely inspired or breathed out by God But certain books for them have greater or lesser authority

They have a tiered authority in the books of the Bible So the word so deuterocanonical for them, which means second canon

For them means that a book It is that that for them is that those books are part of the

Old Testament, but that they have lesser or secondary authority Secondary authority in other words deutero applies to the authority or the witnessing power of the book

Whereas in Roman Catholicism, there's a difference Deuterocanon applies to chronology to the fact that those books were canonized later

But they have the same authority That's the distinction Okay That's an important distinction to understand on those traditions

This verse however notice that it says all scripture is Equally breathed out by God no distinction.

It is all equally inspired and it is all equally what beloved equally? profitable equally profitable for what for teaching for reprove for correction for training and righteousness

So that the man of God may be equipped having thoroughly equipped for every good work may be complete All scripture is profitable and authoritative for all matters of faith and practice for doctrine for instruction for correction for everything

There are no secondary authorities in the inspired books of Scripture. They are all equally authoritative

Now some obviously have more to say about certain doctrines or matters obviously

Smaller books like this like the Song of Solomon which deal primarily with marriage They don't speak to certain things that the book of Romans does but that doesn't make them any less authoritative, right?

They are all equally authoritative with the with the noted distinction that progressive revelation that the newer revelation does finally

Reveal and explain and confirm the Old Testament, right? That is it beloved

That is it There is no distinction. There is no differing degrees of authority in that sense

Because all scripture is profitable. That's what the passage says. All scripture is profitable within the context of progressive revelation but many sadly continue to be deceived by Rome and Eastern Orthodoxy Now their defenders will say that while Jesus asserted that it is written when quoting

Scripture He also asserted but I say unto you right in the Sermon on the

Mount Jesus said you saw you've heard that it was said in the days of old But I say unto you

I say unto you Implying that we need these other oral traditions

They try to make it so that like it's the oral is still higher somehow or as if they were somehow different from what is written

But this is kind of a silly. This is kind of a dumb argument, right? Because how do you know what

Jesus said and taught? Where do you find it it what is written down in the

Gospels, right? the words of Christ were also breathed out by God himself through human authors who wrote them down and Made the

New Testament, right? So when Jesus said I say unto you that became the gospel the written

Gospels Again there is no real difference between the oral and written traditions revealed in Scripture except that the written is more permanent

That's why Acts 17 11 and 2nd Timothy 3 describes the scriptures that way

Because they are permanent and other passages do as well so Paul asserted many times in Scripture judge for yourselves

Judge for yourselves apply the Jesus test Right apply the

Jesus test that he applied to the Pharisees. What did he do? he examined the traditions of the

Pharisees with the law of God and Saw that they nullified it.

They contradicted it like with the Corban rule, right? You say that you're already a blessing to your parents just by being born or by who you are

Therefore you don't need to honor your your parents or take care of them or whatever and Jesus said with that foolish tradition you have nullified the commandment of God by your traditions

Which is exactly what these other religions do That's the test that we have to apply when everybody tries to present to us something outside of Scripture.

Does it pass? The Jesus test Doesn't nullify any of God's written word or does it confirm it, right?

That is the test Is it wise to abandon the doctrine of Scripture alone as the only inerrant standard and highest authority?

Because it alone is God -breathed as the Bible says in favor of Rome's or Eastern Orthodoxy's extra traditions or whoever else

Adds to it when their very own supposedly inspired oral and written traditions and councils contradict their own scriptures

Just like what happened with Jesus and the Pharisees Their own traditions contradict their own

Bible even on primary doctrines the gospel They deny that Jesus death was satisfactory once for all they deny that the wrath of God was satisfied on The cross of Christ like Isaiah 53 says

They deny the total depravity of man the radical depravity of man that man is completely unable to save himself apart from the grace of God They deny that Scripture is the sole infallible rule of faith like Scripture teaches

Even on these primary doctrines The answer lies in what Jesus and the Apostles and their associates wrote down and passed on to the early church as the ultimate

God -breathed sufficient authority for every single good work

Scripture alone Scripture alone and because Holy Scripture demands belief yet.

It's authority Its authority does not depend on the testimony of any person or church

That's again. Why Paul said the scriptures are God breathed not not the prophets themselves so much it is the writings that are breathed out it is the

Not on the testimony of any person or church Which is where Roman Eastern Orthodoxy?

Get it backwards It's not on the testimony of any other witness the

Word of God is the final ultimate witness because it it is entirely based on God being its author and God breathed who is truth itself

Therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God and it is self attesting as the

Word of God Not because a church council said so even though God used the early church as providential means to compile the

New Testament Okay We believe teach and confess these doctrines in the Protestant Bible alone in part because God through Christ and his apostles admonishes all of us

Do not go beyond what is written Not to go beyond what is written beloved and I will conclude here

Lord willing. We'll pick up next week Focusing on the canon of Scripture and as we seek to continue to dive in and Internalize how important this is for us.

It is the defining first principle of our faith beloved if we don't understand this the foundation will be on sand and It will make you more susceptible to the lies and deceptions of others of Rome of Eastern Orthodoxy and others

Because the foundation must be solid That is what made the Reformation the explosive recovery of God's Word that it was

Because the principle was Scripture and plain reason. Amen We cannot contradict

God's Word that is the ultimate test of truth Does it agree with God's Word or does it contradict?

Amen? Amen. Let us bow our heads beloved and conclude with a word of prayer and give thanks to God for His final written

Word our precious Heavenly Father. We thank you Lord for this Amazing words of truth that you have given us

Father God, please help us to learn to understand and to internalize This faith that was once for all handed down to the

Saints or to understand the primary importance of what these doctrines teach

And how to balance them all in light of the system of doctrine revealed in your word help us father to internalize the first principle of your word, which is your word father help us to understand these things and to Defend them also against naysayers and those who would attack and slander and misrepresent

What your word teaches regarding these matters father? Help us to grow in the objective certainty of the scriptures by in by which by which

Wisdom saves us gives us faith It gives us assurance and it edifies us and sanctifies us and builds us up onto perfection

Lord by your grace by your spirit And by the truth of your word, which sanctifies us in Jesus Almighty all -powerful

Infallible name above all names. Amen Thank you for listening to the sermons of thorn crown

Covenant Baptist Church Where the Bible alone and the Bible in its entirety has applied to all of faith and life.

We strive to be biblical reformed historic confessional loving discerning

Christians who evangelize Stand firm in and earnestly contend for the Christian faith

If you're looking for a church in the El Paso, Texas area or for more information about our church Sermons and ministries such as Semper Ephraim on the radio and thorn crown network podcasts

Please contact us at thorn crown ministries comm and may the mercy peace and love of our triune