The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Infant Baptism Question

This is a valid question, but one which is not in keeping with the topic of discussion here, which is "Infant Baptism". This is deserving of its own thread, which I will leave to you to start if you are so inclined, i.e., "Sola Scriptura".

Having said that I do not wish to simply dismiss the question out of hand so I'll give you a very brief answer in this way:

1) The Scriptures are sufficient in and of themselves to reveal all that God has determined to reveal in them to men. (2Tim 3:16, 17)

2) The Scriptures cannot be rightly understood and/or applied without the Spirit of God working in conjunction with them, Who dwells in those whom He has given new life. (1Jh 2:27)

3) The Scriptures can be rightly understood if studied with right use of reason as opposed to suddenly coming to the truth through some existential experience.

So, how are we to come to the truth when so many claim to have that truth and this "truth" is contradictory to that of another? I think John Knox's words to Mary Queen of Scots is worthy of consideration:

You shall believe God who speaks plainly in his Word. Further than the Word teaches you shall not believe the one or the other. The Word of God is plain in itself. If there is any obscurity anywhere, the Holy Spirit, who is never contrary to himself, explains it more clearly in other places. No one can remain in doubt, save those who remain obstinately ignorant. (William Croft Dickinson, ed., John Knox's History of the Reformation, Volume Two [New York: Philosophical Library, Inc.], p. 18 - modernized English from the original

What Knox was affirming to her was what we Protestants and the Early Church Fathers also held firmly, namely the principle of the "Analogy of Faith", i.e., comparing Scripture with Scripture.

While many of us value tradition and the writings of those who have gone before us, our ultimate authority resides not in those things but in the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God alone, aka: Sola Scriptura. And as a point of interest, anticipating your objection and the necessity of the authority of the church of Rome with its authoritative "Oral Traditions", when we read the Scriptures we do not find one example where the Lord Christ or the Apostles appeal to "tradition". What we do find is that they appeal to the "sacred writings"; the Scriptures alone. In countless confrontations and disputations with the Pharisees, Sadducees, Judaizers, Gnostics, etc., Jesus and the Apostles always and everywhere appeal to Scripture. In fact, the Lord Christ myriad times rebuked the elders of His day for their use and/or misuse of tradition; setting it over the authority of the inspired Word of God. (cf. Mk 7:8, 9; et al)

The fact that modern Christianity has swallowed the lies of post-Modernism with its claim that all truth is relative is no argument against the fact that the Church has for nearly 2000 years accepted what I've written above as the standard.

In His Grace,