The doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture essentially states that the Scripture is all that is necessary to govern the Christian life. The Word of God is sufficient to direct our steps in our lives, without assistance from another source of authority. It testifies to Psalm 119v105, “Your Word is a lamp to me feet and a light to my path.” This means we have all that we need in the Scripture. The Scripture alone is enough to guide our lives in all godliness.<\/p>\n
Now, what I don’t mean to say is that Christians don’t need the Church and aren’t to submit to their elders. For Scriptures tells that we are to be committed to a local church and committed to gathering and hearing the Scriptures taught with authority. But what I do mean to say is that we reject priests, popes, the seeking after special revelations or special words from God, or any other sign or “prophetic word.” So this doctrine is not a doctrine of solo Christians riding around with just their bibles thinking they don’t need anyone else. It means we reform our lives around the teaching and instruction of Scripture by heeding the wisdom and instruction from others in our lives that Scripture tells us too (such as pastors, parents, etc.).<\/p>\n
This is not merely a doctrine for individuals, but for the Church as a whole. Meaning, pastors are to organize and structure their church, according to the sufficiency of Scripture. A Church has authority only inasmuch as it is in accordance with the Scripture. This is an essential tenant of what it means to be Protestant.<\/p>\n
So whatever issue we have facing us, the Scripture speaks to it in some way or another, thus giving us light and guidance on what we are to do. Many times this will include Scripture granting us the liberty of conscience to make a decision. Our decisions we make aren’t always between right and wrong, or wise and foolish. We often make decisions between good and good. This is where we must stick to our guns on the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture. In such a moment, many well-meaning, some not well-meaning, believers will often yoke another’s conscience where Scripture intends the conscience to be free. The sufficiency of Scripture includes the belief that we don’t make burdens where Scripture doesn’t. The Scripture is enough, it doesn’t need our convictions or opinions. Adding to the demands of Scripture is a denial of the sufficiency of Scripture. In so doing, one is saying that Scripture is not enough – we need more rules and regulations.<\/p>\n
In good reformed circles we are often very concerned about being biblical, as we ought to be. But let us not slide into the common danger of calling things un-biblical that are not actually un-biblical. Just because another believer doesn’t share your conviction or opinion does not mean that their’s is un-biblical. Let us not throw such a great term around so loosely and thus empty it of it’s significance and gravitas.<\/p>\n
The Scripture is sufficient.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture essentially states that the Scripture is all that is necessary to govern the Christian life. The Word of God is sufficient to direct our steps in our lives, without assistance from another source of authority. It testifies to Psalm 119v105, “Your Word is a lamp to me feet […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":685,"featured_media":3595,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,32],"tags":[205,234,277,281,359,388,557,678,699,747,880,887,1014,1056,1105,1201,1235,1249,1353,1361],"class_list":{"0":"post-3594","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-culture","8":"category-theology","9":"tag-bible","10":"tag-brief","11":"tag-christian","12":"tag-church","13":"tag-decision","14":"tag-doctrine","15":"tag-god","16":"tag-jenkins","17":"tag-joshua","18":"tag-life","19":"tag-of","20":"tag-on","21":"tag-rags","22":"tag-riches","23":"tag-scripture","24":"tag-sufficiency","25":"tag-the","26":"tag-thoughts","27":"tag-wisdom","28":"tag-word","29":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/07\/glasses-620x340-1.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3441,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/a-small-plea-for-a-return-to-the-confessions\/","url_meta":{"origin":3594,"position":0},"title":"A Small Plea for a Return to the Confessions","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"October 24, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"On October 22, 2017 Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church in Dallas Texas, invited Fox News political commentator Sean Hannity to his church. 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