Sola Scriptura 12

One example illustrating society’s perspective of the universe’s self-existence is by Editor Jon Meacham of Newsweek. In responding to criticisms from evangelicals regarding the magazine’s December 15, 2008 cover story entitled The Religious Case for Gay Marriage, Meacham responded by stating, “No matter what one thinks about gay rights – for, against or somewhere in between – this conservative resort to biblical authority is the worst kind of fundamentalism. To argue that something is so because it is in the Bible is more than intellectually bankrupt – it is unserious and unworthy of the great Judeo-Christian tradition.”  

As one author has written, “Society’s anti-biblical perspective has resulted in the culture becoming morally bankrupt. Recent events on Wall Street, the banking industry, and other examples of greed give testimony to this along with increasing crime, immorality, illiteracy, and illegal drug dependency. It has resulted in a life void of meaning and purpose in an existence of “malls, asphalt, buying and selling, and the unremitting pabulum of television, all of which are the stuff – the only stuff—of our daily life in this highly modernized world.”

It is difficult enough for the church to continually engage the current culture knowing that society at large is opposed to biblical truth, but the church faces opponents on a second front; it is an attack from within the church.     God’s Word warns that an insidious attack against Sola Scriptura would occur within the ranks of the flock. Paul expressed this concern not only to Timothy, but also to the elders of the church at Ephesus in Acts 20:27-32.

For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:27-32 ESV)

Jude expressed similar concerns when in vs. 3-4 he wrote, “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:3-4ESV ).