"Sola Scriptura" means "the Bible alone."
Our separated brothers and sisters believe that their faith is planted on solid grounds because they accept the Bible, and only the Bible, as the sole rule of Faith.
They claim that they do not need the Lord's appointed Church authority, the Pope, nor the Tradition of the Church. To them, the Bible, and only the Bible, is the pillar and anchor of truth.
My question is, "Is the belief of our separated brothers and sisters really based on solid ground when they say that the Bible alone is the sole rule of faith? "If every non-Catholic studied the Holy Scriptures, especially those manifested in the teachings of the early Church Fathers, such as Saint Jerome, Saint Basil and Saint Augustine who were Catholics and who were celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, they would come to realize that the teachings of the early Church Father are the same truths (tradition) that the Catholic Church teaches today.
I challenge them to do so, unless of course, they do not want to know the truth. Where in the Holy Bible does it say that a believer must place his faith in the Holy Bible alone and not in the Holy Bible and Tradition?
Some leaders may make reference to Timothy 3:16 where it states, "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness..." But, the Holy Bible only says that Scripture is "useful." It does not say that we must believe in the Holy Bible alone.
Some may make reference to Matthew 15:1-9 where Jesus condemned the tradition of the elders. In that specific Biblical passage, Jesus was not condemning all tradition, but only the corrupt tradition of the Pharisees.
Have our separated brothers and sisters not read the words of Saint Paul in the Holy Bible where He gives a strong support in favor of the Tradition? Saint Paul said: "So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter." [2 Thess. 2:15]
In truth, I tell you, the belief of Sola Scriptura (the Bible alone) that is held by our separated brothers and sisters, is not Biblical at all. While the Protestant claim to base their entire belief system on the Bible alone, that principle is nowhere to be found in the Holy Bible.
According to all the Protestant Churches that promote "Sola Scriptura," they do not need the Catholic Church to interpret the Bible. They do not need any priests to interpret the Bible. Each and everyone of them can read the Bible and clearly understand each and every word. It is that simple!
I repeat again, "Sola Scriptura means that you only need the Bible." Isn't that what they say? Isn't that what they repeat over and over? Isn't that what they teach to the Protestant?
Some time ago, a Protestant informed me that he had a big problem with that teaching. He said, "If we only need the Bible, then why do we have Bible Colleges and Protestant Seminaries? Why do we have Libraries full of books to teach us about the Bible? Why do we have Bible classes for our children? Why do we have Bible professors to put us and keep us on the right track? Why can we not just pick up a Bible, read it and understand it? Should my understanding not be the same as my father, my mother, my brother or my sister?"
"Why do we have 'Student Bibles' with commentaries throughout the Bible to explain the verses as we read them?""Why is it that my father can say, 'I no longer believe in that part of the Bible'? Then all of a sudden, his belief is no longer the same as mine. We all become as an island in the ocean, each one of us having his own belief.
The 'Bible alone' teaching becomes insufficient. We need someone to clarify "that part of the Bible" to put my father and I on the right path. We need someone to correct one of us because one of us is wrong in his belief."
"If we need someone to correct us, then 'Sola Scriptura" cannot be true. It is a deception that any education person can perceive. "In the world, there is nearly 1 billion non-Catholic christians that represents over 30,000 different religions. You will not find two of these persons who believe in the exact same thing.
The belief of parents is not exactly the same as that of their children. The belief of siblings varies between brothers and sisters. The belief of husbands is not exactly the same as that of their wives.
The belief of ministers is not exactly the same as that of the church members. In truth, all they can do is find common denominators in order to stay together as a church. Because of the belief in one thing, they band together. But they may disagree on nine other things.
The divorcees or those who support divorce stick together. The homosexuals or those who support homosexuality stick together. Those who support abortions stick together. Those who support same sex marriage stick together.
All of this has nothing to do with the teachings of the Holy Bible. It has nothing to do with morals. It has nothing to do with what is right and what is wrong. It has to do with what one is comfortable with; that is what he believes and that is what he supports.
So you see, "Sola Scriptura" makes no sense. Those who promote it, they teach one thing but they practice another thing. Their actions are sufficient proof to renounce "Sola Scriptura" as the greatest deception to remove souls from the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church, the Church of Rome.
The Catholic Church lived the Faith given by Jesus to the Apostles before the Church recorded what is found in the Bible.
In like manner, the Church lives today in constant meditation upon Sacred Scripture but the Church also lives in constant meditation upon her history, her natural gifts, and the spiritual wisdom which has come with lived experience.
There is no evidence to suggest that God has only revealed Himself via the written word. As a matter of history, the opposite is true.
Please note: This post was not intented to give offense to by Protestant brothers and sister, many of which are holy, devout, a so very much Christ-like in their lives and actions. It was intended to clarify my belief, shared to you.
Note: Partial text taken from "Catholic Doors"
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