Giving "Sola Scriptura" a new meaning

The term “sola scriptura” has been a Protestant slogan for time out of mind. Aimed originally at the Roman Catholics, it was designed to chop off “lock, stock and barrel” any teachings which could not be found explicitly in the Word of God, especially in the Protestant canon (which excluded the extra books found in the Greek Old Testament). Well, here I am, a Greek Orthodox, and this what I have to say.

I want to give “sola scriptura” a new meaning. Literally, it means “only scripture.” Instead of using it as a slogan of denominational warfare, I want to redefine it in a way that cuts through each one of us, regardless of our church affiliation, or lack of it.

Redefined, “sola scriptura” means that we study and put into action, primarily, “only scripture.” By this I mean that we stop wasting our time with other “Christian” books. What did I say? Yes, stop wasting time reading so-called Christian books. Our reading and study should be focused primarily, and in some cases, exclusively, on the Word of God, that is, the Holy Bible, in the version(s) of our choice, of course.

Why read and study “only scripture”? Because the Word of God is pure Truth in written form, to be digested spiritually, to feed us and prepare us for the work of Christ.
How can we be expected to understand what we read there, if we don’t have the help of “other books,” especially by modern teachers? Well, if we're born again followers of Christ, if we are integrated into and active in a local congregation, and if we know how to pray and pray regularly, then we don’t need books like “Understanding the Word of God, for Dummies.”
We’re not dummies! Let's stop making excuses and just read and study the Word of God, because despite what people have been led to believe, it is not hard to understand. You just can’t expect to understand it all at once, or the first time in every place. That’s why we have to study it over and over again. But if we commit ourselves to reading it every day, we will be taught by the Lord everything that we need to know to live our lives in Christ, without fantasy, without wishful thinking, without self-glorification. Our lives in Christ, as they unfold, will be our commentary on what we have read and learned, for ourselves and for others.

Now, when I look at “Christian” web sites and ministers’ blogs, and TV and internet ministries, I am overwhelmed with the number of books and other paraphernalia, ‘products’ that I find there. Is it any wonder that a follower of Christ can miss the call to discipleship, when the Word of God is so overlaid with the devices of men? So again I say, let’s get back to the Bible, to the Word of God alone, to “sola scriptura”, and stop making excuses. Either we want to know the will of God for our lives, we want to hear the call of Jesus, or we don’t. We can “play church” all we want, but that bores the world to disgust, meanwhile condemning the unsaved whom Christ is seeking to certain, and eternal, death.

Well, of course, I also read books other than the Bible, but I read them in my “spare time.” Reading other books does not excuse me from reading the Bible, however. What we all must watch out for is our tendency to want novelty, constantly. This is the fleshly failing that I suspect is behind the proliferation of “other books” in certain Christian circles, and which leads individuals, ministers and even whole churches into flashy “make believe” ministries paved with good intentions that ultimately dissipate.

Even if it turns out to be a very straight and narrow way, let’s rather read the Word of God alone, and let ourselves be formed by that Word (Psalm 19:11), let’s make the Word of God our home, so we can truly be disciples (John 8:31), and so that God can make His home with us (John 14:23), and so that the anointing He gave us can teach us everything (1 John 2:27). “Sola scriptura”… only the scriptures, “the stone rejected by the builders that proved to be the keystone.” (Psalm 118:22) Instead of building programs on the foundations of “other books”…

“…Set yourselves close to him, so that you too, the holy priesthood that offers the spiritual sacrifices which Jesus Christ has made acceptable to God, may be living stones making a spiritual house. As scripture says, ‘See how I lay in Zion a precious cornerstone that I have chosen and the man who rests his trust on it will not be disappointed.’ (Isaiah 28:16) That means that for you who are believers, it is precious; but for unbelievers, ‘the stone rejected by the builders has proved to be the keystone, a stone to stumble over, a rock to bring men down.’ They stumble over it because they do not believe in the Word…” 1 Peter 2:4b-8