Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Statement Of Faith

In Faith

INTRO:  The  story is told by Millard Erickson about Bill, a man who bought a new car. He could hardly wait to drive it. He had asked for it to be delivered with a full tank of gas and he immediately began to enjoy driving it.

 He drove 1, 2, 3 hundred miles w/o needing to stop for gas. The needle fell so slowly that he knew he was getting great gas mileage. Finally at about 350 miles he pulled into a gas station to fill the tank. But, he found he could not open the door to the gas tank. Evidently there was a device to release the lid some where in the car. He looked over the instrument panel, he felt alongside the drivers seat, he looked at the bottom of the driver side door, but to no avail.

 Finally, embarrassed, he went to the gas station attendant and asked 'Do you know how to open the gas tank lid on a new Mercury Topaz?' Try inside the glove box. Bill looked and there is was. A little button to release the latch. Also in the glove box was what?...the owners manual. Bill had not followed the old rule, 'When in doubt, read the instruction book.' But, we all know men don't read the instruction book....ever! right ladies?

 People buy something, try to put it together and use it without ever reading the instruction manual that came with it. Frustratio is often a residual. I am sure you have a few stories...right ladies?

EXP: But sadder still are those who go through life w/o ever reading the instruction book for living! The Bible, God's holy and authoritative Word. He designed us and gave us an instruction manual on how we are to live.

 And because He created and designed us, His Word is of the utmost importance...it is, as our Statement of Faith says,  the ultimate authority....but not all believe this.

 Perhaps you have heard statements like this...'The Bible is antiquated'. 'We need new insight for todays generation' 'The kinds of problems we have today just didn't exist back in Bible days'. 'We need to incorporate the sciences to help us modernize the Bible and give it relevance for today.'

 Yet, I believe Scripture speaks directly to this cry for contemporary relevance.

Ps. 119:105 'Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path'

Ps. 119:11 'Thy word have I hidden in my heart that I  might not sin against thee.'

 No statutes of limitations mentioned here.

Ps. 119:89 'Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.'

 The word settled means 'to stand, to be stationed, to be firm, or established.' It is saying God's Word is established and will stand...forever.'

 God spoke in Gen. 1 and whatever He said came into being. That is power, that is the authority of His word.

Isaiah 30:30a  'And the Lord will cause His voice of  authority to be heard.

 The voice of God's authority, His ultimate and sovereign authority has been heard,  and it is His Holy Word, the Bible.

TRANS: As a member of CBC you have said that you were in agreement with our Statement of Faith. Do you know what it says about the authority of Scripture in your life? Do you understand the extent of that authority? Our Statement of Faith begins with the phrase...

I. The ultimate authority in all matters of faith
    A. The ultimate authority
 1. The Source of Scriptures Authority

    The English word authority comes from the Latin 'auctor' which means author, originator or teacher. It speaks of the power to command, and receive submission and obedience.  The source of Scriptures authority is not in that we have declared it to be, nor in its content, the accuracy of its historical/scientific data nor in the uniqueness of its character. The authority of Scripture lies solely in the nature of its author, God, Himself. God is the self-contained, all sufficient one, who has spoken.

     Scripture is the ultimate authority because it comes from the mouth of God. He is the Holy One, righteous, and just. He is omniscient and omnipotent. And His Words are truth. God created all of mankind and everything we know as reality. God maintains His creation and is actively involved in the lives of His people. God reached down from heaven and secured the salvation of His elect. God did all this. There is no higher authority. All other authority is subject to God and His Word.

TRANS: Ultimate authority in what? Let's see.

    B. In all matters of FAITH
       LOCUS: The Son of God and the Doctrines of God

     Faith in the Son of God is revealed in the attitude of abandoning all reliance in one's own efforts to obtain salvation. It is the attitude of complete trust in Christ, of reliance on him alone for salvation.

     Faith in the Doctrines of God is often referred to as 'The faith', in Scripture. It is the body of truth given by the Apostles thru the inspiration of the HS to the church. It is what we call the Bible.

     So the phrase, 'in all matters of faith' means everything, in all things, great and small, that we look to either for salvation, eternal life and relationship with God, or everything that we teach as doctrine in the church. They must come from God's Word alone.

     The Reformers called this 'Sola Scriptura' or Scripture Alone. Scripture alone is sufficient for salvation, the knowledge of God, His will and our responsibility to Him.

 BIBLICAL SUPPORT

 Psalm 119 (All)

 Acts 6:7 'And the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.'

 Rom. 10:8-10 'But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.'

 2 Timothy 3:16 'All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.'

     Did you see it? The Word of God is alone responsible for salvation and for becoming obedient to the faith.  In all matters relating to salvation and the doctrines of the church, our ultimate authority is Scripture alone.

     But not all in Christendom would agree with that statement. For centuries, there has been the debate over faith and tradition as having joint authority in the church. I would like to briefly look at that.

 FAITH vs TRADITION

     Scripture declares what the faith and practice of the Church is to be. Even the Apostles were subject to it. There is a distinction made in God's Word between Scripture and the church. The church, like the Apostles, is to be subject to Scripture and not Scripture to the Church. What I mean to say is that authority in the church is not to be found in the church but in Scripture.  However, the Roman Catholic theory and teaching has been that ultimate authority in all matters of faith and practice reside both in Scripture and the Traditions of the church.

Tradition, they believe is necessary...
1. To teach additional truth not contained in the Scriptures.

2. To interpret Scripture. Interpretation is not the right of individual believers, but the right and responsibility of the church alone
    to determine and teach.

3. To determine what is Scripture

4. To determine what is genuine tradition.

 This authority rests in the pope, when acting in his official capacity and in the bishops as a body when in general council or when giving universal consent to a decree of the pope or council. (Council of Trent)

WHY? Roman Catholic doctrine teaches
1. Scripture is obscure and needs tradition as it's
    interpreter.

2. Oral tradition has been passed down from the Apostles

3. Scripture is incomplete as a rule of faith and practice since there are many doctrines and institutions,  universally recognized
    which are founded only upon  tradition as a supplement to the Scriptures.  (Council of Trent)

In defense of the Sole Authority of Scripture
1. Scripture, nowhere, gives authority to oral tradition of  any kind. In fact, Christ rebuked this practice in the  Pharisees.

2. Many traditions, such as those related to the priesthood, the sacrifice of the mass, confession to a  priest, the adoration and
    praying to Mary and the like are plainly in opposition to Scripture. And are  relatively new and would not have been know
    by the early church.

3. Tradition by its very nature is liable to become tainted with every form of human error.

4. One of the HS's responsibilities is to teach us the  truths of God's Word...we don't need the traditions of man when we have
    the indwelling HS of God.

5. The Scriptures always speak in the name of God and therefore command faith and obedience.

6. Christ and His Apostles always refer to written Scripture as authority and  to  no other rule of faith whatsoever.

7. The Bereans are commended for searching the Scriptures to see if what is being taught is true.

TRANS: Scripture, God's Word is the ultimate and sole authority in all matter of faith. Faith in Jesus Christ as the means of salvation and faith in the doctrines taught in Scripture.

CONCLUSION:

 Is the Bible relevant today! Yes...Remember the biblical account of the rich man and Lazarus. Jesus said 'If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead'

 Jesus was proclaiming the sufficiency of Scripture to be relevant and authoritative, in all times. Moses and the Prophets was a reference to the written Word of God.

 It was sufficient and relevant before, it's sufficient and relevant today as well. It is the same yesterday, today and forever, for it is the very Word of God Himself.

 Next week we will examine how Scripture is the ultimate authority in all matters of conduct, order and morality.