SOLA SCRIPTURA VERSUS TRADITIONTeachings on the Roman Catholic ChurchMatthew Cserháti

CONTENTS What is Sola Scriptura? Where does the Bible mention Sola

Scriptura? Roman Catholic tradition and “papal

infallibility” Bonus: the religious climate of Europe

WHAT IS SOLA SCRIPTURA Nowadays the authority of the Bible is

under attack on many different sides One of these attacks states that God’s

Word, the Bible has to be augmented by extra-Biblical sources of truth, e.g. E.G.White (Seventh Day Adventism) Book of Mormon Charismatic visions and revelations Tradition of any kind Science (theistic evolutionism)

SOLA SCRIPTURA A hierarchy of authorities exists to discern

truth: philosophy, science, etc. these are all man-made

Sola Scriptura states that the Scripture is the sole highest authority in determining truth, and not the Bible plus tradition, science, or anything else

Bottom line: If we find anything to contradict the Bible, then we know that it must be wrong

SOLA SCRIPTURA – SOLO SCRIPTURA The Bible is the sole highest authority

when it comes to defining any kind of truth, not just dogma and morals (see Methodist church)

The Bible + something =/= God’s Word Different from Solo Scriptura which

says that we can use only the Bible to decide what is right or wrong

REVEALED TRUTH AS A CORPUS OF KNOWLEDGE

Revealed truth originated as a corpus of knowledge from the mind of God before time

Independent of interpretation or any human authority which claims to interpret it

Revealed truth stands alone and not embedded into any kind of tradition

Man’s opinion is not on the same level as God’s word God is not brought down to man’s level Man shall not exalt himself to God’s level

SOLA SCRIPTURA AND THE REFORMATION

TOTA SCRIPTURA If the Scriptures are the sole highest

authority, you can say this of every single verse in the Bible

The Reformers also taught a principle called “Tota Scriptura”, in other words, the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation is authoritative

Hence, the whole Bible is the sole highest authority, you can’t just choose and select (liberalism ~ God’s Word is somewhere in the

Bible)

WHERE DOES THE BIBLE MENTION SOLA SCRIPTURA? Jesus and the disciples always proved

things from the Scriptures (Lk. 24:27; Acts 18:28)

Luke: “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

Acts: “For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.”

1COR 4:6 – STICK TO WHAT IS WRITTEN “And these things, brethren, I have in a

figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.” (1Cor. 4:6)

ACTS 17:10-12 – THE BEREANS And the brethren immediately sent away

Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

2TIM 3:16-17 – THE BIBLE IS SUFFICIENT “All scripture is given by

inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

The Scriptures are profitable; if profitable, then sufficient; if sufficient, it is unnecessary to augment it with anything else.

LUKE 16:27-31 – PARABLE OF THE RICH MAN

“Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

LUKE 1:3-4 - THEOPHILUS It seemed good to me also, having had

perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

JOHN 20:30-31 – WRITTEN TO BELIEVE “And many other signs truly did Jesus

in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” The written word is certain Oral transmission is subject to corruption

ROMAN CATHOLIC TRADITION “Why do ye also transgress the

commandment of God by your tradition?” (Mt. 5:13)

Romanists contend that the rule of faith is the written word (Scripture) and the unwritten word (oral tradition).

Furthermore, they purport that only the Roman Catholic hierarchy is capable of infallibly interpreting the Bible, ex cathedra

CATHOLIC TRADITION IS NOT DEFINED Much ado is made about a form of oral

tradition consisting of the words of Jesus not recorded in Scripture

Yet even after 2000 years tradition has not yet been precisely defined

Catholics cannot quote anything from oral tradition. Therefore it is non-existent; therefore it has no authority

LIST OF CATHOLIC TEACHINGS INTRODUCED AFTER EARLY CHRISTIANITY

1. Prayers for the dead 300 A.D.2. Sign of the Cross 310 A.D.3. Wax votive candles 320 A.D.4. Veneration of saints and angels 375 A.D.5. Mary declared "Mother of God" 431 A.D.6. Priests begin to wear vestments 500 A.D.7. Worship in Latin 600 A.D.8. Temporal power of Papacy granted by Phocas 610 A.D.9. Feast days in honour of Mary 650 A.D.10. Kissing of the Pope's feet 709 A.D.11. Temporal power of Papacy confirmed 750 A.D.12. Adoration of Mary, saints, images and relicslegalised by 2nd Council of Nicea

788 A.D.

13. Holy water 850 A.D.14. Veneration of St. Joseph 890 A.D.15. Baptism of bells 965 A.D.16. Canonization of dead saints 995 A.D.

17. Fasting on Fridays and Lent 998 A.D.18. Rosary beads 1090 A.D.19. Pope Boniface VII decrees celibacy of priests 1097 A.D.

20. Inquisition of heretics 1184 A.D.

21. Sale of Indulgences 1190 A.D.22. Transubstantiation of the wafer 1215 A.D.23. Confession to a priest 1215 A.D.24. Adoration of the host (Wafer God) 1220 A.D.

25. Bible forbidden and placed on index of forbidden books --by Council of Valencia 1229 A.D.

26. Red hats for Cardinals 1245 A.D.27. Feast of Corpus Christi 1264 A.D.28. The Miraculous scapular 1287 A.D.29. Roman church as the only true church 1303 A.D.30. Cup forbidden to laity at Communion 1415 A.D.31. Purgatory decreed by Council of Florence 1439 A.D.32. Doctrine of the seven sacraments 1439 A.D.33. Tradition of equal authority to the Bible 1545 A.D.34. Justification by works and not faith alone 1545 A.D.

35. Creed of Pope Plus IV makes all the unscriptural doctrines of Council of Trent binding 1560 A.D.

36. Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary 1854 A.D.

37. Papal infallibility 1870 A.D.

38. Papal decree on mixed marriages -- all marriages not celebrated by a Roman priest declared null and void

1908 A.D.

39. Pope reaffirms Mary as Mother of God 1931 A.D.40. Assumption of the Virgin Mary 1950 A.D.

MATTHEW 16:18 “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I

am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:15-18)

A CIRCULAR ARGUMENT Why is the RCC the only authority which can

interpret the Bible? Because Jesus established the RCC upon

Peter as the first pope, according to Matthew 16:18.

How do you know that you interpret Matthew 16:18 correctly?

Because the RCC is the only authority which can interpret the Bible.

Why is the RCC the only authority which can interpret the Bible?

…

THE ROCK The Bible mentions Jesus as the rock dozens of

times (Psalm 18:2, 31; Psalm 118:8; Mt. 7:24-25; Mt. 21:42; Eph. 2:19-22; Acts 4:11-12; 1Cor. 10:4; 1Pt. 1:4-6)

In Greek the word for rock is πέτρα, or pétra, a large rock, and is feminine, but Peter’s name means Πέτρος, or petros, which is masculine

The passage does not say “upon you I will build my church” or “you and your successors”

If the church was built upon Peter, then the church would end with Peter’s death – clearly it means something else

MATTHEW 16:22-23 “Then Peter took him, and began to

rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”

Was Jesus literally talking to Peter here then?!

CHURCH FATHERS ON THE ROCK - AUGUSTINE

“In a passage in this book, I said about the Apostle Peter: 'On him as on a rock the Church was built.'...But I know that very frequently at a later time, I so explained what the Lord said: 'Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church,' that it be understood as built upon Him whom Peter confessed saying: 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,' and so Peter, called after this rock, represented the person of the Church which is built upon this rock, and has received 'the keys of the kingdom of heaven.' For, 'Thou art Peter' and not 'Thou art the rock' was said to him. But 'the rock was Christ,' in confessing whom, as also the whole Church confesses, Simon was called Peter. But let the reader decide which of these two opinions is the more probable.”

JEROME “But you say that the Church is founded on

Peter, although the same thing is done in another place upon all the Apostles, and all receive the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and the solidity of the Church is established equally upon all.”

“Christ was the Rock, and He bestowed it upon the Apostles that they should be calledRocks.”

VATICAN COUNCIL I In 1870, Pius IX opened Vatican I to establish the

dogma of papal infallibility. According to his words: “I am tradition.”

“We teach and define that it is a dogma Divinely revealed that the Roman pontiff when he speaks ex cathedra, that is when in discharge of the office of pastor and doctor of all Christians, by virtue of his supreme Apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine regarding faith or morals to be held by the universal Church, by the Divine assistance promised to him in Blessed Peter, is possessed of that infallibility with which the Divine Redeemer willed that his Church should be endowed in defining doctrine regarding faith or morals, and that therefore such definitions of the Roman pontiff are of themselves and not from the consent of the Church irreformable.”

VATICAN COUNCIL I This is the heresy of supermontanism

Montanus of Anatolia Claimed to speak with the voice of the Holy Spirit The early church solidly denounced him as a heretic

German theologian Döllinger opposed the dogma of papal infallibility, which admittedly was designed to uphold the papacy’s political power Was silenced during Vatican I Afterwards the Old Catholic church (who do no

teach this) was formed with 40,000 adherents

1 THESS. 2:3-4 – THE ANTICHRIST “Let no man deceive you by any

means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

THE HOLY SPIRIT “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give

you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. … But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:16-17.26)

PAPAL ANTICHRIST When the text of Vatican I was

read ,darkness fell down over Rome in midday

The title of the pope is the vicar of Christ. αντίχριστος = false Christ set up against and in place of Christ

THE RELIGIOUS CLIMATE OF EUROPE Once the cradle of early Christianity

and the home of the Reformation, Europe is now the most atheist continent in the world

Birthplace of liberal theology, evolutionism, and Communism

An ever more materialistic, secularized Western Europe

In Eastern Europe the faith of 2-3 generations eroded by atheistic Communism

WESTERN EUROPE Churches are being shut

down at an alarming rate (5 per week in Sweden), sometimes mosques taking their places

Socialist parties in France, Belgium, Italy

Christianity is very superficial in most places, if existent

EASTERN EUROPE The Communists’ ultimate goal was to

liquidate Christianity, as an ideological, imperialist enemy

Christians were looked upon as ‘reactionary’, or ‘clerical’

No Christian institutions left 2-3 generations largely without a faith background

Countries vary according to degree of secularization (Czech Rep. vs. Romania/Slovakia), Hungary middle of the road

HUNGARY Slightly less than 10% of the population

goes to church regularly 55% Roman Catholic 20% Protestant (75% liberal)

16% Reformed 3% Lutheran 1% Baptist/other

Small minorities of eastern religions: Buddhism, Islam

RELIGIOUS HISTORY OF HUNGARY 895-1000: pagan religions (Koppány) 1000: Hungary becomes a Roman

Catholic kingdom under King Stephen I (Szent István király)

Persecution of small groups of Christians by King Stephen

THE REFORMATION IN HUNGARY 1523: The Reformation comes to

Hungary 1537: Mátyás Dévai starts ministry in

Budapest 1586: Gáspár Károli translates the

entire Bible into Hungarian (Károli version ~ King James)

Károli Biblia as seen in the town of Vizsoly

COUNTER-REFORMATION 1616: 80-90% of Hungary Protestant.

The Golden Age of Hungary: arts, sciences flourish

Subsequently the Jesuits were ordered to oppress and destroy the Protestants, led by Péter Pázmány de Panasz

2/3 of the country re-Catholicized, which led to modern demographics

MODERN ATMOSPHERE Church claimed back what it could of it’s

institutions (schools, hospitals) Backdrop of “practical atheism” Ideological influences coming in from the

West to fill the void left by Communism Ecumenism, charismaticism liberalism is

rampant Only few true believing churches left

(largest body: Bibliaszövetség – Bible League)

SUMMARY The Bible is the sole highest authority

every verse of the Bible is infallible (Tota Scriptura) The Bible is above human authority and oral

transmission Tradition crept in incrementally and is an

addition to the Scriptures and contradicts it Jesus is the rock, the foundation of the church

Also according to a number of church fathers Jesus left the Holy Spirit as a guide, not the pope

The Old Catholic church opposed papal infallibility The pope can be seen as the antichrist

LITERATURE William Webster: The church of Rome

at the bar of history John Dowling: The history of Romanism Samuel Cassels: Christ and antichrist Berean Beacon website, Richard Peter

Bennett http://bibletruth.orgfree.com/ -

Reaching Roman Catholics with the Gospel

THE END