The next instalment in our ‘Five Solae’ statements is that salvation is ‘found in the Scriptures alone’. The importance of this statement lies in that it argues against the Roman Catholic view that the final authority on earth is the Church. As such, if the Roman Catholic Church believes something in the Bible is wrong (e.g. justification through faith ALONE), outdated, or missing (e.g. the assumption of Mary), then the Catholic Church’s authority on that matter overrides the Bible.
The first problem with the Roman Catholic Church declaring itself to be the final authority on earth is it goes against Jesus’ own teachings. He slammed the Pharisees for making up rules that contradicted the commands of God (Mark 7:8). Furthermore, when Jesus taught his disciples, he didn’t use church tradition; he used the Scriptures (Luke 24:44-45).
Yet the greater danger of setting up the church against the Scriptures is that the church could, and did, change the Bible’s teaching on how one is saved; i.e. through faith PLUS works. This had led millions upon millions of devout Catholics to believe that their obedience to the sacraments, and their proclivity towards good works is what their salvation is based on. Not only does this completely remove one’s assurance of forgiveness, it can even pull people away from Christ, as they determine they can never do enough to earn his favour. How many peoples’ faiths have been shipwrecked by this?
Thus the Reformation call that salvation is found in the teachings of the Scriptures alone preserves the Bible’s assertion that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
Brendan McLaughlin
