Sola Scriptura = Scripture Alone

Behind nearly every issue in the church today, whether Catholic or Protestant, is rooted in a drift from the authority of scripture. When preaching this or discussing it with fellow friends and family, I’ve noticed that nearly everyone would agree that the bible is authoritative. Still, we often miss that it needs to stay authoritative when things get sticky. Could you explain what I mean? I mean, when things in life are messy and nuanced, what is going to have the final say? For example, there is not a husband in my church who would deny that the bible says he should lay his life down for his wife. (Ephesians 5:25-28) But what about when she’s been terrible to be around? She’s naggy, never in a good mood, has gained fifty pounds, and quite frankly, it isn’t easy to be in the same room as her. Will the bible still have the authority, or can you build a good case as to why divorce is necessary, and ANY reasonable human could see why? See what we do? Suddenly, our human reasoning and nuanced life situations trump what the bible says to be true. The reality is that your marriage is more significant than your feelings. It’s bigger than being in Love. It’s more than a boy and girl who fall romantically in Love with one another. It’s often war, blood, guts, yelling, crying, and peeing on the seat. But more than that, it’s a relationship meant to glorify God, procreate, and take dominion as a family of disciples.

Now, apply this to all types of human dilemmas and situations, and the question remains: what will your final authority be? Will it be “sola scriptura = scripture alone?”