Is The Bible Enough? (A Case for The Supremacy of Scripture) | Mark 7:1-13 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Well, Mimi, again, in Mark chapter seven together to look at one particular verve it's very important in the word of look here with me in verse five. Before we read, why don't we pray again? Oh, Lord. You are the truth. Your word is truth.

Help us understand it. Set us free by the truth. Sanctify us by the truth. Lord, we trust that what is prepared for us today will advance us further into greater confidence to contend for the faith that was once delivered. We pray, Lord, that this would be maybe even a turning point for some.

We just ask that what would be delivered would be done in the power of the spirit, the wisdom of the spirit, and faithfulness to your will in your mind pertaining and regarding this subject. Lord, we trust in you. We love you. That's why we're here. Would you sense our love for you?

And Lord, more importantly, would we realize your great love for us? In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Mark seven five. And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands.

There's no question that this interrogation was something that the religious leaders of Jesus' day brought to him, but I wanna borrow the concept of this idea here and present followers of Jesus Christ here and now with a similar question. Why do we, as followers of Jesus Christ, not uphold or practice prominent traditions in Christendom of our day? I'm sure you are fully aware that there are many branches within Christendom that champion and put great emphasis on certain beliefs and practices that are established in the name of sacred tradition. And it's very likely that some of you have been challenged by friends or family who have wondered about your lack of adherence to these specific customs and rituals or beliefs that have no strong or consistent basis in the Bible. And it's also very likely that your initial response to such inquiries have been something along the lines of, well, because the Bible says.

And the reason why you would give such a response is because you appeal to scripture. And the reason why you appeal to the authority of the scripture is because you wholeheartedly believe that the scripture alone is the supreme and final rule regarding all faith and practice. Now that loyalty and that fidelity to the scriptures was the very heartbeat of the reformation. One of the known slogans of that time is something that you are familiar with, a Latin phrase called sola scriptura. Sola scriptura, which was heralded and declared, charged by Martin Luther during the fifteen hundreds.

And some have a misunderstanding of what sola scriptura means and believe it to understand that there are some within Christendom, namely us, who believe that the Bible is the only authority. And that is not what we necessarily agreed to. That the Bible is just this stand alone kind of rule and measurement of certain things and there's no other sense of authority over us. That's not how we understand the term. No.

The Bible itself testifies and speaks of various kinds of authority. There is parental authority. There is civil authority. There is even church authority among other types of authority and none of those things conflict with our faithfulness and our surrender to the scriptures, or at least they shouldn't. When we speak about sola scriptura, which simply means scripture alone, what that communicates is that the bible pay very close attention to this.

That the bible is the only infallible. What does infallible mean? It means incapable of making mistakes. The Bible is the only infallible and all sufficient rule and standard for spiritual truth. That is what sola scriptura essentially means.

Parents can make mistakes. Government can promote error. You can even have clergy and leaders within the realm of the church who could be misguided with their presumptions and their judgments, but the bible alone is unique in that it has an inability to be untrue. And by virtue of unable being wrong, it demands all other authorities to submit to its inherent claims. You might be wondering why sola scriptura was championed during the 15 hundreds, the sixteenth century, and the main reason is because it was a statement of protest against the Roman Catholic church.

And why was the Roman Catholic church being protested against? Because what they believed then and what they still believe today is nothing close to this view of scripture. The Roman Catholics, as well as Eastern Orthodox and other traditional churches, they see the scripture as an authority, but not the authority. And there's a big difference. It's important to note that these branches of traditional and orthodox churches, if I can use that word, have their differences.

And we're not gonna speak on those differences today, but one thing that makes the Protestant Christian faith unique is this distinct conviction, which is everything that God requires of us is found and finalized in the written word of God. Notice that I'm not saying that everything that the prophet said or everything that the apostles taught were necessarily aren't necessarily found in the Bible. But what we do believe is that in God's providential wisdom, he has preserved what is sufficient in what you're holding in your hand today. Scripture does not share its preeminent place with the papacy, with bishops, with ancient oral teachings, with church fathers' subjective revelations or anything else for that matter. It stands alone as the source by which we must judge everything.

And I'm fully aware that as I'm saying this, there are many objections to this principle. And I'm not gonna pretend that in one session, we're gonna address every single argument, but my hope in presenting this to you today is that for those who do hold to this view, you would be more encouraged and strengthened in your faith. And for those who might be conflicted, that you would at least reconsider the view that you might hold that scripture is not the only infallible source for faith and practice. And one of the most common objections to what I am presenting to you today is, for those who reject sola scriptura, they kinda drum this one argument over and over and it's that scripture itself does not teach sola scriptura. And so it's a self refuting argument.

It doesn't stand because it's circular. There's nothing within scripture that says you need to hold to the infallibility of the scripture alone, and that there's no other source of infallibility that can help you in your faith or worship toward God, and so it just has no legs. And what I want to say is that just because there isn't a particular or explicit statement that is phrased to one's preference or liking liking does not dismiss the conviction itself. Because what you will find in the Bible undeniably is that it does declare its own infallibility and its own sufficiency. And that is enough for us to be honest with ourselves to make a logical conclusion.

Right? You might not find one specific verse that says, the written word of God alone is the dominant source for what you need in your walk with God. You might not find something like that. But you don't find something like that for the trinity either. What you do is you gather the evidence from cover to cover and then you're able to make a consistent and harmonious conclusion based on the data that has been presented to us divinely.

And so we see here that there is infallibility and sufficiency. And I'm gonna show that to you in a moment. And here's what I want you to do, is that once you are able to to hear and see the unique identity and the adequate function of the word of God, you have to again ask yourself, is there a need for a infallible source to work with the unrivaled nature and ability of God's word. Is there a need? Psalm nineteen seven.

The law of the Lord is perfect. Reviving the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple. The law of the Lord is perfect, not just in its historical data or whatever scientific inferences therein, but its ability to revive the soul. To take that dormant spirit of yours and to bring it into perfect alignment and right standing with your creator and your savior.

Now if it's perfect in that purpose, is there anything else that is needed to be added to accomplish that specific goal? If I claim anything is perfect, what I am also claiming is that there is no need for supplementation or subtraction in order for it to be effective in its specific right. The law of the Lord is perfect. Proverbs thirty five and six. Every word of God proves true.

He is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. Can the warning be any clearer? The Holy Spirit informs us that there is a serious danger for those who would claim that any ordinance, any ritual, any belief, any doctrine, any practice is authorized by God though it is not warranted by the word of God. Do not add to his words.

Now those who would again resist or argue against sola scriptura would say, well, the written word of God is not the only manifestation of the Word of God. Because to them, there is also another stream and that stream mainly is sacred tradition, which is to believe the oral law, the oral teachings of the apostles that were passed down in succession though they were not recorded like what we have in our bibles. And to add to that, and we'll touch on what what I just said later on, but to add to that you have specifically the Roman Catholic church that would also say that not just sacred tradition, but we also have and need the church, their church being the ultimate interpreter and determiner of truth since she has been given authority by Christ to do so. What that means is this, and it means many things, But here's the main concern for that. That the leaders in the Roman Catholic church can invoke what they believe as their God given authority and make it binding on the conscience.

This is something that you must believe in. This is something that applies to you as a Christian. And the magisterium has that apparently, has that prerogative given by God. That's the case that they make. And the main way that those teachings and those doctrines are determined is through ecumenical church councils.

Throughout history, there have been many of them. And what that really means is that you have the gathering of bishops worldwide who come to discuss these matters and then they either affirm or refute doctrines or heresies and then it applies to the universal church. And one that I wanna bring to your attention to to your attention in particular is one of the most significant councils that make it obvious that where we stand as Protestant Christians is vastly different to where the Roman Catholic church stands. Now, I'm fully aware that some of you might have Roman Catholic friends, Roman Catholic family members. I'm not here to pick on your Roman Catholic family member or your friend.

My duty here is to speak about what the church teaches, to present that data to you, and then you make your conclusion. And so the council that I am speaking of here is the Council of Trent. The Council of Trent was a series of meetings that began in 1545, and these series of meetings were organized for the sole purpose of refuting the message and the movement of the reformation. And what I want to quote to you in a moment here are some of the decrees that were determined within that council over the years, and there are two things that you need to be prepared for. The first thing that you must understand is that these dogmas, these canons that have been defined during the Council of Trent have never been revoked since.

In other words, they are still in application today. In other words, they still apply to you because you're gonna realize that they do apply to you. Secondly, what you're going to hear as I quote these things is the repeated word, anathema. Anathema. Some of you know that word, some of you may not know that word, and our Roman Catholic friends would say that the definition of that word varies.

There they would say that early on, the word anathema could have included the meaning of being accursed, being cursed. Right? And we see that usage there even in Galatians chapter one. But they would also argue that later on, it took a more prominent definition which simply means to be excommunicated from the community of faith. Here's the point that I'm trying to make.

Regardless of what definition you hold to, anathema is not good. K? It's not a pleasant thing. It's not good and it is regardless of the severity of the definition that apologists might hold to, it is undeniably an expression of condemnation. An expression of condemnation for those who would not hold to the beliefs that they say are crucial and essential to what they would say is the Christian faith.

And so I want to simply quote to you now and I need you to lean in and pay attention to the wording and I'll my head's gonna be down so that it's gonna require you to lean in a little bit more and use a little bit extra strength to pay attention. I'm gonna read to you now a few statements from the sixth session of the Council of Trent. Remember, this is on par with the authority of the word of God to them. This is not subordinate. This is not opinion.

Because of their view of the authority of the magisterium, this is binding to the conscience. The sixth council of the council of Trent, the sixth session rather, under the title justification canons. Quote, canon 12. If anyone shall say that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in the divine mercy pardoning sins for Christ's sake, or that it is that confidence alone by which we are justified, let him be anathema. Canon 14.

If anyone sayeth that man is truly absolved from his sins and justified because that he assuredly believed himself absolved and justified or that no one is truly justified but he who believes himself justified and that by this faith alone, absolution and justification are effected, let him be anathema. Let me translate to that. If you believe in justification by faith, you are anathemaized. Canon 23. If anyone sayeth that justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works.

Now pay attention to this, but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof, let him be anathema. In other words, if you believe that good works are the fruit of your salvation, you're wrong. You need good works to be justified. Works are not the fruit of your salvation, they are a means by which you can experience the grace of God. Canon 30.

If anyone sayeth that after the grace of justification has been received, to every penitent sinner the guilt is remitted and the debt of eternal punishment is blotted out in such wise, that there remains not any debt or temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world or in the next in purgatory, before the entrance to the kingdom of heaven can be open to him, let him be anathema. Did you understand that? If you believe that all your guilt, all your sins have been washed away and that you are not need in you're not need for extra cleansing in this life or even in the next life is something that you're familiar with which is purgatory, then anathema. And I was reviewing these things last night and thinking about them. And here's the question that came to my mind, maybe it went through yours.

Which interpretation of God's will do I yoke myself to? If I hold to the view that scripture is a authority, but the magisterium is another. Which one do I obey? Which one do I submit to? Which one do I say yes and amen?

Well, if you're a Roman Catholic, you would have to say the magisterium. You would have to say the magisterium because the magisterium has apparently been given the authority from Christ to interpret scripture. You can't do that with your Bible alone necessarily and so you need to trust in the institution that God has placed and inspired by His Spirit. So that means what I just read to you is amen. So what am I supposed to do?

Am I supposed to trust the words of the apostle Paul who said in Ephesians two eight and nine, for by grace we have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing, it is a gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast? Or am I supposed to put my trust in canon 14 of the sixth session of the Council of Trent? Am I supposed to put my absolute heart in the hand of the truth of Hebrews ten fourteen that tells me that by one sacrifice, I've been perfected for all time for those who are being sanctified. Amen.

Or am I supposed to live under the umbrella of canon 30 that tells me that I might need some extra purging before the gates of heaven are open to me. You see, this is what it boils down to. This is why I'm bringing this to your attention. The reason why I believe what I believe is because I choose to put my trust in the clear, infallible word of God, not in the word of fallible men. And I invite you to do the same.

I love the words of the apostle Paul who said this in first Corinthians four six. You can turn there because it's a great passage. In first Corinthians four six, Paul says, I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written. That none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. What what is Paul saying here?

He's calling the Corinthians to use the scripture and yes, Paul believed that his own writings were scripture. He called to the Corinthians to use their standard of judgment concerning the leaders based on what has been written. Not by their own imaginations, not by their own feelings, not by their own arguments, not by anything else. Don't go beyond what has been already established and written. What about what he says to the same Corinthian church who thought that they had the authority to determine what happened in the worship service, and how Christians should exercise their gifts, and how they should relate to one another?

Well, the same Paul says in first Corinthians 14. Just scroll there a few chapters later and notice what he says to the same group of people. In first Corinthians 14 verse 36. Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached?

If anyone thinks that he is a prophet or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. Wow. Paul actually believed that what he wrote was commands from God. Yes. He was fully aware of that as you're gonna discover in a moment.

And he's asking the same church to acknowledge that regardless of gifting, regardless of any private experience as the prophets in the church might have experienced. Right? No matter what kind of thus says the Lord, no matter what kind of, spontaneous leading of the spirit there was, Paul says, if you're really a prophet, you would acknowledge my word, which is God's word, and you would submit to it. You would submit to it. You would realize that this has supreme authority, that this has ultimate say.

It has the final say of what you believe and how you practice your faith. Why is that? Because the apostle Paul was among the other apostles who have been handpicked by Jesus Christ himself to lay the foundation of the church according to Ephesians two twenty. That's that's very important to understand. The apostles have been handpicked have been handpicked in such a way that they've been endured with a specific kind of responsibility.

And that responsibility is whether by word or by writing what they said was determined as foundational to the faith of the church. When you lay a foundation, it's something that says you're building on this. You're not adding to this. You're not expanding on it unless you are building upon what it says and what it determines already. So the foundation has been laid and Paul and the other apostles realized that they had that unique call.

A call that could not be passed down. A call that was not succeeded. A call that was unique to them and to them alone. And what about that perfect? I I believe it's one of the greatest declarations of the marriage between the infallibility of the word of God and the sufficiency of the word of God.

And those who oppose the view of soul of scripture don't like when it's quoted and I'll tell you why and a reason, but you know it. You probably memorize it, but let's just rehearse it again. In second Timothy three verse 15 to 17. Speaking to Timothy and he says, oh, and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Notice that.

The the the sacred writings are able to make you wise unto salvation. In other words, if you if you engage with the bible, yes, there are some things that are harder to understand, but not impossible to understand. Right? Because the claim is that we cannot understand the bible so that we need the help of the church at large who have infallible ability to determine what the bible says. Okay.

It might be hard, but what is essential? The main things are the plain things. And what we have here is that if you engage with the Bible, you will have the direction you need enough to be saved. Wise unto salvation. Verse 16.

All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. And I love this in verse 17, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work, wise unto salvation, and equipped to be what God calls me to be as a man of God. What God calls you to be as a woman of God. It is sufficient. And I know that those who again resist this proponents that that viewed tradition and others as the same as scripture in terms of its authority, don't like this and they have two main arguments to why.

The first one is that they don't see Paul's words here as excluding any other type of authority by which we can be made sanctified. There's nothing here, this is the argument, there's nothing here that says, okay, we believe scripture is inspired by God, but it doesn't mean that God can't inspire other means, other systems to also help us grow, to help us know. And I can see where they're coming from. Because you look at James chapter one, you don't have to turn there but if you want you can. James chapter one verse four, and James there is speaking about trials and he's calling the Christians to be faithful in their trials and to let those trials have its full effect on them.

Why? That they may be complete. That they may be matured. In other words, God has ordained specific things in your life, difficult things in order to chisel you and to make you more of the man that he wants you to be or the woman that he's called you to be. I'm not arguing that the Lord doesn't use the church.

That the Lord doesn't use people with specific gifts to help us or even trials in life to assist us and to guide us into the will of God. What I am saying is that nothing else in all the Bible says that something is breathed out by God except for the scriptures. Infallible. Infallible. Infallible and inerrant.

Unable to make a mistake and it is void of error. That's what we believe and that's what is only declared concerning the very word of God that you and I love. Secondly, some would propose that what Paul is speaking here concerning all scripture is just the Old Testament. It's just the Old Testament. The New Testament wasn't recognized there.

They didn't have a New Testament library and so what Paul is really speaking about here is the Hebrew scriptures. And that opens up to many other problems. Right? But you know very well and I hope you do that even at this time, Paul recognized New Testament books as scripture. I can I can spend the next ten minutes to show you how Paul believed that about his own writings and various epistles, but Paul also believed that about his contemporary writers?

And and just in case you don't know these references, I wanna give them to you so that you are mindful of this. And the reason I'm gonna tell you why this is important in a moment here, but look here with me at first Timothy five eight. You're in second Timothy, scroll back to first Timothy five eight. Excuse me, five eighteen. And notice the words of Paul here when he's seeking to teach about pastors in the church.

For the scripture says that's what Paul says in first Timothy five eighteen. For the scripture says, you shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain. Stop. That's in Deuteronomy. That's something that's found in Deuteronomy.

Paul pulls that out by principle to apply to how leaders should be compensated to some degree for their service in the church. You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain and then beautifully he says, and the laborer deserves his wages. Where is that found? Luke. Paul puts the gospel of Luke on par with the book of Deuteronomy.

Paul believed that Luke's writings had the same authority as the writings of Moses in Deuteronomy. And so he he brings Luke and he brings Deuteronomy in the same breath he exercised the authority of the word of God from both sources during his own lifetime, during the infancy of the early church. First Timothy five eighteen. What about Peter's words in second Peter chapter three? There he is discussing some people who are pressing the church about different doctrines.

And he says here in second Peter three fifteen, and count the patience of the Lord as salvation just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you concerning the wisdom given him. As he does in all his letters, all his letters, when he speaks in them of these matters, there are some things in them that are hard to understand. Pause, that comforts me. Because if Peter had trouble understanding Paul's writings, that means when I come to a text like Romans, I'm like, this is kind of difficult. Well, Peter struggled too to some regard.

That are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction as they do, scriptures. So if second Timothy three fifteen to 17, scriptures there refers solely to the Hebrew scriptures, then what do you do with text like this when Peter says, yeah, but Paul's letters are also scriptures? This also shows, and this is the point that I wanna make, this also shows that the recognition, the circulation, and the formulation of the New Testament library was in operation during the lifetime of the apostles. And why I say that is because those who hold to sacred tradition would say that if you don't hold a sacred tradition, then you gotta deny what you believe to be the Bible. And why is that?

Because it's tradition that has compiled what you claim to be your Bible. In other words, at some point in history, you had Christians who had the leading and the authority to determine which books belong here and which don't. There's no index in your bible that says these books belong. Who's gonna determine with all the different letters going around what belongs in the library and what doesn't? And if you if you don't say tradition, then you have to also deny your bible.

But hold on. Let let's just make this point clear. To recognize what is authoritative in the bible does not automatically equate that you are infallible. Does it? I don't have to be infallible in order to recognize what is divine.

And there is a criterion by which the early Christians were able to identify what was scripture, and what could be disregarded. But we don't have time to get into that. What I want to say is this, that even if it is a tradition. Okay? It's a tradition that's founded in the Bible.

It's not something that happened outside of the Bible, outside of the scripture. We we just had two references right there to show us that it was birthed and it was happening and it was occurring during the lifetime of the apostles when the very scriptures you and I love were being formulated. That's something very important to understand. Now I know some of you might be wondering something because, I know this. I'm not a prophet nor a son of a prophet.

Because some of you and some others have messaged me concerning one particular verse that is troublesome. It's kind of a thorn to this whole belief and this conviction. It's in second Thessalonians two verse 15. Here's what Paul says, and it seems to be a proof text that confirms how the written word of God is appear to sacred tradition. Second Thessalonians two verse 15.

We read here, so then brothers, stand firm and hold to what's that word? The traditions that you were taught by us either by our spoken word or by our letter. You see? Paul mentions traditions that were taught by him and the other church leaders, and some of them were transmitted by his word, which confirms that there is some kind of oral doctrine that was transmitted, that they taught and was passed down from generation to generation. That's the argument.

But here's the question we have to ask ourselves, do you really believe that when Paul used the word tradition here that he is referring to extra biblical revelation that is equal to God's word? There are very there are two very important words in this verse and depending on your translation it might be one word. And it's word that that expands our understanding of the scripture. So then. Do you see that?

So then. Your translation might say what? Therefore. K. What is therefore therefore?

See what I did there? What is therefore therefore? You gotta zoom out. You gotta understand that Paul's thought here is connected to a larger context. And what is that larger context?

Well, we're here in verse 15. Are we not? Now come here, verse 13. But we ought always to give thanks to God for you brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits to be saved through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us. Yeah. Whatever tradition Paul was referring to was in connection to their confidence of their standing in the gospel. And if you want to expand the context, we know that in the beginning of chapter two, he's speaking about the second coming of Jesus Christ. So these traditions and all the word traditions really means in the original is handed down.

These traditions, things that were handed down, Paul was speaking about clearly were linked to and consistent with the substance of his apostolic teaching. And you would find it, yes, through his word, but it would also be found in his letters. That's why he says by our word or by our letters. Right? The idea that what he spoke by his word is some additional peripheral kind of thing, it doesn't make sense.

Because the very connection to the tradition there is what was handed down concerning the gospel and choose about the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not things out there that, that we can't find in our Bibles or things that might even conflict with our Bibles. No. Simply things that were handed down. And because he was an apostle, he could do that by word or he can do that by letter, which is also important.

There is no indication here whatsoever that this verse teaches that things would be passed down by word from one generation to the next. There's nothing of that. All Paul is saying is, I'm an apostle. And as a living apostle at this time when he wrote this, he's saying, and it's logical, that my word is just as authoritative as my writings are. My writings are just what my thoughts are, obviously inspired by the spirit recorded on papyrus.

Right? So I can speak to you what God wants you to know because I'm alive, or I can write these things to you and he has. And they were equally authoritative as long as they were alive, but what do you do when they cease to live? What is the church to do? If they don't have access to the living active voice of these apostles, who've been endowed with a specific portion of the spirit and grace to lay the foundation of the church for the people of God.

Well, let me put it this way. One thing is for certain, there is no hint that the New Testament teaches that there is some infallible rule that is coming your way that will help you determine things. In other words, there is nothing in the Bible that says there is a post apostolic authority that is on the same level as the Bible that you can rely on very soon. Nothing. So what are you left with?

A very comforting truth. You're comforted by the realization that the very testimony of the Bible calls us and invites us to look to its unparalleled perfectly reliable guide to who God is, what he has done, what he will do, and what it is that he demands of us. And this he has placed in the possession of his people. People often quote first Timothy three fifteen that the church is the pillar and the buttress of truth as a proof text that the church is authoritative in the same regard as the scripture. But they didn't finish the verse.

Early on, Paul says, I'm writing these things to you so that you know how to conduct yourself in the house of God. What I'm writing to you is what is authoritative. What I am delivering to you is to determine how you conduct yourself in the church. And what does a pillar do? Does it create truth like what we see in the Council of Trent?

No. A pillar upholds something. So the church has any relation to the Word of God. It is to guard the truth, protect the truth, be faithful to the truth. And I use this verse to end last week's session.

And if you haven't heard last week's session and you wanna know more because I could take us to Jesus' appeal to the scriptures as his ultimate authority. Visit that sermon again to get an idea of how Christ leaves no room or no entertainment of thought that he actually believed there was something on par with the word of God. When he dealt with Satan, he said, it is written. When he dealt with Pharisees and Sadducees, he says, the scripture, the commandment of God, the Word of God. When he instructs his own, I think of the two on the road to Emmaus who are heavy of heart, confused about the events that took place concerning what they believe to be the Messiah.

Jesus went to the law, to the prophets. He went to the Hebrew scriptures and walked with them and opened up to them what the word of God says concerning his suffering. The word. The word. The word.

You have Paul, the word. My writings. Scripture. Scripture. All scripture is breathed out by God.

Yeah. The tradition is there. We don't believe tradition is a dirty word as protestants, by the way. Hold whatever tradition you want. Does it submit to the word of God?

And this is why this is important. And again, you're saying, what's what's this session about? You thought last week was a foundation, well, here's a little another layer to the foundation because everything hinges on this. Oh, we we can talk about myriology. We can talk about icons.

We can talk about mass. We can talk about the saints. We can talk about all of that, but if we don't deal with the sole authority for the church, then we're just swinging at nothing. Is scripture supreme authority? If not, if not, I make the case that there's trouble ahead For any institution, for any person, there's trouble ahead.

And what I seek to prove to you again, is that in the coming weeks after a short little break, I would present you some of the troubling things that have immersed from the view that scripture alone is not sufficient, is not the sole standard and measuring stick for all truth. But as believers, what are we encouraged to do? Let me reinforce this. To test all things to that which has already been determined. It's not comforting.

This truth is not just to pick a fight. This truth is about where we put our rest in. Where we're relieved in God's goodness and and redemptive history to say, you can trust in this. So near the end of the very canon itself, Jude says in verse three, again, let me remind you what was said last week. Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you, and I appeal to you.

Appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. Once for all delivered. Why do I believe in scripture alone? Because the scripture has a unique nature. The scripture has a unique function.

The scripture has a testimony that no other source, no other claim, no other system can claim for itself. And because it has that unique claim, the claim is being infallible and sufficient, then isn't it logical for all other sources of authority to submit to the only thing that is perfect? That's all it is. Nothing complicated. Nothing philosophical.

Very simple. And I pray just like how the gospel is simple, you would see the simplicity of this principle and you would know the freedom therein. Let's pray. Lord, as we have been brought by you to Mark chapter seven, we wanna honor what your word says. Lord, we see clearly in that chapter that you regard the word of God, the commandment of God as superior to all other things.

Lord, we just ask that in this time of reflection, there would be no mixture of personal opinion, but that we would simply seek the voice of God. The inscribed speech of God. Lord, we pray for those who might be struggling in this area that they would know that you are gracious in our struggle and that you, Lord, are willing to guide us into truth if truth is that which we want. Lord, for those who don't see the importance of this, help them realize that if what was said is true, then the evangelism field is much larger than what we thought. Lord, for those who might still have questions, with this ministry and other faithful ministries and other faithful men and women who love your truth, will they be brought to them the answers that they are looking for?

Would you guide them? Guide us. And Lord, though this is not a exhaustive understanding of this truth, maybe a starting point, maybe for some to dig even deeper and to become even more encouraged by the authority of the word of God. But for now, Lord, we pause. We pause to reflect what was given and now we give to our worship.

And we wanna let you know, oh, Lord, that we believe your law is perfect. We believe it has been preserved. We believe that it is free from error. We believe that it is enough to help us and that what has been made clear to us is necessary and complete. Oh, Lord, bless our hearts in this time of serious discussion investigation, and Lord, guide us into the truth.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Let's stand and worship the truth, the living God who has given us his truth.