The Thirty-Nine Articles - A Faith for Today: Articles 6 - 8 Scripture and Truth

The Articles are very clear on the importance and the nature of the Bible and on how Scripture relates to other statements of faith.

The Sufficiency of Scripture
The first sentence of Article 6 encapsulates this essential reformation doctrine perfectly: ‘Holy Scripture contains all things necessary for salvation.’ This was (and remains) a direct attack on both Romanism and extreme or radical Protestantism. Rome claims that the church may define doctrines not described in Scripture and insists that they be accepted by those wanting to be saved; fairly recent examples are the teachings about the ‘immaculate conception’ and the ‘assumption’ of Mary, the mother of Jesus. In 1854 Pope Pius IX decreed that all Christians were to accept the idea that Mary, from the moment of her conception, was free from all sin, original or actual. In 1950 Pope Pius XII taught, again as an article of faith, that Mary did not die but was taken bodily straight to heaven. As long as doctrines like these remain part of official Roman Catholic teaching (which must be accepted in full by the faithful) it is hard to see how Rome and Protestantism can be reconciled. The doctrine of Scripture is at stake.

But extreme Protestants also add to what the Bible teaches. The insistence that speaking in tongues in a necessary sign of conversion, or that church leaders must be obeyed in all areas of life, or that the State has no rights over the Christian believer; these unfortunate aberrations have all been taught, and continue to be taught. In each case church leaders are setting themselves above Scripture.

But the truth of the sufficiency of Scripture is not just for the sake of defending the Faith against Catholic and Protestant extremists. It is a robust assertion of a glorious and comforting message, learnt by the Reformers at great cost to themselves. Even when the Church hides or distorts the message, the believer may go straight to the source, to God’s very voice, and hear for himself or herself. Even when the church or its leaders appear to be teaching rubbish or laying heavy burdens
on us, our confidence in God and his salvation need not be shaken, because we do not depend on the Church or its leaders for salvation: we depend on God alone, saving by the power of his Word. Praise him for that! To read more, click here.