OUTLINE:

The Ground and Pillar of the Faith 

THE WITNESS OF PRE-REFORMATION HISTORY TO THE DOCTRINE OF SOLA SCRIPTURA
- Nathan Busenitz

Nathan Busenitz
[A] number of church fathers expressly state that they regarded the Scriptures as more authoritative than their own opinions and teachings. Rather than elevating their interpretations to a level of equal authority with Scripture, they elevated Scripture above their own perspectives.

Dionysius of Alexandria (ca. 265)
We did not evade objections, but we endeavored as far as possible to hold to and confirm the things which lay before us, and if the reason given satisfied us, we were not ashamed to change our opinions and agree with others;

Dionysius of Alexandria (ca. 265)
…but on the contrary, conscientiously and sincerely, and with hearts laid open before God, we accepted whatever was established by the proofs and teachings of the Holy Scriptures.

Cyril of Jerusalem (ca. 315– 386)
For concerning the divine and holy mysteries of the faith, not even a casual statement must be delivered without the Holy Scriptures; nor must we be drawn aside by mere plausibility and artifices of speech.

Cyril of Jerusalem (ca. 315– 386)
Even to me, who tell you these things, do not give absolute credence, unless you receive the proof of the things which I announce from the divine Scriptures. For this salvation which we believe depends not on ingenious reasoning, but on demonstration from the Holy Scriptures.

Basil of Caesarea
Those hearers who are instructed in the Scriptures should examine what is said by the teachers, receiving what is in conformity with the Scriptures and rejecting what is opposed to them; and that those who persist in teaching such doctrines should be strictly avoided.

John Chrysostom
[Noted] that all arguments must be supported from Scripture: These then are the reasons; but it is necessary to establish them all from the Scriptures, and to show with exactness that all that has been said on this subject is not an invention of human reasoning, but the very sentence of the Scriptures.

John Chrysostom
For thus will what we say be at once more deserving of credit, and sink the deeper into your minds.

Nathan Busenitz
As Augustine suggests, intelligent readers are those who evaluate patristic writings against the standard of biblical truth, not vice versa.

Wisdom Remembers…
ONLY the very witness and conviction of God, through the special ministry of God the Holy Spirit, is able to save someone.

Serving His Food
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is already seasoned enough; we do not have to “spice it up” in order to perform our evangelistic duties as unto the Lord. When we do such things, we are thwarting the pristine nature of it! (ref:  Dt 4:2)

God’s Choice
Man doesn’t decide how God is to reveal Himself to His creatures (such that man is somehow convinced of Him). That is the pinnacle of creature arrogance. God has chosen both general and special revelation - things He has deemed MORE than sufficient to reveal Himself. (e.g. Lk 16:19-31)

General vs. Special Revelation
General: God’s witness of Himself through creation (Ps 19:1-6)
Special: God reveals Himself directly (e.g., Holy Scripture, Christ’s incarnation, dreams/visions, acts) (Ps 19:7-14)

God is good.
God knows good.

The “oldest trick” is to put God on trial.

Augustine
For the reasonings of any men whatsoever, even though they be [true Christians], and of high reputation, are not to be treated by us in the same way as the canonical Scriptures are treated.

Augustine
We are at liberty, without doing any violence to the respect which these men deserve, to condemn and reject anything in their writings, if perchance we shall find that they have entertained opinions differing from that which others or we ourselves have, by the divine help, discovered to be the truth.

Augustine
I deal thus with the writings of others, and I wish my intelligent readers to deal thus with mine.

God’s Word On His Word
God’s says that His Word means EVERYTHING to Him. And as such, it ought to mean EVERYTHING to us!

General vs. Special Revelation
General: God’s witness of Himself through creation (Ps 19:1-6)
Special: God reveals Himself directly (e.g., Holy Scripture, Christ’s incarnation, dreams/visions, acts) (Ps 19:7-14)

The Word Is Special Revelation
In the OT, the “law”, “testimony”, “precepts”, “commandment”, and the “judgments of the LORD” (Ps 19) are all speaking about what the NT writers (e.g. John) described as “the Word” (e.g., Jn 1).

Special Revelation
“Good” doesn’t always mean “nice”. Case in point, God cursed the serpent and the first two humans for disobeying His command. (Ge 3:7-19)

Special Revelation
Much of what is expounded upon over and over in the Bible is the result of special revelation (e.g., The Ten Commandments, The Exodus miracles, the God-Man, etc.).