Expert: Elder Greg Madden - 3/2/2007

Question
We know that the earliest book of the New Testament probably wasn't written until 30 years after Jesus' Resurrection and that the last book wasn't written until around 96 AD. We also know that even after these books and letters were written, there was great disagreement for hundreds of years about which of the many early Christian writings constituted Scripture and that the question wasn't settled until the turn of the 5th century by Church councils consisting of bishops and Popes. So, my question is why you believe the Holy Spirit led the Catholic Church to correctly decide the New Testament canon, but don't believe that it retained that same authority after doing so. How can any sane person believe in Sola Scriptura?

Answer
Rich,

Thank you for your questions. So I'm "insane" huh? Well, let me see if the ramblings of someone who is "crazy for Christ" can briefly answer why we, as Christians, accept the Holy Bible as it was given to us by the Holy Spirt, through the Apostles and their disciples. Yes, we accept the fact that the early church was used in the formation of the canon of Scriptures. But eventually part of the early Church became the catholic church. So the Holy Spirit used the Apostles who wrote the Scriptures, not the so-called popes and bishops.

Also, Sola Scriptura does not mean that we Christians do not accept the teachings and traditions of our early church leaders. What it does mean is that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and we accept the same as the ONLY
infallible guide and rule of our faith and practice. Traditions and the teachings of men are good, as long as they line up with the Holy Bible. Sola Scriptura simply means that the Word is the ONLY INFALLIBLE GUIDE. Men, no matter their statis or title are still just men, and subject to being wrong. The Holy Bible God breathed, therefore not subject to mistakes.

Please check out this web site that gives a lot more detail...

http://www.christiantruth.com/canon.html

Please let me know if this helps, or if you have any further questions.