"But a most pernicious error widely prevails that Scripture has only so much weight as is conceded to it by the consent of the church. As if the eternal and inviolable truth of God depended upon the decision of men!"
"But such wranglers are neatly refuted by just one word of the apostle. He testifies that the church is 'built upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles' [Ephesians 2:20]. If the teaching of the prophets and apostles is the foundation, this must have had authority before the church began to exist. Groundless, too, is their subtle objection that, although the church took its beginning here, the writings to be attributed to the prophets and apostles nevertheless remain in doubt until decided by the church. For if the Christian church was from the beginning founded upon the writings of the prophets and the preaching of the apostles, wherever this doctrine is found, the acceptance of it — without which the church itself would never have existed — must certainly have preceded the church.
It is utterly vain, then, to pretend that the power of judging Scripture so lies with the church that its certainty depends upon churchly assent. Thus, while the church receives and gives its seal of approval to the Scriptures, it does not thereby render authentic what is otherwise doubtful or controversial. But because the church recognizes Scripture to be the truth of its own God, as a pious duty it unhesitatingly venerates Scripture. As to their question — How can we be assured that this has sprung from God unless we have recourse to the decree of the church? —it is as if someone asked: Whence will we learn to distinguish light from darkness, white from black, sweet from bitter? Indeed, Scripture exhibits fully as clear evidence of its own truth as white and black things do of their color, or sweet and bitter things do of their taste."
Source: Calvin's Institutes I.7.1-2
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Church Is Birthed By Scripture
James Swan reminded me why I need to pick up the pace in my reading. I own Calvin's Institutes, yet I just can't seem to find the time to read them. Here is a quote from the Institutes that I am copying from his Blog.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Founding of the Church:
Circa 33 AD, by Jesus.
First Cannonazation of the OT by the Jews: Circa 80 AD
Writing of the last book of the NT:
Circa 80-100 AD
First Cannonization of the complete NT by the Bishop of Hippo in Asia Minor:
Circa 395 AD
First Cannonization of the OT and NT as a single set of scriptures:
Circa 450 AD by the Council of Rome
First unofficially dogmatic cannonization of the OT and NT as Sacred Scripture:
Circa 1500 by Martin Luther
First officially dogmatic cannonization of the OT and NT as Sacred Scripture:
circa 1550 y The Council of Tremt
First declaration that it was Scripture that gave birth to the Church rather than the other way around:
???? circa 2007 by Howard Fisher?
How many times does it have to be said. The Canon is not know infallibly. The church didn't make the Canon. She recognized it. Only God has infallible knowledge of the Canon which is the heart of the problem for RCs.
RCs like to quote 2 Thess as evidence for oral traditions. Yet they seem to miss the obvious that Paul also said he preached that same Gospel.
We are to receive that same Gospel either by word of mouth of by letter. Why? Because as an Apostle, what he says is authoritative as if God in Christ were speaking to us directly. In other words, whenever Paul preached, it is canonical.
Therefore, when Paul preached orally (something which would have to be done before sending letters, for who would he send letters to if there is not church founded by the oral proclamation yet?), that proclamation called the church to God in Christ.
Therefore, the church was birthed by the Word of God in Christ through His Apostles. You obviously assume oral tradition's gospel is different from the written one, yet there is no reason exegetically to believe that. Also there is no infallible list of what oral traditions to be believed. So therefore there is no point in arguing your position.
Also this RC thinking shows why RCs are always converting people to mother church and not to Christ. One must accept the ultmate authority of mother church in order for anyone to be foolish enough to accept unbiblical doctrines such as the Bodily Assumption (that must be believed in).
This thinking is what all cults do. Utah does this in order to get men to believe they will become gods. Watch Tower does it to get men to believe Jesus is Michael the Arch Angel. Rome does it to get men to submit to Rome's false teachings of justification, purgatory, indulgences ect....
God Bless
"Therefore, the church was birthed by the Word of God in Christ through His Apostles"
Yes, the word (Logos), being Jesus, not a written document. you're almost there! Jn 1:1
Post a Comment