βAll scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good worksβΒ (2 TimothyΒ 3:16,17).
OnΒ October 31, 2017, we Bible believers celebrate the 500thΒ anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation!
When Roman Catholic priest Martin Luther nailed his β95 Thesesβ to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, he systematically outlined and protested ecclesiastical excesses and abuses (particularly the practice of selling indulgencesβpaying the pope to receive forgiveness of sins!). Church tradition had replaced Sacred Scripture, the written Word of God. Luther, whose original intention was to reform the Roman Catholic Church, actually started aΒ revolution. A spiritually-dead church abounding with spiritually-dead people doing spiritually-dead works couldΒ notΒ be improved. Apostasy was too widespread; Romanism was too corrupt.
Bible-believing Christians existed throughout church history, but organized religion (Roman Catholicism!) persecuted and suppressed them. Luther, walking in the light that he had, gave them a public voice and brought much attention to Godβs truth to which they held! One such truth to be reemphasizedβthoughΒ notΒ established for the first timeβwas βsola Scripturaβ (Latin, βScripture aloneβ). The authority wasΒ notΒ in the Roman papacy or priesthood, but inΒ the written Word of God alone. (Luther thus later spent a decade translating the Bible into German.)
Those who support a βSacred ScriptureΒ andΒ Sacred Traditionβ view ask us for a Bible verse to defend our βsola Scripturaβ position. Todayβs Scripture clearly states thatΒ the BibleΒ containsΒ everythingΒ that God wants us to know.Β The ScripturesΒ equip us to accomplishΒ everythingΒ that God wants us to do. What are the inferences? If it isΒ notΒ in the Bible, then itΒ notΒ what God wants us to know! If it isΒ notΒ in Holy Writ, then it isΒ notwhat God wants us to do! If it isΒ notΒ in the Scriptures, then it isΒ notΒ a good work! (So, if the Bible is sufficient, then what is the purpose of church tradition? Why, to challenge the Bible!)
Over 200 times the New Testament quotes the Old Testament. The New Testament writers appealed toΒ ScriptureΒ for validation of truth instead of church leaders or religious tradition! Evidently, they preferred βsola Scripturaβ too! source