For the vast majority of Protestants, the Bible is the sole source of authority and is therefore wholly adequate and sufficient for all things Christians. Additionally, the "Bible Only" Christians tends to, more often then naught, reject outright things not mentioned in their abbreviated version of the bible. But, there are numerous pitfalls if one subscribes to this Protestant teaching and there are some questions that NO "Bible Only" Christian will be able to ever answer.
Ask a sola scriptura believing Christian the following: "using the Bible and the Bible alone, can you show me the chapter and verse that tells us:"
1) Who wrote the Gospel of Matthew?
2) Who wrote the Gospel of Mark?
3) Who wrote the Gospel of Luke?
4) Who wrote the Gospel of John?
5) Who is the "beloved disciple?"
6) Who wrote the Acts of the Apostles?
7) Who wrote the Book of Hebrews?
8) The doctrine of the Trinity?
9) In light of 1Timothy 3:15, Ephesians 3:10 and, Matthew 18:15-17, where does the bible say to use only the Bible as the sole or principle rule of faith?
10) That Jesus has 2 natures, one divine and one humanly?
11) Since the original books were written without chapters and verses, who broke up the books of the bible into chapters and verses? Were they inspired by the Holy Spirit to do so?
12) St.Paul tells us that Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give then to receive" in Acts 20:35. Where in the 4 Gospels does Jesus say this?
The reason why no "Bible Only" Protestant will ever be able to answer these questions is because the bible itself never gets into any of these issues! Indeed, I have many a time told my "Bible Only" Christian friends to tell my who wrote the Gospels, to which they reply it was Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Then I ask them to show me, from Scripture, where it tells them that! You'll never see a more befuddled Protestant! The dirty little secret is that the only way that ANY non-Catholic Christian can say that Matthew wrote the Gospel of Matthew, Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark, etc., is by acknowledging Church Tradition!
It was the orally inspired teaching and revelation, that the Early Catholic Church was able to state, unerringly and unequivocally, who the authors were.
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