The Sufficiency of Scripture

This year’s theme for the regional Evangelical Theological Society meeting was The Sufficiency of Scripture. Al Mohler, this year’s Day-Higginbotham lecturer, said that the Sufficiency of Scripture is the major issue of this generation. One would be hard-pressed to argue against that point. As young theologians, learning from the wiser and older ones, students have been given a great opportunity to stand up and affirm this necessary doctrine of the faith.

When affirming this doctrine, one is in effect saying that the Scriptures are not lacking in any way. What exactly does that mean, though? Is Scripture sufficient for helping to decide which shirt to wear, which car to drive, or giving instructions on how to sew? No, that’s silly. What is meant by the Sufficiency of Scripture is this, the Bible is sufficient is everyway for salvation. Paul in Romans 10:17 sums this up, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of Christ.”

There is not a robust affirmation in Christianity today of this doctrine. The Roman Catholics, for example, will teach that Scripture is not sufficient. They have a whole system of tradition that holds to a works-based salvation. It seems way too often, even in Baptist circles (the people of the Book) that one will acknowledge it with his lips as a formality, but then in practice disregard God’s Word almost totally. As Mohler pointed out in his chapel address at Southwestern Seminary, there are too many books in Christian bookstores that are merely proclaiming the world’s wisdom with Bible verse tacked on. Christians today will try to “baptize” anything and deem it Christian.

The Bible itself teaches an absolute sufficiency. This means that Christians should be teaching both the New Testament and the Old Testament. Preach the Word! Do not preach any other garbage! Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 writes, “All Scripture is inspired (God-breathed) by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Notice that Paul did not add anything to that. If the Bible is not preached, then what is? This is a scary question when considered in light of the urgency of preaching the Gospel. There are people sitting in pews today that are dying and on their way to Hell, and what is being preached but that which will tickle their ears or make them feel good about themselves?

Jesus teaches the doctrine of the Sufficiency of Scripture in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus found in Luke 16:19-31. When the rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers, Abraham responded, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them” (v. 29). The rich man then begged, “No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!” (v. 30). Abraham, in the parable, then says these words, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets (The Word of God), they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead” (v. 31). Jesus, the very person, who spoke the words of this parable, indeed rose from the dead. The very ones who rejected His message also rejected his Resurrection. Their hearts were hardened. A person either will or will not trust the Word of God. All too often, many follow the logic of the rich man in Jesus’ parable.

Mohler asked those in attendance in Chapel, “Do you think you can reach someone where the Word of God cannot reach them?” The rich man’s logic is not sufficient, the Bible is. Abraham’s logic must be followed. The Word (working with the Spirit of God) must be trusted to accomplish the changing of hearts. When Martin Luther addressed his zealous students concerning private altars in the homes of certain people where mass was being observed, he told them that they (poor sinners) could not change the people. He said, “The Word of God must accomplish this thing.”

Mohler, in his second address, said that Evangelicalism must be committed to some theological method, and that method is the Sufficiency of Scripture. He asked, “Does it really matter in the 21st Century about sola scriptura?" It absolutely matters. Every major issue that the church faces today is tied in with this doctrine. One example of this is the roles of men and women. Others include the sanctity of human life and evolution.

The Bible also sets forth an absolute and enduring morality. The Bible is not only sufficient for leading one to salvation, but it is also sufficient for moral and ethical teaching. Aristotle taught that a person could become virtuous in two ways: watching others that are virtuous and listening to stories that teach virtues. The Word of God must be preached in the Church today!

All too often in Christians’ lives, textbooks supersede the Bible in their practice. One will even say, “I know the Bible says this, but….” That is the problem; there are too many buts in Christianity today. By affirming the Bible’s sufficiency, one must also affirm its authority. Likewise, the Bible’s authority cannot be affirmed without the Bible being sufficient. One is dependant on the other. When Luther’s authority was challenged, he replied that he had to be convicted by Scripture and plain reason. He had to stand on the Word of God for his authority. As Mohler put it, all other norms must be normed by the Holy Scripture. Scripture is the norm of norms that cannot be normed.

The Church is always accountable to the Word of God. As alluded to earlier, Luther said that the Word and the Spirit would reform the Church. The reformers staked their lives and liberties on the affirmation of the doctrine of the Sufficiency of Scripture. They chose to defy the authority of Rome and stick with Scripture’s plain teachings. Mohler said that the Word of God norms Rome, Princeton, Dallas, and Louisville. All will be held accountable.

The Sufficiency of Scripture must be affirmed in order for one to remain evangelical. However, there are those today within evangelicalism who are trying their best to deny it. Mohler stated that human sexuality would be the test case of this generation. Was Paul right concerning sexuality in Romans 1, or was he mistaken? People are doing all sorts of things with the Bible dealing with homosexuality. Some will ignore it altogether. Others try to discredit the passages that speak against it. Still others do not allow the Bible to have the final word. They merely see it as one voice in a room of competing voices. The Bible’s words on homosexuality are clear; it condemns it. However, some say that those words are no longer living; they are dead to the present world.

Overall, the Day-Higginbotham lectures by Al Mohler were both interesting and informative. The Sufficiency of Scripture is crucial in evangelical theology. It always has been, and it always will be. It must be taught and affirmed continually. One would do well to believe Moses and the Prophets!