I'm not sure I understand the doctrine of sola scriptura. How is it not a recipe for religious individualism that undermines the very concept of "One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church"? It seems a great many conservative, confessional churches deny that Scripture needs any authoritative interpreter or context (tradition) to understand it. And yet, if this were so, why couldn't Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and the Anabaptists, and the hundreds of other Protestant sects agree on the "plain meaning of Scripture"?
I understand that "sola scriptura" simply means that God's word has all we need in order to know how to be saved.
And one thing is
"we who first trusted in Christ" (in Ephesians 1:12). So, trusting Jesus is a basic of salvation. But believing, alone, is not enough (James 2:19-20) > we need believing which has us trusting in Him and obeying Him (Matthew 11:28-30). And the Bible is full of things which can help us obey God.
Hebrews 13:17 says for us to obey those who rule over us >
"for they watch out for your souls", it says. So, God has provided rulers whom He trusts > 1 Peter 5:3 < example leaders; so He expects us to know who these example rulers are and to obey their example. This is in the scriptures, I would say, and therefore included in "sola scripture" interpretation
with obedience. But it seems some number of people can not tell the difference between a pastor of Jesus and a predator or con artist. But Jesus makes us able to tell the difference > John 10:1-30; Hebrews 5:14, Philippians 1:9 > in God's love we have
"senses" which are trustworthy > the Bible says this > Hebrews 5:14. So, we do not go only by someone's education and say-so and outward behavior, because that is
"appearance", and Jesus says not to judge by
"appearance", in John 7:24; or else, we are not obeying what sola the scriptura says.
The Bible has standards for who is qualified just to be
considered for ordination to
"take care of the church of God" > 1 Timothy 3:1-10, Titus 1:4-9. And Paul had men who could tell the difference, I understand, if they could tell if someone is
"blameless".
So, it is clear there are groups and individuals who are not doing what the Bible says, while they claim to be "sola scriptura".
By the way, Isaiah 55:11 says >
"'So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
. It shall not return to Me void,
. But it shall accomplish what I please,
. And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.'"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Isaiah 55:11)
So, I see, God's word is guaranteed to accomplish all that God pleases, which to me would mean all that God Himself means by His word. So, then, this does not depend on wrong people "getting" what God means!! He will make sure that His saved people do all He means by His word, as is possible with Him in us >
"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)
So, whatsoever you read, that the Bible says to do, trust God to succeed in having us do this