- Dec 13, 2015
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It's frequently said by many Christians that "I don't need anything but the word of God" which, is a great proposition, because Sola Scriptura is a true and profound way to know the truth in the Protestant faith. However, one cannot have ONLY the word of God and get their theology ONLY from the Bible. Christians need the guidance of the great theologians of the ages and the guidance of a true biblical pastor. Why? Well for one when you only have the word of God and do not attend a Biblical church or get your theology from the fabulous theologians that have existed over the ages you miss scriptures deepest meanings.
Why? Well the main reason is that a theologian and Pastor can read from the original text while many of us can only read the Bible in English. Pastors and theologians are often and should be educated and equipped enough to handle and answer ANY question of the Bible. Not that the English translations are not great but more that, there's a lot of the deepest meanings to scripture that only can be deciphered by reading from the original text. If you can read and write ancient Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaiaic and can study the Bible in its original language this point is invalid but for the vast majority of the human population, we can't.
Two, a Pastor and Theologian is essential for the growth of a Christian because often times they can help a Christian identify and kill unrepentant sins in their lives. Yes, it's very important for a Child of God to kill sin and a Christian that lives in sin is not a Christian as John says in 1 John 1:6 for a quick example. When we rely on ourselves alone oftentimes there are sins that we don't know about that are in our lives and a good Pastor or Theologian can point those out to help us and correct us.
Three, relying solely on personal interpretation without the context of historical church practices can lead to misinterpretations and heresies. Throughout church history, the church has encountered and addressed various heresies and doctrinal errors through councils and creeds shaping orthodox Christian beliefs. The wisdom and insight from these historical discussions and decisions help guide our understanding of Scripture and prevent the repetition of past mistakes. Engaging with the broader historical and global church through its teachings and traditions helps us to interpret Scripture not in isolation but as part of a larger, ongoing conversation about faith, doctrine, and practice. This broader perspective guards against the individualism and cultural biases that can skew our understanding of God’s Word.
Four, if we were actually loyal to the scriptures we would be attending church because the Bible commands us to go to church and fellowship with other believers. When the apostles were alive they ensured that not only that the church as a whole was equipped back then with the words of God, but that all future genrations of the church would be equipped with the word of God as well.
I have more than four reasons but due to the length of this post i'll cut it here and add them in my comments.
Why? Well the main reason is that a theologian and Pastor can read from the original text while many of us can only read the Bible in English. Pastors and theologians are often and should be educated and equipped enough to handle and answer ANY question of the Bible. Not that the English translations are not great but more that, there's a lot of the deepest meanings to scripture that only can be deciphered by reading from the original text. If you can read and write ancient Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaiaic and can study the Bible in its original language this point is invalid but for the vast majority of the human population, we can't.
Two, a Pastor and Theologian is essential for the growth of a Christian because often times they can help a Christian identify and kill unrepentant sins in their lives. Yes, it's very important for a Child of God to kill sin and a Christian that lives in sin is not a Christian as John says in 1 John 1:6 for a quick example. When we rely on ourselves alone oftentimes there are sins that we don't know about that are in our lives and a good Pastor or Theologian can point those out to help us and correct us.
Three, relying solely on personal interpretation without the context of historical church practices can lead to misinterpretations and heresies. Throughout church history, the church has encountered and addressed various heresies and doctrinal errors through councils and creeds shaping orthodox Christian beliefs. The wisdom and insight from these historical discussions and decisions help guide our understanding of Scripture and prevent the repetition of past mistakes. Engaging with the broader historical and global church through its teachings and traditions helps us to interpret Scripture not in isolation but as part of a larger, ongoing conversation about faith, doctrine, and practice. This broader perspective guards against the individualism and cultural biases that can skew our understanding of God’s Word.
Four, if we were actually loyal to the scriptures we would be attending church because the Bible commands us to go to church and fellowship with other believers. When the apostles were alive they ensured that not only that the church as a whole was equipped back then with the words of God, but that all future genrations of the church would be equipped with the word of God as well.
I have more than four reasons but due to the length of this post i'll cut it here and add them in my comments.