5.16 - THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF THE SCRIPTURES

THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF THE SCRIPTURES The word Scripture simply means a writing regardless of the kind or character. The Nashville Tennessean, The Nashville Banner, and other publications fulfill the demands of that word in its primary sense. That is why the apostle said: "Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable." (2 Timothy 3:16) There is not an idle word nor an empty phrase connected with any of the writings inspired of God. Now every Scripture is profitable for four things. Note how comprehensive and inclusive they are: (1) for doctrine or teaching; (2) for reproof; (3) for correction; (4) for instruction in righteousness. You cannot imagine any condition or need of mankind but one or the other of these statements will adequately apply. Their completeness is in the fact that the man of God may be perfect—not perfect in morals, not perfect in character, but perfect in this respect, namely, that he is thoroughly, completely, furnished unto every good work. I wish that text would register with all who may chance to hear or read what Paul said. The all-sufficiency, the absolute adequacy, and adaptability of the Bible to meet all the demands of the human family are here emphasized. Christians believe that passage. They also believe that "his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness." We need once again to announce with all the power we can command that "the Bible, and the Bible alone, is our sole rule of faith and practice." We need to readopt the statement that "where it speaks, we ought to speak," and then we ought to respect its silence as well. Let us also remember that "if any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." When I claim, therefore, to believe the Bible, I endorse all the statements as therein found. I mean to subscribe to all of its requirements, and to try to be governed by its teaching. Now for me to accept any such booklet as a ritual, handbook, manual, catechism, prayer book, confession of faith, discipline, or whatnot, would deny my faith in these Scriptures which I have read. If the Bible thoroughly furnishes a man unto every good work, why have a supplementary book? The very fact of their acceptance argues that those who do so recognize the Bible as not quite sufficient. It suggests that it is just a little bit lacking. Hence, they must have their supplementary books in order that their church work may be carried on. Do you know, friends, it is next to impossible for a denomination to exist without the adoption of a booklet of human origin, which is far from perfection, and which has to be amended and revised time and again? The idea is that "we must revise our rules and our regulations in harmony with the progress of mankind." Let me tell you one thing. Sin is the same now as it was forty long centuries gone by. Man’s need is precisely the same today as it was in the long, long distant past. The same cure is as necessary as it was for our fathers, regardless of the progress of the world in social, political, financial, scientific, or other affairs. God anticipated the requirements of man throughout all ages and his every need in His revelation to man. Therefore, the adoption of any other book contradicts any man’s saying: “I accept the Bible as a complete guide into all truth." But I have been told by some who have thus gone aside that churches must write out their articles of faith. I think- it well that such be written, but I just wonder if anyone means to say that he has articles of faith not written in the Bible. And if they are written in the Bible, why the necessity of having them in another book? Others say: "We must have rules and regulations governing our church." I certainly think there ought to be such in every church. If any man has a church, I will agree that it ought to be regulated. I would, however, be ashamed of myself if I had some rules and regulations unknown to the Bible. That would destroy all of my claims that I accept God’s Word as a complete lamp to my feet and a complete light unto my path. Now, let me ask any sane, sober man. If your creed contains more than this Bible, won’t you admit that it might contain too much? Let me reverse it. If the creed you have adopted, and to which you have sworn allegiance, contains less than the Bible, won’t you admit that it might contain too little? If, therefore, any creed adopted by any organization contains neither more nor less than does the Bible, then it is exactly like God’s book, and, since we have no need of two precisely alike, I am urging that you leave off that which is of human origin and simply take the Bible as your sole creed. People misunderstand the church of Christ many times. They ask: "Don’t you folks have a creed?" We answer: "Yes." "Don’t you have a discipline?" "Sure." "Have you not a confession of faith?" "Certainly so." They next ask to see it and we gladly hand them the New Testament. To it I have subscribed one hundred per cent. I have pledged myself to be nothing, to accept nothing, nor do nothing other than what my creed has authorized. Christ prayed that all might be one. Paul pleaded that we speak the same thing and be of the same mind. All who really love the Lord would like to have such a unity prevail. If it is ever brought about, we must reject all human creeds and subscribe to the statement: "All 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 works." By such a standard all matters that come up for consideration can be tested. If something is presented, we can ask, is it a good work? If so, we are to engage in it. If not, of course, we pass it by. But how can we determine whether or not it is good? Bear in mind that the word "good" is a relative term. A thing may be good as determined by one standard and bad as measured by another. In all matters religious the Bible is our standard, and by it all items of faith must be determined. The Bible "furnishes us unto every good work." God "hash given unto us al! things that pertain unto life and godliness." "The Spirit. . . will guide you into all truth." If the Bible is absolutely silent regarding any matter, proper respect for God’s Word demands that it be not in the worship or work of the church. It follows that no question can present itself, but its standing may be determined by comparison with the word of God. Many things are right within themselves, but they are wrong when brought into the worship and service of God. Illustrative of this, let me say that Christ ate bread in the home of Lazarus. Upon it he feasted, but for him to have turned the stones into bread would have been wrong. You may ask why. Simply because of the fact that "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." In other words, Christ was not his own. He belonged to Him whose will he came to do. He was subject to God’s authority. He knew that when God wanted him to have bread, the command would be given. The acceptance of such a principle will solve all problems that may arise among us. When the great infidel, Robert Owen, of New Lanark, Scotland, came to this country and challenged the clergy in our Southern Crescent City of New Orleans, they paid no attention to him. He waxed bolder and extended that challenge throughout America. And then it was that news of such came over the hills and across the vales to a young man teaching school at Bethany, West Virginia. He at once asked, "Who is this uncircumcised infidel that he should challenge the word of the living God?" I presume that you know the sequel. Alexander Campbell accepted the challenge and a great debate was on. It was held in Cincinnati in April, 1829. Since that time infidelity has been on the defense and it never has been able to uproot and destroy the word of the Lord. Let me now ask, Why was it that the clergy, with all of their grand titles and much learning, refused to meet in public discussion the great infidel? The truth is they were conscious of the fact that Mr. Owen would say to them first of all: "You don’t accept the Bible yourself, because you have a human creed that evidences your lack of faith in the all-sufficiency of God’s Word." Campbell had no creed to defend and, hence, he was not creed-bound. The whole religious world owes a debt of gratitude to him whom some despise. Small sectarian preachers will try to belittle Alexander Campbell when the truth is that if the least thought Campbell ever had were to enter the little fellow’s head, it would explode like a bomb. We are debtors to such men as Luther, Calvin, Wesley, and Campbell. No selfrespecting man will ever make fun of what they did. Let us try to impress upon every person the all-sufficiency of God’s Word. If we need teaching, the Bible is the source whence it comes. If we go astray, as, doubtless, some of us will, we need reproof. But it is not enough simply to reprove. We will need correction and instruction in righteousness. In all that we need, the Bible is sufficient. If we love it to the extent that we are willing to be governed by it, there never can be discord in the body of Christ. When we walk by faith, not by sight; when we hold our opinions as private property and do not seek to force them upon others, it is no trouble whatever to maintain the unity and peace of the church. We are not divided over what is in that Book, over what it specifically says. But the body is torn asunder and the devil rejoices at the division among his professed followers. All of this because of the fact that we let our opinions, our ideas, and our pet notions become paramount. Instead of holding them in subjection and keeping them to ourselves to meditate upon in the quietude of our own company as we wish, we sometimes become so enthusiastic over our ideas that we begin to promulgate them and to insist that God’s Word clearly states them. Our time is out. Come today and let us all stand upon His Word.