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Do You Want To Hear God Speak?

He has spoken. 
He has been speaking for thousands of years.
He spoke and created reality.
He had man write down his words throughout history.
His written word is carries with it Himself- The Holy Spirit.
He speaks to this day, all day, every day, through out the world to all people at any moment.
Do you want to hear his voice?

Read His written word aloud and he is speaking to you!

The Jewish nation understood this and kept His words written from the moment it was necessary. 
The early church understood this and kept His words written and circulating.
The church now understands this and keeps His words open for all generations.

The Reformers understood this greatly.  They knew for a fact that Holy Scripture was God's very own words.  They understood that God influenced man to record the very things that God wanted man to know.  The accumulation of God's own words reached the beginning of time and the future all the way to eternity.  It addressed all points of human existence and nature.  They formed the principle 'Scripture Alone' to express this very issue about the God's Words- Holy Scripture.

1.   INSPIRATION:

The first point that makes up this principle of Scripture Alone is the inspiration of the writings.  The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophets and The Holy Spirit guided the minds of The Apostles.  Thus, Scripture is directly inspired, influenced, and essentially written by God himself.  Mankind is just used as a sort of 'pen'.

If it was not The Word of God and directly inspired and influenced by God, than it is just a fancy Harry Potter story book and faith in Jesus Christ is worthless.

2.   DIVINE AUTHORITY:

Because Holy Scripture is God's Word, it is inherently the supreme authority of divine and eternal truth in all reality. Everything that is contained in scripture is God speaking and therefore what is said is of the greatest importance and value above all other things.  It alone defines truth because it is truth.

If it was not the supreme authority than what is the point of a God that speaks?  If man could write something or have a 'sacred' tradition that is equal to God's own words, his authority as God of the universe becomes as imperfect as man. 

3.   CLARITY:

In its most simply truths that are of the most importance, it is clear in such a way that every rational person that understands the language can understand scripture.  That when it is read and allowed to interpret itself its truths are accessible to the common man.  The truths of God are taught by The Holy Spirit through scripture to anyone who genuinely is seeking God's truth.

If His word was not clear for man to understand than how can man grasp the things of God?  How would we know that if one person claims to be able to understand it, if they are even correct if it can no be made clear for all men.

4.   EFFICACY:

Because The Holy Spirit teaches the reader and allows the read to understand and accept the truths; scripture itself spiritually teaches and influences the common genuine reader.   It not only helps in the outward knowledge and live of the believer but also transforms the inward heart and soul of the believer as well; through genuine study of scripture. 

If it did not have a deeper influence than just superficial knowledge, than it is sill useless for our souls.  If it does not cause our spirit to mature than it is just words on paper that sound good to our feelings and cause emotional temporary happiness when we hear something encouraging read from it.  In effect and in the greater scene of the eternal history; its would be useless.

5.   SUFFICIENCY:

It contains all that is necessary for coming to faith, salvation, and godly living and growth in this life and the next.  It is not lacking truths that need to be explained by any kind of tradition, new revelation, additional development of doctrine, or anything outside of itself.  It alone sparks faith and obedience to God through Jesus Christ by The Holy Spirits work in the heart and mind of the genuine seeking believer in scripture.

If it did not cause saving faith and be the foundation of what saves our souls than much like the effect is useless the suffice nature is pointless because it would not be enough.  Our souls would still be lacking what is needed to become children of God and saved from his wrath.  We would still be slaves to sin and trying hard in our own works to make ourselves right.  Our faith would be in other people and things to try and fill what would be lacking in the scripture. 

THANKFULLY:

God condescended himself, chose specific people to influence their mind and writings; used them as his personal ink pens to communicate in our language the eternal truths of himself.  He had them record what He commands, who He is, and what He has done for all eternity.  He makes clear that He alone is supreme and The Authority of things eternal and created.  He allows himself to be clear in the most complex eternal truths about his creation.  He, himself, teaches us his divine eternal truths and allows us to know him personally.  He gives us everything we need to know to come to His feet as Lord God and Savior and continually teaches us, maturing our faith in Him... all through Holy Scripture Alone.

Rendering "new revelations", "utterances of the 'spirit'", and new "prophecies" useless; seeing as how Holy Scripture contains everything and nothing is lacking; from the beginning of time to the end of time.

Scripture Alone

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