Subject: Is Limited Atonement Bibical? |
Bible Note: Howdy Brother Zacht, I believe we are now getting real close to the heart of the matter. In answer to your first question, I am a member of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). We split from the Presbyterian Church USA 40 or so years ago over some of the very issues we are looking at today, namely, where is the supreme authority, regarding the truth of God, to be found? Is it to be found in the Church (Creeds, Confessions, Catechisms etc.) or in the written Word of God Himself? My church and every other truly reformed denomination I know of says emphatically, The Bible alone is the ultimate authority! That the Bible is the rule by which all other teaching is to be measured and judged. On our Sunday Bulletin we print a general list of what we believe as a part of the Body of Christ. one part of this list of 5 affirmations is called Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone): We affirm the inerrant Scripture to be the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured. We deny that any creed, council or individual may bind a Christian's consciecnce, that the Holy Spirit speaks independently of or contrary to what is set forth in the Bible, or that personal spiritual experience can ever be a vehicle of revelation. God has given us teachers. It is a calling that a number of the church have recieved. (1 Cor 12:28) "And God has appointed in the church, first apostles,second prophets, third teachers". It is an awesome resposibility and we must not approach it lightly: (James 3:1) Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. Having established that the written Word of God is supreme, Should we throw away all those old dusty teachings? I say no! Although they were written by fallible men they are as much a part of our Christian heritage as the Constitution is a part of our American heritage. They have proven to be of great value, not only to me, but to the Church thru the ages. It is true: We are to test everything we are told by the rule of Scripture and to reject all that contradicts or is not in conformity with the Word of God. That being said, the teachers whom God has provided the Church down thru the centuries, have contributed a valuable legacy that we should praise God for. Your thoughts? God Bless Zacht, Brother John but it is an awesome resposibility for the Bible says they will |