Sometimes, defenders of Sola Scriptura will engage in the “Word
of God = the Bible” fallacy. Some Protestant apologists will forward the claim
that every time the “Word of God” appears in the Bible, or some other similar locution, it is one-to-one
equivalent with the Bible itself, which, of course is anachronistic with
reference to the biblical texts (no matter which passage one appeals to, the “Bible,”consisting of all 66 books of the Protestant canon, were not inscripturated in toto when passage “x” is cited)! Furthermore, “the Word of God” does not
refer to “The Bible,” but to Christ, the Law (Torah), God’s creative
utterances, and apostolic and prophetic preaching in the Bible. Consider the
following--
Related to this is the claim that there is a dichotomy between a Church body and Scripture. While for Sola Scriptura adherents, it is an “either-or” matter, for Latter-day Saints (alongside the vast majority of the Christian world), it is a “both-and” matter. Here are a few representative passages that speaks of the nature, authority, and necessity of the Church that can make authoritative decisions on theological, moral, and societal issues:
In conclusion, the “Word of God = Bible” argument is without merit as it is based on eisegesis as well as question-begging premises.
Luke 3:2-3: “Annas and Caiphas
being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias, in
the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the
baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”
Luke 4:44; 5:1: “And he preached
in the synagogues of Galilee. And it came to pass that, as the people pressed
upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Genesaret.”
Luke 8:11-15: “Now the parable
is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear;
then cometh the devil and taketh away the word out of their hears, lest they
should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear,
receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe,
and in time of temptation, fall away. And they which fell among thorns are
they, which, when they have heard, go forth and are choked with cares and
riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that
on the good ground are they, which are in an honest and good heart, having
heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”
John 1:1, 14: “In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . And the Word
was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of
the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
Acts 4:31: “And when they had
parted, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were
all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”
1 Thess 2:13: “For this cause
also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God
which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in
truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”
Heb 11:3: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were
framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of
things which do not appear.”
Related to this is the claim that there is a dichotomy between a Church body and Scripture. While for Sola Scriptura adherents, it is an “either-or” matter, for Latter-day Saints (alongside the vast majority of the Christian world), it is a “both-and” matter. Here are a few representative passages that speaks of the nature, authority, and necessity of the Church that can make authoritative decisions on theological, moral, and societal issues:
Matt 18:15-18: “Moreover if thy
brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and
him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will
not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or
three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear
them, tell it unto the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a
publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven.”
Luke 10:16: “He that hearteh
you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth
me despiseth him that sent me.”
1 Cor 10:8: “Neither let us
commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and
twenty thousand.”
1 Tim 3:14-15: “These things
write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that
thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which
is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”
In conclusion, the “Word of God = Bible” argument is without merit as it is based on eisegesis as well as question-begging premises.
