The issue of
Sola Scriptura is an important dividing line between Latter-day Saints and
Protestants. Sadly, most anti-Mormons engage in the cultic eisegesis they
accuse Latter-day Saints of when they attempt to defend Sola Scriptura. Note
the following from Jason Oakes:
[The Old Testament concept of “prophet”]
ended with John the Baptist [Luke 16:16], and Jesus makes that clear. Hebrews 1:1
makes it even more apparent . . . Hebrews 1:1-3 talks about how God has spoken
through the prophets and spoken through his son.
We don't need more Scripture. (Jason Oakes, Sharing
Jesus with the Cults: How to handle the most common conversations Christians
get into with cult members [2017], 145, 385)
The Bible vs. Tradition
All of these groups seem to have other
writings or leaders who have writings or Scriptures or translations of Scriptures
that they put on par with the Bible. And Jesus said that is not a good thing.
This is what happened in his day, with tradition poured upon tradition and
commentary upon commentary of God’s word. So the person who was trying to
discern God’s word had a hard time doing so.
And that is what goes on in most of these
groups. They keep changing the rules and the doctrine, to the point where it
becomes hard trying to maintain a conversation about some of these things. That
is why I don’t discuss official doctrine. I want to key into that individual
and go with that they are saying. Now, I might bring up what their church
teaches from time to time to see how that individual reacts, but that isn’t my
focus.
Howbeit in
vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men. For
laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the
washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said
unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your
own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso
curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say
to his father or mother, [It is] Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever
thou mightiest be profited by me; [he shall be free]. And ye suffer him no more
to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect
through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do
ye. (Mark 7:7-13)
It’s interesting to me that with most of
these groups who fall heavy into legalism, what I find when I read the gospels
is if you insert, for example, an LDS person, in the place of the Pharisees, it
fits most often like a glove. And that is what the issue is. (Ibid., 145-46)
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, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
God’s given us in his word everything we need
to do everything he has called us to do . . . The word “adequate” means
complete, or perfect. The word “inspired” means “God-breathed.” We’re told
other places men were carried along by the Holy Spirit as they used their intellect,
own experiences, own language, background, culture, but in doing so, God was
speaking through them to us (2 Peter 1:21). That’s how he uses us. We have his
Spirit in us (1 Corinthians 6:19). We simply area a vessel through which he
lives out his life (2 Timothy 2:21) . . . So when the groups discussed in this
book start talking to you about the Book of Mormon . . . tell them, “God has
said in his word I have everything I need to be thoroughly furnished to do
every good work. So why do I need those books?” (Ibid., 295, 307-8, 385)
To see why
Oakes (and other Protestant apologists) are guilty of eisegesis of Heb 1:1-3;
Luke 16:16; 2 Tim 3:16-17 and all the other texts used to support Sola
Scriptura (the formal doctrine of the Reformation), see:
Not
By Scripture Alone: A Latter-day Saint Refutation of Sola Scriptura
