Back in the days of Amos,
they didn’t have the complete written Word of God. Today it is different.
Because we have the Bible, and because it is trustworthy and complete
(see chapters 8-9 of this book), we have all we need. (Ron Rhodes
and Marian Bodine, Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Mormons [Eugene,
Oreg.: Harvest House Publishers, 1995], 71)
It is also important to
note that the word “delivered” in Jude 3 is an aorist passive participle. This
indicates an act that was completed in the past with no continuing element.
There would be no new “faith” or body of truth (such as the Book of Mormon or
Pearl of Great Price!) (Ibid., 76)
When Paul said that “all
scripture” is inspired, did he have in mind just the Old Testament (which is a
common New Testament usage of the word “scripture”), or did he have a larger
grouping in mind–a grouping that included some New Testament books? . .
. [after appealing to 1 Tim 5:18 and 2 Pet 3:16] These observations help us to
realize that by the time 2 Timothy 3:16 was written, all of the New Testament
books had already been written except for 2 Peter, Hebrews, Jude, and the
apostle John’s writings. In view of this, Paul was surely indicating these
books in the phrase “all Scripture is given by inspiration” in 2 Timothy
3:16 (emphasis added). And since the remaining books were later acknowledged
as belonging to the canon, we may safely say that 2 Timothy 3:16 speaks about
all 66 books of the Bible. (Ibid., 152-53, emphasis in bold added)
Is the Bible Alone Sufficient?
That the average person can
understand Scripture without having to rely upon a church (like the Mormon
church) for the “authoritative teaching” is evident by the fact that Jesus
taught openly and with clarity, and expected His followers to understand
His meaning. Recall that following His arrest, Jesus was questioned by the
High Priest about His disciples and His teaching. Jesus responded:
I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the
synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret
have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have
said unto them: behold, they know what I said (John 18:20-21, emphasis
added).
According to Jesus, those
who heard Him could clearly enunciate what He had openly communicated. There
was no confusing or obscure meanings in His words that required an
“authoritative interpretation” by a (Mormon) church.
Notice what the apostle
said about the Scriptures to young Timothy: “From a child thou hast known the
holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith
which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). This verse points to the
complete sufficiency of Scripture in the life of a believer.
In Timothy’s day, Jewish
boys formally began studying the Old Testament Scriptures when they were
five years. Timothy had been taught the Scriptures by his mother and
grandmother beginning at that age. Clearly, 2 Timothy 3:15 indicates that
the Scriptures alone are sufficient to provide the necessary wisdom that
leads to salvation through faith in Christ. The Scriptures alone (not
the authoritative teaching of the Mormon church) are the source of spiritual
knowledge.
Then, 2 Timothy 3:16-17
tells us that all Scripture 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.” This verse does not say
that Scripture as seen through the lens of the Mormon church is “profitable
for doctrine, for reproof,” and so on. It is Scripture that does these
things. And the reason Scripture can do these things is because all Scripture
is inspired by God (verse 16a). The word inspiration means
“God-breathed.” Scripture is sufficient because its source is God.
It is noteworthy that the
phrase “thoroughly furnished” in verse 17 means “complete, capable, fully
furnished, proficient in the sense of being able to meet all demands.” Scripture
alone makes a person complete, capable, and proficient. God’s Word
furnishes all that we must know to become saved and to grow in grace. Dependence
on the Mormon church (or any other church) is out of the question. (Ibid.,
185-86)
To see why Rhodes' comments are false (and at times, he shoots himself in the foot and engages in special pleading, if the above is not obvious to those informed about Sola Scriptura), see:
Not By Scripture Alone: A Latter-day Saint Refutation of Sola Scriptura