Why I Believe Roman Catholicism Goes Against Sola Scriptura
Some amateur Roman Catholic "faith defenders" tend to suggest that Sola Scriptura isn't Scriptural and that it was just an "evil invention" by Martin Luther. After reading Luther's biography from Dr. John F. MacArthur's book "The Gospel According to Jesus", I still can't forget the tower experience he had where he did an analysis on the Book of Romans. Luther could only see himself as what the Bible says all men are: unrighteous men in need of Christ's righteousness. Luther went against compromise by saying, "Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason, my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience would be neither right nor safe. God help me. Here I stand, I can do no other."
It's unbelievable (or not) that the Roman Catholic institution claimed that they gave us the Bible to read when they banned it from the public. But if they did give us the Bible, why forbid it from even being read except in Latin? Why make it illegal to read the Bible in one's own language? It's just like a teacher who teaches a lesson but prohibits students from having a copy of their own textbook to study for themselves so they can learn better. Luther didn't "steal" the Bible. He translated it into German so the people of Germany can go ahead and read it for themselves. Before the Reformation, many Christian groups were getting massacred all because they preached the Gospel and gave the Bible to Roman Catholics. William Tyndale was executed for simply translating the Bible from so the common people can read it. So why would the institution that claimed to give us the Bible kill people for simply reading it?
Why do I believe Roman Catholicism goes against Sola Scriptura? Some may have their "good reasons" like that because in the past the Bible "condoned" to slavery and that the Old Testament is Old Testament. The Old Testament isn't obsolete when it comes to the moral law. True the ceremonial law is gone, Christians may eat bacon but if the Old Testament were obsolete, why do Roman Catholics still quote from the Old Testament to justify their practices like the Old Testament priesthood which requires the priests to be married to virgins? Well they have no clear stand and if people read the Bible, they'd find out that they've been given Scriptures straight out of context, that they were twisted, and that the Bible is already complete with the Book of Revelation. Did the Roman Catholic Church even compile it? No! There's even no way that the Pope is Peter's successor not only because Peter was married. Peter could be in Rome all he wants but if he doesn't claim any authority similar to the Popes then he can't be Pope.
What's ironic and not to mention very stupid is that they appeal to 2 Thessalonians 2:15 but the warning is that to uphold only to what the apostles taught by word or by their epistle. The Good News Translation states it in even simpler English saying, "Therefore, brethren, stand fast and keep the instructions, which ye have been taught, either by word or by our Epistle." Did you read that Roman Catholic? It's about keeping the instructions or guidelines from either by word or by our Epistle. The instruction is clear that every tradition in Christendom is taken from the Epistles and nothing else. You don't read the epistles telling people to pass through Mary first and to have the priests celibate when Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 that church leaders must be family men of integrity. Many of the Roman Catholic doctrines and practices actually go against the Bible when the Scripture alone is made the highest standard to filter everything. While some Protestant Christian groups like the Presbyterians may have believed in infant baptism but they don't deny the believer's baptism and teach that infant baptism is necessary for salvation.
Speaking of going against Sola Scriptura, I really remembered back when I was a Roman Catholic the Bible didn't mean much to me. Going to Mass, praying to Mary, doing rituals was what really was sufficient for me. Why I hated the Bible before then was because it contradicted me. It knew all about my sinfulness. Nothing was more crushing to the pride of man that Romans 3:10-19 and James 2:10-11 declares we're all guilty sinners. After I realized all that, the Bible is what I read and the more I read the Bible, the more I wished all my bad habits would just go away after I got saved. I really didn't care too much about sin before I got saved. I could just go to confession or go to Mass to make up for it. It's that hypocrisy that nearly turned me into an atheist. But thank God that He intervened. So that made me think again that no I didn't find the Lord Jesus Christ and instead, He found me.
Speaking of going against Sola Scriptura, I really remembered back when I was a Roman Catholic the Bible didn't mean much to me. Going to Mass, praying to Mary, doing rituals was what really was sufficient for me. Why I hated the Bible before then was because it contradicted me. It knew all about my sinfulness. Nothing was more crushing to the pride of man that Romans 3:10-19 and James 2:10-11 declares we're all guilty sinners. After I realized all that, the Bible is what I read and the more I read the Bible, the more I wished all my bad habits would just go away after I got saved. I really didn't care too much about sin before I got saved. I could just go to confession or go to Mass to make up for it. It's that hypocrisy that nearly turned me into an atheist. But thank God that He intervened. So that made me think again that no I didn't find the Lord Jesus Christ and instead, He found me.