This would be an excellent topic for Kingdon Hall Consumption. I think some would actually make the connection to their own situation.
Article
Are the Scriptures Sufficient?
The Roman Catholic Church says that the Bible is materially sufficient but not formally sufficient. Materially sufficient means that everything the Christian needs to believe is found in Scripture. Formally sufficient means that in order to understand the Bible, the Roman Catholic Church has to interpret it. The problem here is that this position subjects the Bible to Roman Catholic interpretations and essentially makes Catholic sacred tradition superior to scripture1 -- since it declares that the Bible can't be understood except through the Catholic Church's Magisterium. Since we don't see doctrines such as worship of Mary, prayer to Mary, her immaculate conception, purgatory, penance, etc., found in Scripture (material sufficiency), we must naturally ask if the Roman Catholic view of formal sufficiency is correct. It isn't.
The inspired word of God, the Scriptures, make statements about its own sufficiency.
2 Tim. 3:16-17 , "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
Let's take a look at the Greek. The word "inspired" is qeovpneustos (theopneustos) and it means literally, "God breathed." This means that God was the one working through people, breathing through them his words. The Scriptures, therefore, are perfect and without error because they come from God. Paul continues and says that these Scriptures are profitable for teaching, for proof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. In verse 17 he explains that this is so the Christian may be adequate, equipped for every good work. The word artios (artios) is defined as follows:
- "complete, capable, proficient, able to meet all demands."2
- "complete, perfect of its kind, suitable, exactly fitted"3
- "complete, perfect. 2a having reference apparently to "special aptitude for given uses."4
So, we see from three sources that explain the Greek that Paul is telling us that the Scriptures are "complete, capable, proficient, able to meet all demands, exactly fitted, etc." This is fine, but Paul continues to tell us that this so we might understand that by studying the Scriptures, we will be adequately equipped for every good work.
The Greek word for "equipped" is ejxhrtismevno" (exartismenos) and it means, "having been finished, fully equipped":
- "equip, furnish. " 5
- "to be thoroughly prepared or furnished."6
- "to complete, finish. 1a to furnish perfectly. 1b to finish, accomplish."7
We can then see that we are equipped for every good work. Every good work is explained in the previous verse as teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. This means that the Bible is sufficient for all of these things. This naturally includes the teaching of doctrine because teaching correct doctrine is a good work by which we reprove, correct, and train. Furthermore, this means that we don't need sacred tradition to teach, reprove, correct, and train in righteousness because the Scriptures are what is sufficient for this.
