R.C. Sproul

And at the time of the Reformation, the two most important significant issues that confronted the church in the 16th century was what some historians call, first of all, the material cause of the Reformation, the chief matter about which the dispute was carried on, and that was the issue over how a person can be justified before God. a holy God.

And at the time of the Reformation, the two most important significant issues that confronted the church in the 16th century was what some historians call, first of all, the material cause of the Reformation, the chief matter about which the dispute was carried on, and that was the issue over how a person can be justified before God. a holy God.

And so that whole debate that Luther carried on with Rome over justification by faith alone was captured in that little phrase sola fide, by faith alone. But if you look at what happened in the 16th century and all the debates that took place between Luther and the church at Leipzig, for example, Augsburg, and other places there at Worms,

And so that whole debate that Luther carried on with Rome over justification by faith alone was captured in that little phrase sola fide, by faith alone. But if you look at what happened in the 16th century and all the debates that took place between Luther and the church at Leipzig, for example, Augsburg, and other places there at Worms,

Always lurking in the background was what the scholars called the formal issue of the Reformation. And that was the question of authority. When Luther challenged the church, the immediate question came to him, who do you think you are? You're speaking against church councils. You're speaking against the Pope. And Luther is saying, I know. but that's not the issue.

Always lurking in the background was what the scholars called the formal issue of the Reformation. And that was the question of authority. When Luther challenged the church, the immediate question came to him, who do you think you are? You're speaking against church councils. You're speaking against the Pope. And Luther is saying, I know. but that's not the issue.

The question is, am I speaking against the Word of God? When he was dragged to the tribunal with the Diet of Wormson, was called upon to recant, you know what he said, unless I'm convinced by sacred Scripture or by evident reason, I cannot recant the Because my conscience is held captive by the word of God, and to act against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand.

The question is, am I speaking against the Word of God? When he was dragged to the tribunal with the Diet of Wormson, was called upon to recant, you know what he said, unless I'm convinced by sacred Scripture or by evident reason, I cannot recant the Because my conscience is held captive by the word of God, and to act against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand.

You see, that issue was the same issue that Adam faced in the garden when that serpent came up to him and said, Did God say... Luther said, I respect the Pope, I respect the church councils, I respect the theologians of the church, I take them very, very seriously, but not one of them individually or all of them together can bind the conscience. Only the Word of God can do that.

You see, that issue was the same issue that Adam faced in the garden when that serpent came up to him and said, Did God say... Luther said, I respect the Pope, I respect the church councils, I respect the theologians of the church, I take them very, very seriously, but not one of them individually or all of them together can bind the conscience. Only the Word of God can do that.

And what Luther was calling attention to was the authority of the Bible, which authority rested in beloved on apostolic authority. In the early centuries of the church, the great theologian Irenaeus had to defend the Scripture from heretics who were undermining the authority of the Bible, and what they basically argued was this.

And what Luther was calling attention to was the authority of the Bible, which authority rested in beloved on apostolic authority. In the early centuries of the church, the great theologian Irenaeus had to defend the Scripture from heretics who were undermining the authority of the Bible, and what they basically argued was this.

Well, we respect God, and we even have great admiration for Jesus, but It's Paul we can't stomach, and it's Peter that we disagree with, and it's that fellow John that was exiled on Patmos who had these vivid dreams of imagination, and we don't have to be bound by his insights, do we? And Irenaeus gave a very simple argument. He said, when Jesus was debating with the Pharisees,

Well, we respect God, and we even have great admiration for Jesus, but It's Paul we can't stomach, and it's Peter that we disagree with, and it's that fellow John that was exiled on Patmos who had these vivid dreams of imagination, and we don't have to be bound by his insights, do we? And Irenaeus gave a very simple argument. He said, when Jesus was debating with the Pharisees,

Here's what the Pharisees said. We obey God. It's you we have trouble with. And what was the response? We believe in Moses. We believe in Abraham. It's Jesus of Nazareth. We can't stomach. And Jesus said, wait a minute. Moses wrote of me. Just a second here. Abraham rejoiced to see my day. And the principle that Jesus was saying is, if you reject me, you reject the one who sent me.

Here's what the Pharisees said. We obey God. It's you we have trouble with. And what was the response? We believe in Moses. We believe in Abraham. It's Jesus of Nazareth. We can't stomach. And Jesus said, wait a minute. Moses wrote of me. Just a second here. Abraham rejoiced to see my day. And the principle that Jesus was saying is, if you reject me, you reject the one who sent me.

Jesus was claiming to be the father's apostle. And if you reject the authority of Christ, you reject the authority of God. It's that simple. But then it goes to the next step. And that's what Irenaeus said to the heretics. He said, if you reject the apostles... you reject Christ. Because Christ is the one who delegated his authority to the apostles. And if you reject Christ, you reject the Father.

Jesus was claiming to be the father's apostle. And if you reject the authority of Christ, you reject the authority of God. It's that simple. But then it goes to the next step. And that's what Irenaeus said to the heretics. He said, if you reject the apostles... you reject Christ. Because Christ is the one who delegated his authority to the apostles. And if you reject Christ, you reject the Father.

So the line was drawn to the next level by Irenaeus, and I think absolutely right, and I think Luther was absolutely right in the 16th century. You reject the Bible. You reject apostolic authority. You reject apostolic authority. You reject the authority of Christ. You reject the authority of Christ. You reject the authority of God. QED, you reject this book. You reject the authority of God.

So the line was drawn to the next level by Irenaeus, and I think absolutely right, and I think Luther was absolutely right in the 16th century. You reject the Bible. You reject apostolic authority. You reject apostolic authority. You reject the authority of Christ. You reject the authority of Christ. You reject the authority of God. QED, you reject this book. You reject the authority of God.