"Sola scriptura" in Bible-Presbyterian Church

Whether sola scriptura is “true” in Bible-Presbyterian Church? As a theological principle, it asserts that Scripture alone holds authority for Christian faith and practice[1]—and this claim rests on solid biblical ground. The Bereans tested apostolic teaching against Scripture, and Paul warned against going “beyond what is written,” while Jesus criticized traditions that overrode God’s commands[2].

However, the real complexity emerges in application rather than principle. Sola scriptura has proven problematic in practice: interpreters disagree on whether practices require explicit biblical prohibition or explicit biblical permission, whether Scripture addresses every controversial issue with clarity, and Protestant history shows countless instances where people affirming the principle could not agree on how to apply it[3]. The disagreement isn’t about Scripture’s authority—it’s about what Scripture actually says on contested matters.

Understanding how individuals derive theological positions from Scripture requires examining their hermeneutical approach: whether they treat the Bible as propositional statements usable as proof texts, read contextually in original languages and historical settings, or emphasize certain critical texts as interpretive keys—and positions based on sola scriptura vary according to these hermeneutical principles[3].

So sola scriptura as a principle—that Scripture is God’s authoritative revelation and traditions cannot contradict it—stands on firm biblical footing. But claiming sola scriptura doesn’t resolve interpretive disputes; it only establishes where authority lies. Our disagreement with another Christian may not be about whether Scripture matters, but about what it means.

[1] Got Questions Ministries, Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2002–2013). [See here.]
[2] Got Questions Ministries, Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2014–2021). [See here.]
[3] Daniel G. Reid et al., “Sola,” in Dictionary of Christianity in America (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990). [See here, here.]