False arguments that Catholics and Orthodox use to trash Sola Scriptura are refuted.

"How could 2 Timothy 3:16 teach the all-sufficiency of scripture, when several New Testament books were not even written yet?"

"No Orthodox Christian would deny that Paul's affirmation of the inspiration of the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16) applies to the New Testament by extension. However, at the time Paul wrote to Timothy-and for almost three centuries thereafter-there was no official New Testament canon. Indeed, at that point, not all of the books of the New Testament had even been written. If Paul were asserting the sole sufficiency of the Scriptures (i.e. the Old Testament), it would obviate the need for the New Testament." (THE WAY: What Every Protestant Should Know About the Orthodox Church, Clark Carlton, 1997, p 122)

Bible texts taught Sola Scriptura and the all-sufficiency of scripture, even when the canon was still incomplete!

1. According to this Roman Catholic and Orthodox argument, the only way God could state by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that scripture is all-sufficient, is if it was the very last verse of the very last book written in the Bible. So if God had inserted "2 Timothy 3:16-17" after Revelation 22:21, then the traditionalists would admit they are wrong and proclaim the Bible indeed does teach the all-sufficiency of scripture.
2. But the fact remains that 2 Timothy 3:16-17 does clearly state the all-sufficiency of scripture. This argument is clearly an attempt to create a false dilemma, and deny what the text obviously says.
3. Obviously God knew exactly how many books were going to be in the Canon of the New Testament. He knew who would write the books and when. God also knew the exact working that would be in these books, since he, not the men chose the working, as 2 Peter 1:20-21 says.

More Anti-Sola Scriptura arguments refuted!

More Pro-Oral Church tradition arguments refuted!

by Steve Rudd

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