Bible Christians, believers in Sola Scriptura, teach that the Bible is complete and that it is all that is needed. They teach that all answers are given by Scripture.

I wish to refute that thinking by showing that there are a lot of questions brought up in Scripture that are not answered therein. So where do we go to find those answers so that we have the fullness of truth and not just some of it?

Matthew 11:21, “Woe to thee, Corozain…For if in Tyre and Sidon had been worked the miracles that have been worked in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”

What are these miracles in Corozain? Where is the reference?

Matthew 23:2, “The Scribes and the Pharisees have sat on the chair of Moses.”

Where is this ‘chair of Moses’ referenced in Scripture?

Acts 20:35, “In all things I have shown you that by so toiling you ought to help the weak and REMEMBER the Word of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Show me the verse where Jesus said these words.

Matthew 2:23, “And He went and settled in a town called Nazareth; that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.”

In what verse did the prophets say this?

James 4:5, “Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit which dwells in you covets unto jealousy.”"

Where does Scripture reference this?

2Timothy 3:8, “Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so these men also resist the truth…”

Who are Jannes and Jambres? Where is the reference? If you know, by what means did you find it?

Hebrews 11:35, “Women had their dead restored to them by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might find a better resurrection.”

Who are these ‘others’, the ones searching for a better resurrection? Where is the Bible reference?

Jude 1:9, “Yet when Michael the Archangel was fiercely disputing with the devil about the body of Moses…”

Where can this ‘dispute’ be found in Holy Scripture?

Jude 1:14, “Now of these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord has come with thousands of His holy ones.’”

Where is this prophecy in Scripture? Where is the reference?

Since non-Catholics are bound to Scripture and Scripture only (Sola Scriptura), the purpose of this post is to show that everything is not in the Bible.

Answers to some of the questions asked here can be found through Tradition, and others through the seven books that non-Catholics do not have in their Bibles.

Some can be found in the multitude of apocryphal writings, and in the very large library of writings by the Church Fathers.

Others simply cannot be found anywhere but have been lost forever for various reasons. It is thought that about 400,000 priceless historical writings alone were lost due to the great fire in the library of Alexandria Egypt in 48 B.C. (the actual date is debatable).

Others have been lost simply by the deterioration of the scroll media used by the various authors of antiquity.

Catholics have the fullness of truth since they can draw on so many resources outside of Scripture as mentioned above.

Protestantism has many pieces missing to their puzzle of GOD’s salvation history unless they are willing to search the Catholic sources listed.

As long as they cling to the false doctrine of sola scriptura, they will never see the full picture. They will never have the fullness of truth.

Not Saved by Faith Only

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. (James 2:24)

It cannot get any clearer than the verse in James that good works are necessary for Christians to truly have the life that Jesus promises.

Common objections…

James is not speaking of salvation. But notice that the verse immediately preceding refers to Abraham’s saving faith…

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. (James 2:23)

The book of James is hard to understand and therefore this verse should be ignored. In fact, Martin Luther wanted to remove this book from the Bible.

But the verse is actually easy to understand for those who accept Catholic teaching.

Shame on those Protestants…interpreting the Bible as their sole authority with preconceived doctrines.

Open your Bible to Acts 5:29-32… But Peter and the Apostles answered and said, “We must obey GOD rather than men…(32) and we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom GOD has given to all who obey him.”

Those verses are unmistakable that we have to do our part by obeying the commandments of GOD.

Then there is the dreaded (by Protestants) James 2:14-26 which starts with (14) “What will it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but does not have Works?

Can the faith save him?…(17) So faith too, unless it has Works, is dead in itself…(20) Faith without Works is useless…(21)

Was not Abraham our father justified by Works when he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? (22) Do you not see that Faith worked along with his Works, and by the Works the faith was made perfect?…(24)

You see that by Works a man is justified, and not by faith only….(26) For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so, Faith also without Works is Dead.” ‘Subjective Salvation’ in action, is shown for that whole section written by St. James.

I could go on and on with verses like this, and could ask questions such as, why is there a need for the ten commandments, since we are ‘automatically saved’? I think you get the message from what I have shown.

Read Matthew 25:31:46. It is all about doing good works in this life. Then there is Revelation 14:13, “And I heard a voice from Heaven saying, ‘Write: blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth. Yes, says the Spirit, let them rest from their labors, for their works follow them.’”

Is that clear enough that works are needed in addition to faith? Still not convinced? Then how about another crystal clear verse? Revelation 22:12, “Behold, I come quickly! And My reward is with Me, to render to each one according to his works.”

I must call it to your attention that the Bible mentions Faith Only, once and only once, in one verse, and in that verse it says NOT by Faith Only. (James 2:24)

Romans 4:

3For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

6Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

7Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

I believe on Christ, and obey as a result of my justification, not as a cause. The Roman Church anathematised all who say that faith alone is the efficient cause of justification in the sixth session of Trent:

“If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema.”

and in Canon V of the same session:

“If any one saith, that, since Adam’s sin, the free will of man is lost and extinguished; or, that it is a thing with only a name, yea a name without a reality, a figment, in fine, introduced into the Church by Satan; let him be anathema.”

I affirm, with Calvin, both of these things, contra the teaching of Rome. Justification is a legal declaration of righteousness, of which sanctification is the result. I think I speak for most of the persons on this site, as well.

WHAT YOU MUST DO TO BE SAVED

To be saved, you must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31).

However, that’s not all. Sacred Scripture clearly shows other things you must also do to be saved:

• You must endure to the end. Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13, Mark 13:13.

• You must accept the Cross (suffering). Matthew 10:38, Matthew 16:24-25, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27.

• You must be baptized with water. Mark 16:16, Titus 3:5, I Peter 3:20-21.

• You must be a member in God’s true church. Acts 2:47.

• You must confess your sins. James 5:16, I John 1:9.

• You must keep the Commandments of God. Matthew 5:19-20, Matthew 7:21.

• You must heed the words of St. Peter, the first Pope. Acts 11:13-14, Acts 15:7.

• You must eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus Christ. John 6:51-58, I Corinthians 10:16, I Corinthians 11:23-29.

• Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to His call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life. CCC 1996, John 1:12-18, John 17:3, Romans 8:14-17, 2 Peter 1:3-4.

The only Church that meets all the requirements of Salvation is the Holy Catholic Church.

Hopefully, he is attributing the Holy Spirit with perfection. According to II Peter 1:20- Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21: For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

The Bible claims divine inspiration for itself.

“I won’t concede. You won’t concede. Now, how do we move on from this in Christian relationship with one another?”

You probably don’t, unless and until someone concedes. What is “Christian” on this theory? Everybody likes John 3:16. Most people don’t like Ezra 9 and 10, to say nothing of Leviticus. What you cannot do is pick and choose. Either believe it all, or believe none of it. On what grounds do you have to believe John 3:16, if you deny something else in the same book that claims for itself TOTAL divine inspiration? I always wondered why “christians” who pick and choose what they will believe always pick John 3:16, and I Corinthians 13, and never Deuteronomy 17 or Revelation 18.

The proper use of reason is to believe in and serve the Divine Revelation revealed by the Holy Ghost in the Church, not to criticize what is revealed endlessly until you satisfy your intellect.

The intellect is only perfected after it has accepted the divine truths that God reveals to it.

Too many individuals claim their position is right and are unwilling to freely discuss the position taken or to be submissive to moral authorities.

Holding to a personal position, or one of heretical source, places one’s eternal soul in jeopardy. Such people often become instruments that lead others to perdition.