The Bible, the Spirit of Prophecy, and the Church

The Rule of Faith and Doctrine

The Bible is the divine standard of all true doctrine; it is the standard also by which our lives are to be regulated day by day. God’s faithful people all through the ages have recognized His word as such a standard. The appeal in times of controversy has ever been, “What says the scripture?” (Romans 4:3; Galatians 4:30); the decision has been recognized as final when the servant of God could declare, “The scripture says.” (Romans 9:17; 10:11) BSPC 48.5

In the long, long ago Isaiah gave the word: BSPC 48.6

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20. BSPC 48.7

From the Spirit of prophecy we have the following counsel: BSPC 48.8

“The Bible, and the Bible alone, is our rule of faith.”—Testimonies on Sabbath School Work, p. 32. BSPC 48.9

“As the Spirit of God becomes better known, the Bible will be accepted as the only foundation of faith.”—Testimonies for the Church 8:192, 193. BSPC 48.10

It is well at times to remember the great conflict that took place during the Dark Ages, when our fathers fought for liberty of conscience and for the unfettered word of God. The well-known protest of the German princes at the Diet of Spires will well repay our careful reading and thoughtful study. BSPC 49.1

“There is no sure doctrine but such as is conformable to the Word of God. That the Lord forbids the teaching of any other doctrine; that each text of the Holy Scriptures ought to be explained by other and clearer texts; and that this holy book is in all things necessary for the Christian, easy of understanding, and calculated to scatter the darkness. We are resolved, with the grace of God, to maintain the pure and exclusive preaching of his only Word, such as it is contained in the biblical books of the Old and New Testament, without adding any thing thereto that may be contrary to it. This Word is the only truth; it is the sure rule of all doctrine and of all life, and can never fail or deceive us. He who builds on this foundation shall stand against all the powers of hell, whilst all the human vanities that are set up against it shall fall before the face of God.”—D’Aubigne, History of the Reformation, pp. 520, 521. BSPC 49.2

This is a remarkable statement. We can thank God for the courage and for the loyalty of men who took their lives in their hands when appearing before this august council. Their unflinching devotion and integrity secured for us many of the wonderful privileges we enjoy today. The day this protest was read was a great day, a red-letter day in the history of the Reformation church. The Spirit of prophecy comments as follows: BSPC 49.3

“The appointed time came to appear before the emperor. Charles 5., seated upon his throne, surrounded by the electors and the princes, gave audience to the Protestant Reformers. The confession of their faith was read. In that august assembly the truths of the gospel were clearly set forth, and the errors of the papal church were pointed out. Well has that day been pronounced ‘the greatest day of the Reformation, and one of the most glorious in the history of Christianity and of mankind.’”—The Great Controversy, 207. BSPC 49.4

In the light of these considerations we should certainly regard the Holy Scriptures as the divine standard in every phase of our experience. Too often the Bible is given little or no place in the regular systems of education. In turning aside from the unfailing guide God has given, men “have forsaken the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:13. Forsaking the Bible means leaving the light and going into darkness; it means crippling along in the quest for knowledge when we might have the aid of the Spirit of God to guide, direct, and lead our minds to hitherto unattained heights of the knowledge of the wisdom of God. BSPC 49.5

The Spirit of prophecy has some pertinent paragraphs on this thought: BSPC 50.1

“The word of God is to stand as the highest educating book in our world, and is to be treated with reverential awe.”—Fundamentals of Christian Education, 384. BSPC 50.2

“The Bible stands the highest among books, and its study is valuable above the study of other literature in giving strength and expansion to the mind.... The word of God is the most perfect educational book in our world.”—Fundamentals of Christian Education, 394. BSPC 50.3