Sola Scriptura and Its Development in History

The apostolic age ended prior to the close of the first century. In one important church, knowing that his departure from them for the rest of their lives was at hand, the Apostle Paul said to the pastors in Ephesus: “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Acts 20:29-32. Paul knew that it was God and the word of his grace alone that was needed to keep these pastors in the Faith no matter what came their way! The words of God have always shaped the people of God. Scripture and Scripture alone, when one is guided by the Holy Spirit, is far and away the main tool God uses to do sanctify his people, and there is nothing lacking in it. Everything else comes behind it. Paul committed them to the Bible they had then, and we now have it all. The value of the theology of Sola Scriptura is paramount to the Christian Faith.