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Ephesians 2:19–21
“You are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (vv. 19–20).
Historic Protestant theology affirms the doctrine of sola Scriptura, which says that Scripture is the only infallible authority for faith and practice and therefore is the final authority for the church and Christians. This doctrine remains vital for the church because it prevents the church from speaking where God has not spoken and from imposing on people rules and teachings that God has not revealed. Yet as we have said in past studies, that the Bible is the sole infallible and final authority does not mean that it is the only authority for the people of God. The Lord, after all, has established His church as an authority over Christians. What, then, is the relation of the church’s authority to Scripture’s authority?
Today’s passage helps us answer this question. Paul tells us that the “household of God,” the church, is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Eph. 2:19–20). As an entity, the church is built on the foundation of the prophets and Apostles, whose words we have only in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and who are established by our Savior. Thus, any organization professing to be a church does not live up to its claims if it is built on a foundation other than that of Jesus and His appointed emissaries, the prophets and Apostles through whom we have the Holy Scriptures.
Christ’s prophets and Apostles form the foundation of the church, but they do not constitute the entirety of the church. The church is to build on this foundation, and it does so primarily through the church’s teaching ministry. We see this especially in Ephesians 4:9–14, where Paul says that Jesus gave various spiritual gifts, offices, and officers to the church for “building up the body of Christ.” The church has authority to guide us into the “fullness of Christ” by teaching us the truth of Christ. We follow the church as we would follow a good teacher in any other subject, trusting in the collective church’s greater familiarity with the subject and expertise in exploring its depths so that we can likewise become adept at understanding the Word of God.
As with other teachers, the church’s authority is not absolute. Where there is evident error, where doctrines and practices are built on a foundation other than Scripture, the church must repent and change course. Still, God has given wisdom to His churches, and we should follow their counsel so long as it is in keeping with God’s Word.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
God did not just hand us a Bible and expect us to go and interpret it on our own. Instead, He gave His Word to His church, which has authority to build up God’s people in faith and love, through the power of the Spirit, by teaching the Word of God. Sola Scriptura does not deny our need for the church; it informs us that the church is a servant of the Word of God.
For further study
- Proverbs 13:13–14
- 1 Timothy 3:14–15
The bible in a year
- Exodus 7–8
- Matthew 17
- Exodus 9–13
- Matthew 18