Covenant Reformed News – August 2004, Volume X, Issue 4
This article from Covenant Reformed News examines the relationship between Scripture, tradition, and the church, focusing on the proper interpretation of 1 Timothy 3:15 and its claims about the church as "the pillar and ground of the truth." The author refutes Roman Catholic appeals to this passage while establishing the Reformed understanding of the instituted church's role in upholding biblical truth through proper office-bearers and sacraments.
The Church, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth (1) Previously, we considered the relationship between Scripture and tradition. Now we shall consider the relationship between Scripture and the church, which I Timothy 3:15 calls “the pillar and ground of the truth.” Does the church authorize Scripture, so that the Bible has no authority without the church’s say-so? Does the church produce the Word or does the Word produce the church? or both? and in what senses? First, we need to identify the...