Hi,
I had a discussion today with someone who asked me how I can be sure that I am holding to the correct doctrine. I am attending a reformed church (subscribing to the three forms of unity, at least on paper, since I can't tell if everyone believes the content). He's a roman catholic, at least, he was baptized in a roman catholic church, and he said that sola scriptura leads to subjectivism. He made me think of someone in my church, who keeps changing his doctrine believing everyone who reads the Bible is being led into the truth by the Holy Spirit (something I find erroneous, because I believe that God promised to guide His Church into the truth, not every individual who reads the Bible persé). Now this is something I am familiar with in evangelical churches. Everyone interprets the Bible in his/her own way (subjectivism), but I guess it is no much different in the reformed church I am attending. Do you think there is some validity in what he says, that sola scriptura leads to subjectivism? Since there are so many protestant denominations. How can we tell right doctrine from wrong and vice versa. How can we know we hold to the right doctrine (for example concerning the Lords Supper), or does everyone have to decide for himself which doctrine seems the most plausible? Any thoughts, anyone? How can I best respond to my roman catholic acquaintance?
Greetings.
I had a discussion today with someone who asked me how I can be sure that I am holding to the correct doctrine. I am attending a reformed church (subscribing to the three forms of unity, at least on paper, since I can't tell if everyone believes the content). He's a roman catholic, at least, he was baptized in a roman catholic church, and he said that sola scriptura leads to subjectivism. He made me think of someone in my church, who keeps changing his doctrine believing everyone who reads the Bible is being led into the truth by the Holy Spirit (something I find erroneous, because I believe that God promised to guide His Church into the truth, not every individual who reads the Bible persé). Now this is something I am familiar with in evangelical churches. Everyone interprets the Bible in his/her own way (subjectivism), but I guess it is no much different in the reformed church I am attending. Do you think there is some validity in what he says, that sola scriptura leads to subjectivism? Since there are so many protestant denominations. How can we tell right doctrine from wrong and vice versa. How can we know we hold to the right doctrine (for example concerning the Lords Supper), or does everyone have to decide for himself which doctrine seems the most plausible? Any thoughts, anyone? How can I best respond to my roman catholic acquaintance?
Greetings.