Sola Scriptura / Parental authority

[Scott]

How is the child's duty to embrace parental teaching on religious topics (see, e.g., Prov. 1:8-9) compatible with a child's duty to sola scriptura (a child's duty to use the scriptures alone - at least in some sense or another)?

I have my veiws but wanted to see how others address this.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Hmmm. Interesting question.

As a Christian parent, I want nothing more than for my children to embrace the true and living God and make their own profession of faith as the Lord works in their hearts.

My own duty is to nuture and admonish them in the Lord. I don't have the expectation that my children will always agree 100% with my theological convictions. My beloved wife may not always agree 100% either. I may not agree 100% with the church officers that are over me. But submission in the Lord is required, although as the head of the family, I must respect the consciences of my family members as well. Every one of us has a duty to stand before the Lord alone as well as within the covenant relationships of which we are a part. There is a tension there sometimes due to the nature of man, but we are accountable in all of our relationships (ie., with God and man) to obey in the Lord (meaning there may be occasions when Christian children may be required to disobey their Christian parents), and that is all a parent can expect. Parents ought to be humble and not provoke their children to wrath, even as they instruct their children according to the light that is given them. Children need teaching because they are just learning about the world. But parents must teach with humility because God sometimes opens the mouths of babes to the necessary discomfort and profitable instruction of their elders.

My own prayer is that my children would be grounded in the Word of God and equipped to make their own decisions and come to their own understanding about spiritual truths.

 

[Scott]

Andrew: Do you see any contradiction in (1) the child's duty to accept parental rules that direct the child about how to glorify and enjoy God with (2) the view that the scriptures should be the only rule to direct kids how to glorify and enjoy God?

If sola scriptura teaches that the Scriptures are the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy God, then how is it consistent to have a second rule, parental teaching?

[Edited on 2-7-2005 by Scott]

 

[Me Died Blue]

Originally posted by Scott
If sola scriptura teaches that the Scriptures are the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy God, then how is it consistent to have a second rule, parental teaching

The same way one can affirm Sola Scriptura and affirm the preached Word as a means of grace at the same time, as well as the same way that one can affirm both Sola Scriptura and confessional subscription at the same time - namely, that Sola Scriptura means that Scripture is the only final rule of faith, but that it is taught to us through means, which serve as "sub-rules" of sorts, provided that all the sub-rules are to be equally subjective to the final rule of Scripture. That's the difference between Solo and Sola Scriptura - the former logically rejects all teaching and authority besides Scripture itself, and the latter recognizes that other things and people have authority as rules of faith in one's life, yet they are all to be subject to Scripture just as much as is the person learning.

So just as Sola Scriptura teaches people to search the Scriptures and understand the truth for themselves while at the same time listening to the teaching of their pastors on the Scriptures and submitting to their Church, so children are to seek to understand the Scriptures for themselves and yet honor their parents' teaching while under their care and authority.

 

[Scott]

Yes, Chris, you are right. My main point in raising this is illustrate the similarity between a child's duty to accept parental teaching and a member's duty to accept ecclesial teaching. Neither do violence to sola scriptura.

 

[Me Died Blue]

Originally posted by Paul manata
same with us and the government I think. We are commanded to obey unless they contradict God's word.

True, it is the same in that respect, but I think there's a significant difference as well, which is that with the family and especially with the Church, not only should we submit to it, but it should hold a certain weight in our personal views on issues as well, whereas governmental authority only applies to the former of those, and not the latter.

For instance, if one disagrees with something the government says, that person still has to submit to it, but the government's saying it does not necessarily obligate that person to give any weight to the government's statement and examine my differing view in light of it, whereas when one disagrees with their parents (while they are under their care and authority) and especially their Church on an issue, the view of the authoritative parties should at least make the person feel obligated to carefully examine their own view in light of it, even if they still end up retaining their view.