Fr Leonard M. Testa (The Sunday Times, June 17) is ever so charming with those with whom he disagrees. To his credit, however, he chose to write about a subject of paramount importance to the Church - the sufficiency of Scripture.

Unlike Roman Catholics, evangelical Christians uphold the Holy Bible as the only infallible rule of faith for the Christian church. There is disagreement among Catholics whether the Bible is materially sufficient or not.

Scripture is the rule, or the guide, instructing us what we should believe and how we are meant to live. The Bible teaches us who God is, and who we are. It exposes sin as our basic problem, and shows us the way of salvation by faith in Christ. God's commandments guide us on our earthly pilgrimage and his wonderful promises encourage us to persevere along the way until we meet our Lord. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps 119: 105).

The Bible is the infallible rule because it cannot err or teach anything false, since it was given by inspiration from God; it is the Word, which came forth from His mouth. The Bible is wholly reliable because its author, the faithful and all-wise God, can neither make mistakes nor lie.

The Bible is the only rule because it is enough for us to know the way of salvation, and to lead a righteous life pleasing to God. The Bible teaches that in our time there is nothing but Scripture that is to be regarded as the inspired Word of God. Tradition is not inspired, and the Church is not infallible. Christ considered Scripture as the inerrant and authoritative Word of God. He refused to recognise tradition as a supplementary source of revelation; he also showed that religious teachers can err.

There is no other data necessary for salvation that is missing from Scripture or which we need to unearth from another source. The Holy Scriptures "are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 3:15-17).

The Scriptures give us the knowledge necessary to experience salvation - they are "able to make you wise for salvation". The Bible is also useful for doctrine and guidance in the Christian life. Whoever is led by the Scriptures is described as "complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work". The Bible is therefore enough to show God's children how to be saved and to live for His glory. The Bible does not include all that Jesus did and taught. However the question is not whether we have all possible information about Christ; after all, tradition does not give us exhaustive knowledge either - if it gives us any reliable information at all!

The issue at hand is whether what we have written in Scripture is sufficient to know God's revealed truth. To quench my thirst I do not need all the water in the world; it is enough for me to drink a glass or two. God did not give us exhaustive knowledge in Scripture; He gave us enough to satisfy our souls. The apostle John illustrates this principle in the conclusion of his gospel. He freely acknowledges that he left many things unrecorded, yet he assures us that enough was written to reach his intended purpose (John 20: 30, 31).

Also Sola Scriptura does not imply that the Bible will always be understood rightly, or that we should expect automatic and full doctrinal unity among Christians. Christ spoke clearly and yet he was still misunderstood, even by his own disciples. Scripture, likewise, is intelligible enough, but because of our spiritual laziness, ignorance and prejudice (all arising from our sinful nature), we have to recognise that even among genuine Christians many false ideas are held and propagated. It is our fault, not the Bible's.

Fr Leonard does not believe in the sufficiency of Scripture. Why? What additional doctrines and practices necessary for our salvation must we learn from outside the Holy Scriptures?

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