Sola Scriptura doesn’t mean we only look at Scripture, but that Scripture is the only infallible revelation from God that we need. We can hold to sola Scriptura while still leaning on other tools to aid our understanding of God’s word and promises…Biblicism, in contrast, would say that the Bible is equally clear in all things, not just in matters of salvation. Biblicism would have us ignore these creeds and read the Bible as though we are seeing it for the first time. 

Toward the end of his life, Thomas Jefferson—an accomplished statesman and former president—took on a private project: reassembling the Bible. Cutting texts primarily from the teachings of Jesus, he compiled an 84-page work that excluded the resurrection and ascension of Christ, as well as all of his miracles. The Jefferson Bible is perhaps the prototype of what some call “Red Letter Christianity,” where only the words of Jesus are considered Scripturally binding.

The concept of Red Letter Christianity is an interesting one that gets at the core of what we believe about God’s word, its purpose, and its authority. How much of Scripture is useful for the Christian life? Are the words of Jesus more important than the rest? Can we use outside sources to inform our understanding of the Bible?

Often, these questions are addressed by two different schools of thought: Biblicism and Sola Scriptura. Biblicism is the belief that the Bible is a sufficient authority for any question that might arise in the Christian life, that only the Bible should be consulted, and only what we find in the Bible.

Sola Scriptura, by contrast, is the Reformational principle that Scripture is the only infallible source of authority regarding salvation. Sola Scriptura became a way to push back against the Roman Catholic Church’s “Traditions” of interpreting Scripture and ascribing “infallibility” to the Pope’s decrees on matters of faith and practice. Only Scripture is needed for our faith.

Perhaps that difference between Biblicism and the doctrine of sola Scriptura may seem negligible, but the significance of its application is critical. It’s the difference between cutting out the words of Christ in order to guide your life’s decisions and falling upon the whole counsel of God for the salvation of your eternal soul.

What Is the Purpose of Scripture?

Scripture is God’s inspired word, and though translations and copiers may make mistakes, the original revelation given to Moses, the prophets, the apostles, and various writers of the books within the Bible is infallible—it cannot make mistakes (cf 2 Pet. 1:21). If the Bible is indeed the very words of God, they must all be valuable and have purpose. Scripture affirms this about itself as well: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16–17). So, all Scripture is profitable for spiritual instruction, and its purpose is to equip us for “every good work.” But the context of these verses from Paul to Timothy is important. Paul refers to these “sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15).

The primary purpose of Scripture is to make us wise for salvation. The Bible is the story of man’s fall and Christ’s redemption. It’s the story of the church throughout the ages, from primeval garden to eternal paradise, as carried along by the promises of God.

Yes, there is plenty of wisdom to find about relationships, parenting, and personal decisions, but the Bible isn’t about those things. The Bible is the book of our salvation. That is its primary purpose.

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