Why do Protestants claim "bible alone" when they say a lot of things that aren't in the bible?

Question

Many Protestants also claim to always take the bible at face value in interpreting it. But they make an exception for any verse (or even whole paragraphs) that are clearly consistent which Catholic Church teaching and authority. Prime examples are John chapter 6 and Matthew 16:17-19. Another example is Protestants ignore just about all of the letter of James.

I gave some good examples. Another is that most Protestants ignore more than just the disputed 7 books that they took out. I've heard Protestants say that they don't need the Old Testament at all. And some reject parts of the New Testament. While some reject all of the Old and all of the New Testaments in favor of the "personal Jesus" that they imagine. And I think you already know about the Protestants who are now saying that homosexual sex is suddenly no longer a sin. The Catholic Church won't change the teaching that homosexuality is a grave sin.

I know that there is a specific denomination called Protestant, and I know that they call themselves that because they came out of a protest against the Anglican church. I'm not singling them out, I'm talking in general about all non-Catholic or non-Orthodox Christians.

Answer 1

I agree. It is ironic that Protestants believe in sola scriptura and it is unscriptural. The doctrine of Sola Scriptura is not found in the Bible!
The seven O.T. books were part of the cannon and it is the word of God. Martin Luther had no authorithy to throw them out. You can't change the word of God.

Answer 2

I think something needs to be clarified here. Are you referring specifically to Protestant as a denomination or are you collectively referring to all denominations that are not Catholic? There are tens of thousands of Christian denominations that have come about since the 1529 birth of the term Protestant in religious context. They don't tend to see eye to eye and hold a number of different doctrines.

Few denominations have gone on record condoning homosexuality. I don't recall at this moment the exact denomination recently in the news condoning it, but they also elected a woman to lead the church, which is against the doctrine of many Christian denominations. I can tell you that my church does not condone homosexuality or women in leadership within the church, but we are not Catholic.

As for asking why protestant denominations do not believe the Catholic Bible (containing books not included in what the vast majority of people know as The Bible), that would be like asking why Catholics don't believe the Book of Mormon. It was the Catholic church that included those books and many believed them to be false. The term apocrypha came to be synonymous with "false".

However, I am not certain what leads you to believe that Protestants don't believe John 5 or Matthew 16:17-19. Some denominations believe that the Bible is the infallible word of God and we believe everything that is there, including those verses. Some denominations see the Bible as little more than a guide to a relationship with God that includes stories and ideas that are not entirely true. Lumping all denominations under the term "protestants" and saying we don't believe this or that is not at all accurate.

To learn more, check these sources:

Answer 3

here here!! Jesus is the Rock, Peter is but a pebble as is in Matt. 16. True, most follow the Catholic teaching much more than they really realize. If they would be just study a little, they would know the truth and there would be far less strife as there would be far more of those that knew the truth. Like Sunday worship is not condoned in the bible but how many really go on the day that God instructed His people to go on? Sunday is a Catholic institution as they boast in thier writings and teachings, yet look at all the protestant churches that follow them. Then they say God is not going to hold it against them for not going on the day God said to go on. If you know the right day or the right thing to do and do not do it, that is sin and sin will not enter into Heaven. If you love me keep my Commandments!! that means all ten, not just nine.

Answer 4

Agreed. Another example is 2 Thess. 2:15, which states that one should use Church tradition as a guide in addition to Scripture. And as you say, James tends to be ignored as much as possible, especially James 2:14-16, which states point blank that faith is meaningless without good works and that both are necessary for salvation. Honestly, I would be interested in Protestant interpretations of passages such as these. I don't understand how they hold them compatible with their teachings.

Answer 5

Protestants and Catholics have the same basic foundtations. Its all the extra teachings in the Catholic church that we do not adhere to. What are you talking about? Apocrypaha books we like macabess we dont recognise. If we say things that agree with Catholics its on the foundational truths.

Answer 6

Catholics believe: Faith + Works = Salvation

Catholics belive that by faith and good works, they are saved.

Protestants belive: Faith + grace + salvation = Works

We are saved by faith and from a grateful heart, we produce works.

Ephes. 2:8 (NKJV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Our good works are the fruit of God working in us...

Philip. 2:13 (NKJV)
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.


We don't need to work in order for God to save us or forgive us.
We are already forgiven and God has permanently saved us when we accepted the Gospel.