Come on DHK, they did not have bibles as we know of them today in the days of Paul. All they had were a few letters written to them to go off of and oral tradition that Paul told them to hold fast to. Which now leads me to my question. You mention those leaders that would “rise to the top.” Do you believe that the early church fathers who were those that rose to the top as leaders of the church, were more likely to have understood the teachings of the apostles correctly, than those Protestant reformers who didn’t come on the scene until 13 centuries later?Originally posted by DHK:
1 Corinthians 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
What do you suppose Paul means in this verse, when he says that it is good that there are "heresies" among the Corinthian church. He says: "there must be heresies among you. Why?
The reason has much to do with sola scriptura. In this way the Corinthian believers would be forced to study their Bibles and see who was "approved" that they would in turn "be made manifest among you." People holding to wrong doctrine would be weeded out. People with right doctrine would rise to the top as leaders to be followed. It was necessary for them to study their Bibles and come to their own conclusions. This was sola scriptura in the first century at work. In this way truth would be manifest; error would be cast out.
Furthermore, didn’t Jesus send out more than just John and Peter during the commission? Do you believe that the other apostles didn’t start up churches and likewise written letters and passed along oral tradition?