In every tradition that claims Scripture as authoritative, there is an inherent tension between the principle that Scripture alone defines what must be believed and the practical need for interpretation and guidance. Even when a community affirms that sacred texts contain all things necessary for salvation, the question of which books belong in that canon must be answered, and the texts themselves must be interpreted. Decisions about the canon and interpretive frameworks are inevitably made by human authorities, creating a situation where extrabiblical instruments determine both what counts as Scripture and how it is read. This introduces a structural paradox: the rule of faith is declared to be Scripture alone, yet the enforcement of any coherent teaching depends on authorities that exist outside of Scripture.
This tension becomes more pronounced when communities adopt formal statements of belief or doctrinal summaries. Such statements attempt to condense and clarify the meaning of Scripture, often using precise philosophical or theological terminology not found in the texts themselves. These summaries are then treated as binding for the faithful, even though Scripture alone does not compel acceptance of any particular formulation. Consequently, what is presented as adherence to the authority of Scripture simultaneously enforces interpretations that are extrabiblical, producing both paradox and contradiction within the community’s own framework of authority.
The problem is further compounded by the fact that the canonical boundaries themselves are historically contingent. Different communities recognize different books as Scripture, and the decision to include or exclude certain texts is made outside of the texts themselves. By defining which writings are authoritative, the community effectively arbitrates the source of doctrine, creating an additional layer of extrabiblical authority. In practice, this means that adherence to Scripture cannot be fully disentangled from adherence to the interpretive judgments and canonical decisions of the community.
Ultimately, any tradition that seeks to claim Scripture as the foundation of essential belief faces a structural challenge: Scripture alone cannot fully enforce doctrinal uniformity, and extrabiblical authorities inevitably shape what is regarded as essential. Paradoxes arise whenever binding statements of belief, summaries of Scripture, or decisions about the canon are required for unity, because these instruments themselves lie outside the texts that are supposed to be supreme. What results is a dynamic in which authority is mediated: Scripture provides the ultimate standard in principle, but in practice, the community exercises judgment to define, interpret, and enforce the doctrines considered necessary for faith.
In reality, through the history of Christianity, it is Jesus sent by the Father who is the authoritative foundation. The Holy Spirit can bring his teachings to bear on believers, but they are the things Jesus receives from the Father. This is the light. Yes, apostles and others have laid down teachings in books preserved as scriptures, but they can have textual weaknesses and there is the paradox of their canonicity and who defines this to weaken it further. Faith is gained sometimes from reading out of scripture, and preaching based on it, but the faith that really results is not a faith in scripture texts or canonical lists of scriptures but faith in the veracity of Jesus as light of the world sent by the Father, and veracity of teachings of those Jesus sends. Take away scriptures, as can happen in many practical situations, and faith in Jesus and the One who sent him remains. This is what saves, as grace and truth is imparted by Jesus to those who believe in him and hold to his teachings, even apart from written texts. This is how real Christianity operates, as it has done behind the scenes sometimes unofficially despite creeds, councils and canons, from the beginning, and always will until he comes. The Father, God, writes it all on human hearts by the Holy Spirit.
