--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We affirm that the Scriptures are the…" description: "\"“We affirm that the Scriptures are the supreme written norm by which God binds the conscience, and that the authority of the church is subordinate to t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/r-c-sproul-2-1477_bible_we-affirm-that-the-scriptures-are-the-su_1538670.jpg" --- # We affirm that the Scriptures are the supreme written norm… ![“We affirm that the Scriptures are the supreme written norm by which God binds the conscience, and that the authority of the church is subordinate to that of Scripture. We deny that church creeds, councils, or declarations have authority greater than or equal to the authority of the Bible.” quote by R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/r-c-sproul-2-1477_bible_we-affirm-that-the-scriptures-are-the-su_1538670.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/r-c-sproul-2-1477_bible_we-affirm-that-the-scriptures-are-the-su_1538670.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/r-c-sproul-2-1477_bible_we-affirm-that-the-scriptures-are-the-su_1538670.jpg) > ““We affirm that the Scriptures are the supreme written norm by which God binds the conscience, and that the authority of the church is subordinate to that of Scripture. We deny that church creeds, councils, or declarations have authority greater than or equal to the authority of the Bible.”” [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scripture holds ultimate authority over conscience, superseding any church-made doctrines. **In simple terms:** Bible is the highest rule for belief. Key Takeaway Prioritize biblical authority. Themes faith authority scripture Mood reflective serious Type theological doctrinal When to use this quote - sermons - Bible study groups - personal devotion Key Concepts theology church hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance tradition with scriptural authority? - What role should community play in interpreting faith? A Different Perspective Some view tradition as essential for interpreting scripture. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affirm Scriptures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirm-scriptures-5725934/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Church Creeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-creeds-2902371/) [Creeds Councils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creeds-councils-5725933/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Scriptures Supreme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scriptures-supreme-1225021/) [Subordinate Scripture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subordinate-scripture-5725935/) ## Related quotes > [I would advise no one to send his child where the Holy Scriptures are not supreme. Every institution that does not unceasingly pursue the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/i-would-advise-no-one-to-send-his-child-where-the-holy-scriptures-are/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The true church is not made of creeds and forms, nor is it contained in walls of wood and stone; the heart of man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fillmore/the-true-church-is-not-made-of-creeds-and-forms-nor-is-it-contained/) [Charles Fillmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fillmore/) > [If the distinction provided by Jesus' words: Give unto god, what is god's, and unto Caesar what is Caesar's! is carried through, then other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-rosenberg/if-the-distinction-provided-by-jesus-words-give-unto-god-what-is-god/) [Alfred Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-rosenberg/) > [“If I don't like something I read in Scripture, perhaps I simply don't understand it. If so, studying it again may help. If, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/if-i-don-t-like-something-i-read-in-scripture-perhaps-i-simply-don-t/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) [Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) ## More by R.C. Sproul > [“If we rest our assurance on an experience and not on the Word of God, we're inviting all kinds of doubts to assail us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/if-we-rest-our-assurance-on-an-experience-and-not-on-the-word-of-god/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Where Adam collapsed, Jesus conquered. Where Adam compromised, Jesus refused to negotiate. Where Adam's trust in God faltered, Jesus' never wavered. The second Adam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/where-adam-collapsed-jesus-conquered-where-adam-compromised-jesus/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Arrogant worship is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. Yet we see it throughout Scripture. The gospel was given to Adam and Eve. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/arrogant-worship-is-an-oxymoron-a-contradiction-in-terms-yet-we-see/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Throughout history, God has demonstrated that He is supremely trustworthy. That’s why, in one sense, nothing could be more foolish than not to trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/throughout-history-god-has-demonstrated-that-he-is-supremely/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“If I don't like something I read in Scripture, perhaps I simply don't understand it. If so, studying it again may help. If, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/if-i-don-t-like-something-i-read-in-scripture-perhaps-i-simply-don-t/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“The day of one's birth is a good day for the believer, but the day of death is the greatest day that a Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/the-day-of-one-s-birth-is-a-good-day-for-the-believer-but-the-day-of/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“We do not “find” God as a result of our search for him. We are found by him. The search for God does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/we-do-not-find-god-as-a-result-of-our-search-for-him-we-are-found-by/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“We tend to remain conscious of the boundary flags for the course of this world. That slavish adherence to a course that is set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/we-tend-to-remain-conscious-of-the-boundary-flags-for-the-course-of/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“If our decisions about how to treat others are always motivated by love for God, a singular love for God, we really do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/if-our-decisions-about-how-to-treat-others-are-always-motivated-by/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“When we understand the character of God, when we grasp something of His holiness, then we begin to understand the radical character of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/when-we-understand-the-character-of-god-when-we-grasp-something-of/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“For an action to be judged good by God, it must fulfill two primary requirements. The first is that the action must correspond outwardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/for-an-action-to-be-judged-good-by-god-it-must-fulfill-two-primary/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“The simplistic way of not conforming is to see what is in style in our culture and then do the opposite. If short hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/the-simplistic-way-of-not-conforming-is-to-see-what-is-in-style-in/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Though sin often brings immediate pleasure, it gives no lasting joy. If we understand the difference, we can avoid the pitfalls that entice the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/though-sin-often-brings-immediate-pleasure-it-gives-no-lasting-joy-if/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“To be a Christian is to be a theologian—a student of God and his will. The church is where believers should be nurtured in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/to-be-a-christian-is-to-be-a-theologian-a-student-of-god-and-his-will/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“We need Christ-the real Christ. A Christ born of empty speculation or created to squeeze into the philosopher's pattern simply won't do. A recycled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/we-need-christ-the-real-christ-a-christ-born-of-empty-speculation-or/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) [Explore all 221 R.C. Sproul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) [Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/) > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We affirm that the Scriptures are the supreme written norm by which God binds the conscience, and that the authority of the church is subordinate to that of Scripture. We deny that church creeds, councils, or declarations have authority greater than or equal to the authority of the Bible.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R.C. 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