I’ve been trying to figure out this argument to build a Protestant worldview against the attacks of Catholicism. Here is the outline of it:
1st line of Argument
1. The Gospel According to St. Matthew is a historically reliable source, it teaches at least that a Rabbi named Jesus existed and chronicles his teachings.
2. The Gospel of Matthew says in Chapter 28 that Jesus commanded his Disciples to teach everything he commanded them.
3. Peter, one of the disciples writes in 2 Pet 1:21 that Scripture is inspired, and that Paul’s letters are scripture.
4. Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Tim 3:16 that the scriptures contain all things necessary for salvation and to perfect the man of God.
5. Paul – now seen as speaking the words of God, teaches Sola Fide
6. If Sola Fide is true then it is the main message of the gospel
7. If Gal 1:8 is true, any other gospel is accursed
8. Thus Protestantism is true and other gospels are accursed.
2nd line of Argument
1. Christ regarded the Old Testament as true, every book he quotes in the gospels can be seen to have Authority, leaving out only Ecclesiastes, Ruth, and other not quite necessary books.
2. Christ when tempted responded with ‘it is written’ leading us in the example that the bible has authority and is true.
3. Christ speaks of his teachings being transmitted to his disciples, his disciples write scripture.
4. Scripture teaches Sola Fide.
This doesn’t give us 66 books of the bible as inerrant, BUT it does give us the Pauline Literature as the Word of God, from which I am confident, Sola Fide can be proven, and thus church history is irrelevant, and Protestantism can stand on a foundation. And then I get to be comfortable and believe what my parents want me to believe.