Great post by Jeff Meyers here, on how revelation and authority must be mediated to us. It is not ideal to receive these internally and individually, for our conscience and our reason distort the truth. The Spirit works through the tradition of a community, passing on the truth revealed to us in Scripture.
We cannot demean the outward means through which He works (the Church, the Word preached, Sacraments, fellowship with believers, prayer) or we are left with the subjective and unreliable prejudices of our own age, with individual personality, desires and feelings to discern the truth. This is insufficient. These outward means are not infallible, but they are useful. The cherished doctrine of sola scriptura means Scripture alone is the ultimate arbiter of truth; it does not mean it is the only source for guidance. We have outward means that help us in our interpretation and application of God's Word.
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