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    PAT I-32, Dangerous Traditions

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    Bill blue: Scripture alone is incomplete to thoroughly equip man for doctrine, salvation or works. He says only traditions approved by The Apostles are authority for acts and practices of the church. The Scriptures instruct us to follow the traditions of Christ and the Apostles, but no one else.

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    PAT I-32, Dangerous Traditions

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    bibleweb
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    Bill blue: Scripture alone is incomplete to thoroughly equip man for doctrine, salvation or works. He says only traditions approved by The Apostles are authority for acts and practices of the church. The Scriptures instruct us to follow the traditions of Christ and the Apostles, but no one else.

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    Bill blue: Scripture alone is incomplete to thoroughly equip man for doctrine, salvation or works. He says only traditions approved by The Apostles are authority for acts and practices of the church. The Scriptures instruct us to follow the traditions of Christ and the Apostles, but no one else.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial ShareAlike (BY-NC-SA)
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    46 views3 pages

    PAT I-32, Dangerous Traditions

    Uploaded by

    bibleweb
    Bill blue: Scripture alone is incomplete to thoroughly equip man for doctrine, salvation or works. He says only traditions approved by The Apostles are authority for acts and practices of the church. The Scriptures instruct us to follow the traditions of Christ and the Apostles, but no one else.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial ShareAlike (BY-NC-SA)
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    Spring Warrior Church of Christ

    7432 S. Red Padgett Road


    Perry, FL 32348
    584-5176

    Prove All Things Vol. 1 No. 32


    “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21

    Traditions Versus the Word of God by Bill Blue, [email protected]


    [9/12/01]

    I have observed two interpretations of 2 Timothy 3:16-17, and the sufficiency of


    God’s inspired word versus the authority of manmade traditions:

    One view: Bible view:


    16 16
    All Scripture and tradition of men is All Scripture is given by inspiration of
    given by inspiration of God, and is God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
    profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
    correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17that the man of God may
    righteousness, 17that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for
    be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
    every good work. Scripture alone is
    incomplete to thoroughly equip man for
    doctrine, salvation or works.

    Only traditions approved by the Apostles and recorded in the Scriptures are
    authority for acts and practices of the Lord’s church.

    The Apostles derived their authority from Christ and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 16:19;
    John 16:13).

    The Holy Spirit taught the Apostles all things one needed to know about the will
    of God (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7-15). Thus, the Apostles were uniquely able to guide
    the early church (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 15:3-11). The Apostles and other inspired writers
    used this knowledge to write the New Testament (2 Pet. 1:20-21).

    The Scriptures instruct us to follow the traditions of Christ and the Apostles, but
    no one else. Paul said “keep the traditions as I delivered them” (1 Cor. 11:2; see also 2
    Tim. 2:2). He instructed the Thessalonians to “hold the traditions which you were

    Bibleweb.com, Copyright © 2001 William W. Blue All Rights Reserved

    Page 1 of 3
    taught, whether by word or our epistle” (2 Thess. 2:15). Inasmuch as Paul established
    the church in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-4), and wrote the church two epistles, it is evident
    that he was referring to the traditions taught by his inspired “word” or “epistle.” Paul
    also instructed the Thessalonians to “withdraw from every brother who walks
    disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us” (2 Thess. 3:6).
    Thus, we are not free to follow any tradition, but only a tradition established by
    apostolic authority.

    Some people advocate following a tradition because it was observed a long time
    ago, perhaps as early as the second century (101 A.D. – 200 A.D.). Where is the
    authority for that? If that were the rule, how would we decide which of the uninspired
    early Christians to follow? After which century will we no longer trust a tradition? Will
    we follow traditions that can be traced back to the third century, but not traditions of the
    4th century? Where is the authority for a cut-off date?

    How do you decide which traditions to keep that are not mentioned in the
    Scriptures? Chicken sacrifices? Snake handling? Torture? War? Baptizing dead
    people? All of these have been done in the name of Christ; some are still practiced. The
    Bible doesn’t say one wit about them.

    Some people equate tradition with Scripture. A creed book and encyclopedia for
    one faith have the following to say about tradition:

    Creed Book: “Do you have to believe in Tradition? Yes, because it is the
    Word of God and has equal authority with the Bible.”

    Encyclopedia: “Holy Scripture is therefore not the only theological source


    of the Revelation made by God to His Church. Side by side with
    Scripture there is tradition. …”

    Unfortunately, both the creed book and the encyclopedia contradict the Bible.

    Even if it was a historical fact that multiple churches during the time of the
    Apostles practiced a certain tradition, authority for doing the same today would not
    exist unless it was supported by Scripture. Could you comfortably follow a tradition of
    the church of Corinth, given all its problems? How about the churches in Sardis or
    Laodicea (Rev. 3:1-6, 14-22)?

    If a tradition is not supported by Scripture, we must assume the Holy Spirit did
    not deem it “profitable” for us (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Otherwise, we must assume that the
    Holy Spirit and the Apostles were incapable of carrying out their missions.

    Bibleweb.com, Copyright © 2001 William W. Blue All Rights Reserved

    Page 2 of 3
    Jesus condemned, “Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men,” (Mk. 7:7)
    and said that worship based upon the tradition of men (Mk. 7:8) as opposed to the
    commandments of God was worthless (Mk. 7:7). Paul warned that we can be cheated
    through, among other things, the “tradition of men” (Col. 2:8).

    Why would we worship the God of the Bible in a way not mentioned in the Bible?
    One who worships Christ with a tradition not authorized by Scripture is no better off
    spiritually than Nadab and Abihu, who were destroyed by God for worshipping Him in
    an unauthorized manner (Lev. 10:1-3). Although people who worship God as they
    choose, irrespective of God’s will, do not burn today, they risk an eternity of hellfire to
    come (Rev. 22:18-19). Therefore, we should call Bible things by Bible names, do Bible
    things in Bible ways, and not practice unscriptural traditions of men.

    Bibleweb.com, Copyright © 2001 William W. Blue All Rights Reserved

    Page 3 of 3

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