This is the Bible News Prophecy Program, bringing you news and analysis of world events in the
light of Bible Prophecy.
The following program is brought to you by the continuing Church of God.
Greetings friends.
This is David Plee for the Bible News Prophecy Program with Dr. Bob Teal, bringing you news and
analysis of world events in light of Bible Prophecy.
Dr. Teal, our traditions of men still being added to the Bible is doctrine.
It's not in reality, not in actuality, but there are people who think that it is.
This week, Pope Leo XIV said the following.
We will reflect on this relationship between sacred scripture and tradition.
It's what the second Vatican Council affirms.
Then resist the close connection communication between sacred tradition and sacred scripture.
For both of them, flowing from the same divine wall spring in a certain way, merge into a unity
that intends to the same end.
Ecclesiastal tradition branches out throughout the history through the Church, which preserves
and interprets and embodies the Word of God.
The Catholic Church refers in this regard to the motto of the Church Fathers, quote,
the word of God then is not fossilized, but rather a living and organic reality that develops
in grossing tradition.
Dear friends, sacred tradition, excuse me, sacred scripture and tradition, are so linked
together that they cannot stand independently and together each in their own way under the
action of one Holy Spirit.
They contribute effectively to the Church of God.
They are so rich that they cannot stand in their own way under the action of one Holy
Spirit.
They contribute effectively to the salvation of souls.
Is there really such a thing as sacred tradition?
Well, that expression is not in the Bible.
The Bible warns against adding to the Word of God.
Do it around me, four, verse two.
You shall not add to the Word which I command you, nor take away from it.
You will not add to His words.
Unless you rebuke Him and you found a liar.
And in the New Testament, Revelation 22, starting verse 18.
If I testify to everyone who hears the Word of the Prophecies of this book, if anyone adds
to these things, God will add in the plagues that are written in His book.
If anyone takes away the Word of the Books of this prophecy, God will take away His part
from the Book of Life and the Holy City and from the things that are written in His book.
Is anyone else except tradition over the Word of God?
Well, they wouldn't quite work that way.
Yeah, many actually do.
You've got the LDS, they accept the Book of Mormon, which they think is inspired.
You've got some of these seven-day Adventists who say Ellen G. White's writings are inspiration,
Protestants who accept various traditions and the Messianic Jews who accept various traditions,
which I believe they do over the Word of God.
But I want to get back to the Catacombs of the Catholic Church.
It says, in Holy tradition transmits in its entirety the Word of God, which has been entrusted
to the Apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit.
To tradition here in question comes from the Apostles and hands on what they receive from
Jesus' teaching and example and what they learn from the Holy Spirit.
So are the Roman Catholics saying that the extent of their acceptance of sacred traditions
ended with the traditions that were in place prior to the death of the Apostle John?
Yeah, it's kind of funny. Some of the writings say that, but the reality is that the Roman Catholics
and Eastern Orthodox and Protestants for that matter, they all accept later traditions as valid.
Even though their scholars acknowledged they were part of the original revelation in the New Testament
or the original Apostles.
But the reality is tradition is not on par with Scripture.
It's not the proper Christian position ever to say that tradition is equal to or on par with Scripture.
What is the proper position of a Christian?
Well, what the Bible says, for example, Paul wrote Timothy in 2 Timothy 3 starting verse 15.
It says, you've known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
You didn't say you need tradition for salvation. No more is the Bible do that.
Furthermore, you can continue with what's there.
He says, where the God is complete for salvation, the part of this.
So no, you don't need tradition like the Church of Rome teaches.
Paul continues with all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is probable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for destruction, righteousness, that the man of God may be complete.
Thoroughly equipped for every good work. Thoroughly equipped from Scripture, not tradition to do every good work and make you wise for salvation.
You know, Paul taught Timothy in 2 Timothy 4 verse 2.
And to the Romans, Romans 10 verse 17, he wrote that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
Notice the Word of God, not tradition. That's to be preached. And it comes to the Word of God, not tradition.
I should probably also add that in 2 Corinthians 10 verse 11, Paul taught that his oral teachings do not contradict his letters.
And in Colossians 2 verse 8, Paul specifically warned about tradition.
He wrote, in more or less than anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit.
According to the tradition of men, according to basic principles of the world and that according to Christ.
This morning from Paul sees me saying that traditions are not that are not in accordance with Christ made to sing some, and Christians need to be on guard for that.
And as far as my teachers who claim to be Christian, Paul warns about them in 2 Corinthians 11.
Starting verse 13. He talks about their false apostles deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
And no wonder for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
Therefore, it's no great thing of his ministers also transformed themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose hands will be according to their works.
Now Paul ran into some teachers who were supposedly Christian teachers. They taught idle traditions of men.
In verse Timothy 1, 6, some having straight have turned aside idle talk.
So some Christians are accepting idle talk. And first Timothy 6 starting verse 20, Paul says, guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding profane and idle babblings in contradictions.
What's falsely called knowledge, knowledge from tradition or whatever.
Verse 21, by professing it, some have straight concerning the faith.
Would it be accurate to say that in these verses, Paul is condemning many sacred traditions as being mere babblings and idle talk?
Well, there really is no such thing as sacred traditions. But yes, Christians are supposed to follow Christ.
Now what did Jesus teach? John 8 verse 31.
Jesus said to those Jews who believed him, if you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed.
And you know the truth, the truth shall make you free.
Now Jesus was talking to Jews who often accept your tradition above the word of God.
And he wanted to set them free from that.
He also made it clear that true followers were supposed to be set apart by the word of God.
In John 1712, Jesus prayed the Father and said, sanctify them by your truth.
Your word is truth.
Now in the Old Testament, we read Psalm 119 verse 160, the entirety of your word is truth.
And in Daniel 10 verse 21, the scripture of truth.
Now we're going to read about the tradition of truth.
But what we do know is Jesus said, John 1035, scripture cannot be broken.
Therefore, people are not supposed to accept tradition and declarations that oppose scripture.
Now even in Jesus's day, there were religious leaders who sadly quote,
the praise of men more than the praise of God.
John 1243.
Now I want to go to Matthew 15.
A lot of people are familiar with this.
It's about tradition.
Starting in verse one, does subscribe to Pharisees who are from Jerusalem,
the King of Jesus saying, why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?
What do you do?
For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.
And Jesus answered and said, for you to transgress the command of God through your tradition.
Jesus further said to them, you've made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.
Hypocris world that Isaiah prophesied about me saying, these people draw near to me with their mouth.
Anything under me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
And in vain, they worship me teaching as doctrines, the commandments of men.
And in Mark seven, we basically read the same things.
So Jesus has established this principle that traditions must always be judged by scripture and never placed beside as equal authority.
Now, according to Smith's Bible dictionary, the fundamental principle of the Pharisees, people wrapped up in tradition,
is that the oral law was necessary to complete and explain the written law given to Moses.
But Jesus condemned them for that.
But we see the same thing with the the Greco-Roman Catholics and some others.
Now, perhaps I should go back to Isaiah because Jesus referred to Isaiah in Matthew 15.
So I'm going to go to Isaiah 29 and read verse 13.
Jesus said, I mean, Isaiah wrote, it is much as these people draw near to me with their mouths and honor me with their lips.
I have people claiming to be Christians, but they remove their hearts far from me and their fear toward me is taught by the commandment of men, meaning traditions.
So both in the Old Testament and in New Testament, we're going traditions are not to be valued to the degree of the word of God is,
but many are afraid to believe the word of God over traditions.
By the way, the book of Revelation warns that the cowards aren't going to make it.
Now, I'm going to go to Exodus 23, read verses 1 and 2.
Says, you should not circulate the false report.
Don't put your hand with a wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
Verse 2, you shall not follow a crowd to do evil.
Now, those who push traditions over the word of God are circulating a false report.
Don't tell yourself it's right to follow a crowd who accepts anti-biblical traditions, even if their centuries are millennial.
Now, getting back to Isaiah, I wonder what Isaiah 28 picked us up in verse 9.
Where do you supposed to learn doctrine?
Verse 9, to whom will he teach knowledge and who will he make to understand his message?
Verse 10, precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line.
That's the written word of God.
Let me say tradition upon tradition.
Go ahead.
The Old Testament and the New Testament, 2nd, and the 3 16, say doctrine is supposed to come from the Bible.
Now, Pope Leo, 14, referred to fathers of his church.
But are their traditions supposed to be above or equal to scripture?
No.
Now, consider that in the late 2nd century, there was Melito of Sardis.
He's considered to be a saint by the Roman Catholics.
He taught against those who clung to traditions as hypocrites.
And one of the things he wrote in the 2nd century was, again, there are persons who say what's so over our fathers had bequeened to us will we'll reference.
He says, you know, it's not well for a man to follow his predecessors if they be those whose course was evil.
But rather we should turn from the path of theirs lest that which befell our predecessors should bring disaster upon us also.
Now, Melito is considered to be a saint by the Greco-Roman Catholics.
So you'd think that they would, and a father by the way, you'd think they would eat what he said.
And the Bible never teaches that traditions of men are truth.
Now, no matter how smart or religious someone might seem to be, the Bible clearly teaches Romans 3, 4.
Indeed, let God be true in every man or liar.
You have to believe the word of God over dishes of men.
The Bible never suggests that traditions are divine or sacred.
Scripture teaches that God's written word is sufficient, authoritative, and complete for doctrine and salvation.
Jesus and the Apostles weren't repeatedly against elevating human tradition to divine status.
So any system that places later church tradition as equal is a source of revelation, contradicts, and biblical model.
While there's some historical uses for tradition, all of these must be judged by Scripture and then replaced above it or beside the word of God as equal authority.
Thank you, Dr. Teal. For more interviews with Dr. Teal in addition to written as well as audio articles, visit our website at BibleNewsProphyc.net.
This is Steve Duple for the Bible News Prophecy Program.
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