TRADITION PRO AND CON    BY STEVE FINNELL

The never ending debate, over accepting tradition as God's word is easy to conclude. There are two kinds of tradition mentioned in the Bible. 1. Divine tradition and 2. Man-made tradition.

There is an example of divine and non-divine tradition found in the book of Genesis.

DIVINE TRADITION: Genesis 2:16-17 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of the good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."

NON-DIVINE TRADITION: Genesis 3:1-4 .....3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.' 4 The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die!

Serpent-made tradition and man-made tradition are one and the same. Any traditional teaching that is contrary to Scripture is man-made tradition.

DIVINE TRADITION: 2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy were not teaching traditions that contradicted the Scriptures. Their traditions were Scriptures.

DIVINE TRADITION: 2 Peter 3:15-17 .....just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures....

What the apostles wrote were Scriptures. What the apostles wrote did not contradict the Bible. What the apostles wrote, was the Bible.

DIVINE TRADITION: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have know the sacred writings, which are able to give you wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God....

Timothy learned wisdom that lead to salvation from sacred writings. Timothy did not learn the truth about salvation from man-made creed books and catechisms that contradict the Scriptures.

MAN-MADE TRADITIONS: Mark 7:1-9 ......7 'But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'....9 He was also saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.

MAN-MADE TRADITIONS: Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception,according to the traditions of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

EXAMPLES OF MAN-MADE TRADITIONS

MAN-MADE TRADITION: "The Father has a body of flesh and bone as tangible as man's."

DIVINE TRADITION: John 4:23-24 ....the Father... 24 God is a spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth."

Man-made traditions do not invalidate the divine traditions found in the Bible. So-called new revelations do not void the Bible.

MAN-MADE TRADITION: Absolution is the remission of sin, or the punishment due sin granted by the Church.

DIVINE TRADITION: Micah 7:18 Who is God like you who pardons iniquity...." Mark 2:7 ....He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone ?"

The Bible trumps church catechisms and creed books.

MAN -MADE TRADITION: Water baptism has nothing to do with the forgiveness of sin, and is not essential for salvation! Men are saved before being immersed in water.

DIVINE TRADITION: Acts 2:38 ....baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins...

Mark 16:16...has been baptized shall be saved...

1 Peter 3:21...baptism now saves you...

Acts 22:16...be baptized, and wash away your sins...

DIVINE TRADITIONS ARE FOUND IN THE BIBLE AND THE BIBLE ALONE!

GOD DOES NOT WRITE CREED BOOKS, CATECHISMS, MODERN-DAY BOOKS OF REVELATION, BOOKS ABOUT THE BIBLE, BIBLE COMMENTARIES, STATEMENTS OF FAITH ETC.

IF CHURCH TRADITION CONTRADICTS THE BIBLE; THEY ARE MAN-MADE TRADITIONS! THE FIRST NON-DIVINE TRADITION WAS "SERPENT-MADE TRADITION" HMMMMMMM???