HUMAN TRADITION? by steve finnell

Is man-made tradition equal to Scripture? Can following human tradition save anyone? Does God approve of human tradition that is contrary to the Bible?

Believers in God have always struggled with human traditions.

Isaiah 29:13 The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. (NIV)

Human tradition does not please God

Mark 7:1-9.......7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules made by men.' 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." 9 And he said to them : "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God  in order to observe your own traditions! (NIV)

God did not inspire man-made creed books, denominational doctrines that are contrary to Scripture, nor any other books that have been inspired by men's opinions.

Matthew 16:5-12.......12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against  the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. (NIV)

The Pharisees and Sadducees had a problem. They loved their human traditions more than God's commandments.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine . Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what they want to hear. 4 They will turn away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (NIV)

Myth Defined: Any invented story, idea, or concept.

All doctrine that is contrary to the Bible is a myth. 

Human traditions that men have accepted as truth, but are contrary to the Bible:
1. That mankind living under the new covenant can be saved like the thief on the cross. No water baptism required. The thief did not believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, so no belief in the resurrection of Jesus required.

NOT TRUE

2. God selected a few men to be saved by grace alone and selected all others to burn in hell for all eternity.

NOT TRUE

3. That praying to the Virgin Mary and other dead saints has been approved of by God.

NOT TRUE

4. That water baptism is for a testimony of faith, but not essential for forgiveness of sins.

NOT TRUE

5. That God created theistic evolution.

NOT TRUE

6. That God established different denominations so men could choose the plan of salvation that agrees their own desires. That faith and practice could be written according to the tradition of men.

NOT TRUE

7. That pastors and priests have been given the authority to forgive men of their sins against God.

NOT TRUE

8. That studying Bible commentaries, church creed books, catechisms, denominational statements of faith is the way to find God's absolute truth.

NOT TRUE

9. That all men are guilty of Adam's sin at birth and need to be forgiven of Adam's sin. That the doctrine of original sin is confirmed by Scripture. [Note: Infants are not guilty of sin. Period. They do not break God's commandments.]

NOT TRUE 

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The Bible and the Bible alone is the antidote for the myths of human traditions. The Bible is the inoculation against false doctrine.