CONTINUED:
Another example of a tradition of men made a doctrine of God would be Sola Scriptura, which only scatters and divides people of faith. There is no scripture saying scripture only. In fact that very sole authority they claim tells them the Church is the pillar and ground of truth, 1Tm3:15. And if one does not listen to the church treat him as an unbeliever, Mt18:17. Again Paul tells us, [Eph3:7 Whereof I was made A MINISTER, ACCORDING TO THE GIFT of the grace of God given unto me BY the effectual working OF HIS POWER. 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And TO MAKE ALL MEN SEE what is THE FELLOWSHIP of THE MYSTERY, which from the beginning of the world hath been HID IN GOD, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent THAT NOW unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places MIGHT BE KNOWN BY THE CHURCH THE manifold WISDOM OF GOD,]
Paul even checked his teaching with that one SENT Church Fellowship. [Gal2:1 Then fourteen years after I WENT UP AGAIN TO JERUSALEM with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. 2 And I went up BY REVELATION, and COMMUNICATED UNTO THEM that GOSPEL which I PREACH among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, **LEST BY ANY MEANS I SHOULD run, or HAD RUN, IN VAIN.]
What did people do the first time the gospel was preached by Peter? Acts2:41 Then THEY THAT gladly RECEIVED HIS WORD were BAPTIZED: and the same day there WERE ADDED UNTO THEM about three thousand souls. 42 And THEY CONTINUED steadfastly IN the APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE and FELLOWSHIP, and in BREAKING OF BREAD, and in PRAYERS. [Those that received his word were baptized. They were brought into the Church by baptism and CONTINUED steadfastly in the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Fellowship.] 1Cor 1:9 God is faithful you were called into THE FELLOWSHIP OF his Son JESUS CHRIST 10 I appeal to you BREATHREN by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that all of you AGREE that there be no dissensions among you that you BE UNITED in the same mind and THE SAME JUDGMENT. 1Jn 4:6 We are of God Whoever knows God LISTENS TO US and he who is not of God DOES NOT LISTEN TO US BY THIS WE KNOW the spirit of TRUTH and the spirit of ERROR [Therefore we do not listen to men, the spirit of error, to be taken in by false teachers and every wind of doctine men can devise through sola scriptura, the tridition of men made a doctrine of God around 1521 AD.]
If scripture is the sole authority? Then what authority was used before the canon? What authority discerned the books of their sole authority? Their sole authority also teaches we are to keep those Apostolic Traditions, whether by word OR epistle. They dismiss those scriptures, saying all those Oral Traditions are now in the written Tradition of Scripture. Yet they cannot PROVIDE SCRIPTURE TELLING US THAT IS THE CASE. The fact is scripture confirms Oral Tradition throughout. The following are a few scripture references for our gospel, whether by word or epistle, as Paul tells us:
1Tim6:20 Timothy, KEEP THAT WHICH IS COMMITTED TO THY TRUST, avoiding profane and vain babblings,
Philip4:9 THOSE THINGS, which YE HAVE both LEARNED, and RECEIVED, and HEARD, and SEEN IN ME, DO: and the God of peace shall be with you.
1Thes2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye RECEIVED the WORD OF GOD which ye HEARD of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is IN TRUTH, the WORD OF GOD, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
2Thes2:14 Whereunto he called you by OUR GOSPEL, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, BREATHREN, STAND FAST, and HOLD THE TRADITIONS which ye have been TAUGHT, WHETHER BY WORD OR our EPISTLE.
Jn14: 26: But the Comforter, which is THE HOLY GHOST, whom the Father will send in my name, he SHALL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS, and BRING all things TO your REMEMBRANCE, WHATSOEVER I have SAID UNTO YOU.
2Tim2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And THE THINGS that THOU HAST HEARD OF ME among many witnesses, THE SAME COMMIT thou TO FAITHFUL MEN, who shall be ABLE TO TEACH OTHERS also.
2Tim1:13 HOLD FAST the form of SOUND WORDS, which thou hast HEARD OF ME, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 THAT GOOD THING which was COMMITTED unto thee **KEEP BY THE HOLY GHOST **which dwelleth IN US.
Handed down by the apostles through oral and written Tradition. Oral Apostolic Tradition is found in the lived out life of the Church through the liturgy (worship of the church), church councils, writings of the Fathers, teachings of the popes, creeds, prayers, writings of the saints and doctors. This does not mean all these writing are without error or that all oral Tradition is written down. It is that **magisterium (Teaching Authority) SENT **by Christ to TEACH the whole world till the end, Mt28:16-20. That teaching authority SENT others by laying on of hands and will continue till the end. That teaching authority today is the Pope and Bishops, guided by the Holy Spirit promised by Christ to lead them in all truth, who discern Apostolic Tradition from the traditions of men. Tradition and the Bible go hand in hand and cannot contradict each other. Without Tradition the scriptures cannot be correctly understood and interpreted. One of the ways the canon of the Bible was discerned is Apostolic Tradition. Those books could not be contrary to that lived out faith Tradition, already received and practised as delivered by the Apostles, they must agree. Those writings contrary to Tradition given by the Apostles, where rejected.
Hb13:7 REMEMBER YOUR LEADERS, WHO SPOKE THE WORD OF GOD TO YOU. Consider the outcome of their way of life and IMITATE THEIR FAITH.
