about Tradition

TRADITION

Psalms 119:105-“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

ROME SAYS

80 – “Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together and communicate one with the other.”

82 –”As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, ‘does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and tradition must be excepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence.'” (Catechism of the Catholic Church)

According to the basic Roman Catholic belief, tradition is one source of Divine revelation, the other being the sacred Scriptures. During the years between the beginning of the Church and the completed Scripture, people relied on the Apostles oral teachings. Then, as cultures were growing, they felt that the Bible alone was not able to meet their needs, so tradition was developed to meet the demands of men of all ages. This teaching authority resided in the Pope and authorized theologians (Magisterium). Because of this, tradition became a meaningful part of life. The Church is therefore the final judge of Scripture and is able to say authoritatively what the correct interpretation of Scripture is. This then gives us three authorities: the Bible, the Church and Church tradition. The sole authority then is in the hands of the Church as it controls both the traditions of the Fathers (Sacred tradition) and the interpretation of Scripture.

As this actual practice works out in the Church, the traditions of the Church at any given time are what the Church says they are. In essence then, Scripture means exactly what the current Magisterium says it means. Tradition also carries the same weight as the Scriptures and the Church determines exactly at any given time what the traditions mean.  individual Catholics are not permitted to question the teachings of the Church or to question any apparent difference between Scripture and Sacred tradition under the penalty of mortal sin.

To support this teaching, the following Scripture is given:

II Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6 –“Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walked with this orderly among you;”

THE BIBLE SAYS

II Timothy 3:16, 17 –“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reprove, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the Man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”  Catholics are quick to point out that verse 16 merely says that Scripture is profitable and not that it alone is sufficient. However, verse 17 definitely states that the Scripture alone is all that is needed to make the man of God perfect and thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Obviously, then, nothing else is needed beyond the Scripture.

Man’s traditions are specifically condemned in the New Testament. The Lord Jesus Christ severely rebuked the Pharisees because they added their man-made tradition as authority with the Scriptures and thereby contradicted them. Let’s look at the following passages:

Matthew 15:3, 6 –“But he answered and said under them, Why do ye transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? An honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.”

Mark 7:13–“Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such things do ye.”

Furthermore the apostle Paul also adds to the words of Christ when he talks about the vanity of man’s tradition.

Colossians 2:8 –“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

The term tradition is used in two ways in the New Testament. It first of all refers to apostolic doctrine given by divine inspiration (II Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6). The churches are bound to obey this tradition as it is supernaturally recorded in the New Testament Scripture. Secondly, tradition refers to uninspired teachings that religious teachers attempt to add to the holy Scriptures and by which they attempt to bind the lives of men. Such is the case of the Roman Catholic church. The Bible always upholds itself as the absolute and sole standard for truth. Isaiah 8:20 –“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

The Lord has surely given us a complete and sufficient Revelation and we are not dependent upon any extra biblical prophecies, visions, voices, tongs or traditions. We find in the Bible everything that the New Testament church needs for faith and practice.

Jude 3 –It was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints.”

Psalm 119:89 –“Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.”

The Roman Catholic Church holds and obviously teaches that the word of God must be supplemented or added to bind additional seven books called the Apocrypha, the volumes upon volumes of the Greek and Latin Church Fathers (oftentimes directly contradicting each other), a huge collection of Church Council findings, voluminous decrees of Popes (once again often contradicting each other) and pronouncements by various other Councils. All this is a veritable library and is supposed to be of equal authority with the holy Scriptures which were written by“holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (II Peter 1:21)

Those who speak contrary to the Scriptures are walking in darkness. The Roman Catholic Church, like the Pharisees, contradicts the holy Scriptures with its dogmas. We have an infallible test whereby to judge the teachings of man. Every teaching and tradition that is contrary to the inspired word of God we reject on the authority of the Scriptures. Roman all actuality nullifies or destroys God’s Holy Word with her unscriptural traditions of man. Oral tradition as well as the written traditions of the Catholic Church are untrustworthy to say the least when they are compared with the sacred Scriptures. In all instances, the false teachings of the church of Rome are derived from her traditions.