Is Catholic Tradition Equal to the Bible?
Having received many e-mails from Catholics I have come to understand that they are taught that they must listen to the traditions of men that are passed down by their rulers.
A Catholic once asked to meet with me. He brought with him a duffle bag of books to the meeting to prove his points. After a short discussion, we agreed to only use the Bible in our discussion. Catholics are taught that God's truth is found in many different sources outside of the Bible. That is a lie. Their rulers are deceiving them and leading them into error. They are taught the evil doctrine that the Bible, the word of God, is not enough. It gives me no delight or pleasure that people have been deceived and have dedicated themselves to an horrendous lie... "I had been taught that the Word is relative and that its truthfulness in many areas was to be questioned." The audio testimony of Richard Bennett reveals how his faith in the Bible was destroyed as he studied for the Roman Catholic priesthood and how, once the Bible was destroyed in his mind, all that he was left with was the pronouncements of "the Church." Listening to his testimony gave me a new found understanding of how heavy, oppressive, and back-breaking (if you will) the load must be for someone sincerely seeking the truth in such a system. Why are Catholics taught not to trust the Bible alone? When using the Authorized Version of the Bible, Their leaders therefore debase the Bible in the minds of Catholics so that those same Catholics will listen to them and obey their unrighteous decrees and will ignore the Bible and disobey it. This leaves Catholics without the word of God and at the mercy of and with the word of those who would make merchandise of them. They must listen to all sorts of extra-Biblical and non-Biblical pronouncements from the past and the present--and any future decrees that come out of Rome. The Lord Jesus Christ condemned such traditions and said that when the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Matthew 15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, ***** "TRADITION" IS PART OF ROME'S WAR AGAINST THE BIBLE ***** The Bible shows Rome's heresies to be heresies and therefore Rome has waged a long war against the distribution of the Bible and have killed people and burned people just for reading it. The following is excerpted from an article by David Cloud entitled, "The KJV and the Latin Vulgate" [emphases ours]-- The Council of Trent (1545-1564) placed the Bible on its list of prohibited books, and forbade any person to read the Bible without a license from a Roman Catholic bishop or inquisitor. The Council added these words: "That if any one shall dare to read or keep in his possession that book, without such a license, he shall not receive absolution till he has given it up to his ordinary." The Bible does not teach that there is a pope on this earth sitting in a palace on a throne that has some hidden knowledge under lock and key given to him that he can dispense at convenient seasons and everybody has to listen to him. God's word is revealed, not hidden, and it is complete. ...this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. Deuteronomy 30:11 ***** THE WORD TRADITION AS IT IS FOUND IN THE AUTHORIZED VERSION *** Sometimes Roman Catholic apologists feebly point out to the use of the word, "tradition" in the Bible. When the apostle Paul says, "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle" (2 Thessalonians 2:15), he is instructing the people who heard him and his fellowlaborers speak God's precepts or who read those precepts in the epistles (letters) which they received--ALL OF WHICH WERE COLLECTED AND ARE NOW WRITTEN DOWN IN THE BIBLE IN ONE VOLUME. The words of the true apostles are now written down in the Bible. The Bible (specifically the Authorized Version) is the official, written record of God's word. The written word shows us God's commands and how to be saved--and keeps us safe from deception and heresy and blasphemy and tricks of men like these false teachers and leaders of multi-million dollar organizations that get their money and power by preying off of people's ignorance of the Bible which is the word of God. ***** THE DANGER ZONE ***** Anyone that adds to the Bible or subtracts from the Bible is in a dangerous position-- Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: These words from Revelation chapter 22 are some of the last words in the Bible. The people that add or subtract from the word of God are under the wrath of God. The Bible presents plain, clear teaching. God makes his word known to his people (the natural man, on the other hand receiveth not the things of God, 1 Corinthians 2:14). WHAT GOD WANTS MAN TO KNOW HAS BEEN REVEALED IN HIS WORD AND GOD'S SPIRIT CAUSES HIS PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND HIS WORD. The Authorized Version of the Bible teaches us that God's people are a royal priesthood (1 PETER 2:9). We study God's word to shew ourselves approved unto God, workmen that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth (ref. 2 Timothy 2:15). The Holy Ghost teaches us the meaning of God's word. 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. There is no mention in the scriptures of a "pope" or any man that sends down decrees and canon laws and mysterious heretical doctrines which Christians are to follow. There is no mention of a "pope" that can contradict the word of God and be right. The Bible teaches that IF SOMEONE IS SPEAKING CONTRARY TO THE WORD OF GOD, IT IS BECAUSE THERE IS NO LIGHT IN THEM-- 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. It is taught that the popes are apostles--one word is left out, "false", they are false apostles-- 2 Corinthians 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. Men are warned in Proverbs 30:11 not to add to God's words-- Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. There is no room in God's kingdom for Roman Catholic "Tradition." It adds to and contradicts God's word. Following Roman Catholic tradition will take you to hell. Revelation 22:18-19 teaches us that the BIBLE IS COMPLETE--NOTHING IS TO BE ADDED AND NOTHING IS TO BE TAKEN AWAY. The Bible is not missing anything. WHAT WE HAVE IS THE WORD OF GOD--NOTHING ELSE TO BE ADDED--INCLUDING THE APOCRYPHA. If you are a Catholic person teaching people to believe in Roman Catholic Tradition, you need to consider the propriety of what you are doing and what the results of it will be. You are adding to and subtracting from God's word. ***** YOU WILL STAND ALONE ***** Roman Catholics are captives to an institution that is preaching a false gospel--a costly one. The high cost is not just measured in the amount of money spent on the blasphemous masses for the dead and other monetary costs, etc. but for something far worse--an eternity in hell and the lake of fire because those same Catholics have rejected the commandments of God so that they might keep the traditions of men. When you die and stand before the Lord, you will stand alone and you will be judged on his word. There will be no magesterium and popes there with you and there will be none of their decress. You will stand alone and be judged based on God's word-- John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. While one is alive, there is hope. We can still REPENT of our sins and BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved and follow his word and go to heaven. ...behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2 |