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Rome’s attempted conquest over God’s Word with traditions Why are the traditions of Roman Catholicism not mentioned in the Word? The word that is written by the apostles says that what they have written is all we need for faith and practice. These traditions that the Roman church teaches its people for their religious service are not included by the apostles; they came hundreds and hundreds of years after. How can they come from God if they come after the last book was written, closing the Canon? For traditions not to be called Scripture means they are not taught by Christ, nor given by the Holy Spirit, they are not “God breathed,” and they are not truth to live by; They are the teachings of men! The Roman church states, as if it is true, “Christ gave his disciples no command to write, but only to teach” (Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 767). As the former Roman Catholic Priest Joseph Zacchello wrote in his book, “the Secrets of Romanism.” Stating, “I believe the Roman version of the Bible proves that no Roman Catholic who reads the Scriptures can remain a Roman Catholic, and no intelligent Protestant can become a Roman Catholic: because the Roman Bible itself condemns Romanism!” The Roman church is not friendly to the Bible, as they have added their own doctrines called traditions once the church was under a single rule of a Pope. As we see from the Council of Valencia, which decreed in the year 1229 A.D., they placed the Bible into the category of Forbidden Books. “It is forbidden for laymen (common man) to read the Old and New Testaments. – We forbid them most severely to have the above books in the popular vernacular.” “The lords of the districts shall carefully seek out the heretics in dwellings, hovels, and forests, and even their underground retreats shall be entirely wiped out” (Council Tolosanum, Pope Gregory IX, Anno. Chr. 1229). Why would they do this? Why did Jesus quote throughout his ministry the Old Testament? Why did the apostles do the same? Why did the apostles write in their eyewitness gospel accounts that his enemies were the Pharisees and Scribes, because they quoted tradition instead of Scripture? Jesus expected his followers to learn and live by the Scripture. This is how one follows Christ. We are not to be as the Pharisees, quoting tradition? What the Roman church has produced is followers of the Church’s teachings from its leadership, and not Christ. Many Catholics agree with their church's statements and wonder where the bible says that it alone is our source of truth and not tradition with it. At the same time, they claim that they gave us the Bible. The problem with this claim and so many others is history. There was no Roman catholic church until Constantine allowed Christianity to be a legal religion in Rome’s empire. Before this the church was underground and yet they had all the Scripture to teach from. Paul wrote, reminding Timothy of knowing the Scripture 2 Tim 3:15, “that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”To understand the scripture from the Old Testament is to bring one to salvation. We know this because ‘it is written.’ Here, Paul is pointing to the Old Testament writings that do not point to a church for approval or understanding. How are they called Scripture without a church affirming them? This becomes the contradiction of the Roman church claims. There was no group of rabbis or temple goers (certainly no church) endorsing what is to be scripture of the Old Testament. God inspired the prophets as they were written and the people knew of them. God used prophets to speak and write down His Word with thus saith the Lord, 3,808 times, the Old Testament used such phrases as: thus saith the Lord; the Lord said; and the word of the Lord came unto me. God is the source as he used men to write the words. Those who lived at the time watched the near prophecies taking place and those read the prophecies after they were fulfilled in history had the evidence it was of God. As for the Old Testament, the book of Malachi closed the revelation of the Old Testament period, with 400 years of silence as the Lord prepared the people for the coming of the Messiah. No matter what any book claims, like the Quran, or any other religions book like the Vedas, or what is claiming to be a supplement, like The Book of Mormon, including any inspired book by any author after. None can be accepted because the principle of what is written as Scripture. The canon is closed not open, the last book specifically says not to add to the word. The Jews were expected to read the Word, they were trained to read and memorize large portions of it. Jesus scolded the people for not knowing it, especially the religious leaders that substituted their traditions for it. He also corrected the people about listening to the Pharisees traditions. For they led them away from what God had written. It was hundreds of years after the apostle’s, that a man strong in the word, named Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, in 367 A.D., wrote his annual Easter letter to his churches. He said everything was to be found in Scripture. Athanasius was the first Christian leader to compile a list of the 27 New Testament books exactly as we have in the bibne today, which were being then being read from Asia to Africa. After the list he declares, “these are the wells of salvation, so that he who thirsts may be satisfied with the sayings in these. Let no one add to these. Let nothing be taken away.” It is not tedious to speak of the books of the New Testament. These are: the four Gospels, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. After these, The Acts of the Apostles, and the seven epistles called Catholic: of James, one; of Peter, two, of John, three; after these, one of Jude. In addition, there are fourteen epistles of Paul the apostle, written in this order: the first, to the Romans; then, two to the Corinthians; after these, to the Galatians; next, to the Ephesians, then, to the Philippians; then, to the Colossians; after these, two of the Thessalonians; and that to the Hebrews; and again, two to Timothy; one to Titus; and lastly, that to Philemon. And besides, the Revelation of John. These are the fountains of salvation, that he who thirsts may be satisfied with the living words they contain.” But as the Roman church took headship, they didn’t listen, they added, and added more as the years went by. These traditions took away from the primacy of what Jesus and the apostles instructed to all the church’s. So at a certain point, the Roman Church forbade, the reading of the Holy Scriptures, which was given for all men. It was considered heresy by their church. The very words Jesus called the truth, and said , the truth would set you free (John 8:32). Freedom was taken away. This statement encapsulates the dilemma. “The doctrines of the Catholic Church are entirely independent of Holy Scripture” (Familiar Explanation of Catholic Doctrine, Rev. M. Muller, p.151). As this visible church formed of the Roman Empire expanded its religious influence, it surrendered the Scriptures to be understood as equal to new traditions, the very thing Jesus fought with the Pharisees about. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth , and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me ” (John 14:6). He also said “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17-19). Jesus said, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings; and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent Me ” (John 14:23-24). Their traditions do not come from the Father who is heaven, but a man called father on earth. Jesus mentions ‘the Scripture’ (as the Word, the Bible) 10 times in his speaking, they are mentioned another 10 by the apostles. He constantly referred to the Old Testament to explain himself, after his resurrection he referred to his disciples what he was to be accomplished, “ And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:27). How can anyone keep their word if they cannot read it? In Matt. 28:20 Jesus instructed his disciples to teach all that he had spoken. This would not have been possible after the first generation passed unless it had been written. Whenever tradition or men say things like, 'the word is not all there is,' they are challenging God Himself. It is written “The entirety of Your word is truth” (Psalms 119: 160). Whenever one adds new words to follow, they make them equal to Scripture, you are really taking away from Scripture. “Christ gave his disciples no command to write, but only to teach” (Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 767). One could say the same things for their church’s added traditions, which they ignore as being competition to the Word. Lets look at history and the prophets themselves. The word being written for us From Adam until Moses we do not find God commanding specifically to write. So where would we find this command for it to be written? For example, how did Job know of Adam to say, “If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom (Job 31:33). What was spoken of God was also written. Job tells us that he desired “Oh, that the Almighty would answer me, That my Prosecutor had written a book! Surely I would carry it on my shoulder, And bind it on me like a crown”(Job 31:35-36) Job 19:23-24 “Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever!” Jobs desire came true. The author of Job is unknown, some believe it was his friend elihu, we do know it is the oldest book in the bible. That is was inspired as many of the same words and concepts are later repeated, we find him mentioned directly as righteous by the prophet Ezekiel (14:14) “ Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job , ” and James. As the Lord God was forming a nation under him to be a theocracy, the only one in mankind’s history. He commissioned men to give to his people his law and His ways. They were given instructions that were written so that there would be no confusion on what God had spoken. This way no one could make something up and mislead people. Without Genesis given to him by God written and its records collected by Moses 3,500 years ago we would have no idea what happened in the garden and the world afterwards. It became that his instructions were written, any command would be written down in the bible.. To write or have it written is mentioned hundreds of times in the Old Testament. Let’s look at a number of these instructions. Ex. 15:26 “heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes” Ex 17:14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua.” Later on,“Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people” (Exod.24:7). Exodus 31:23 “The Lord said unto Moses, Write thou these words ” Deut. 4:13 “We find He wrote the 10 commands on two tablets of stone” (Deut.10:4). After Moses came down from the mountain, seeing the people in sin he broke the tablets with the commandments in righteous anger. The LORD said to Moses, “Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I will write on these tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you broke” (Ex 34:1-2).Here we have God writing the first commands he gave Israel for them to know. Which does set the principle of writing his instructions for the people. Again in Exodus 34:27-29, “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” God told Moses to write all of His words down and put them in a book because these words were a covenant between God and Israel.” They were all put in the side of the ark of the covenant, to be remembered by reading them. This is what is meant by the bible, God's word for Instruction. Not a man’s word, not even Moses. For if he were wrong or disobeyed the words, the nation would be in trouble. In fact, that is how Israel constantly got in trouble by not reading and disobeying the words of God that he covenanted with them. Deut.4:1-2 “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take anything from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” Here God has instructed them not to try to improve or allow anyone to add to what he gave to the prophets. His instruction to all; Deut. 6:7-9 tells us how God wants his word to be treated. “ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deut.11:18-20 “Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. “You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates .” His word was to be written everywhere. Even today the Jews have a small scroll called a Mezuzah at their door, with his name in it. God called them to be a nation under his care 24/7, that even the children were to be brought up by these words, not just the adults. To do this one would have to have a source to refer to so that everyone was not reading different things, this is the same words God told Moses to write for all to have. And the scribes took this very seriously. (see-https://letusreason.org/Apolo49.htm; The Hebrew Masoretic text we have today - How we received it and what is it?) This book began with the 10 commandments, 603 more commands as well, as the instructions for the priesthood and the tabernacle, and the cleanliness and laws of separation. Deut.28:15 “ But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.” After Moses passed, Joshua writes, Josh. 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.”Josh. 8:34 “ And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.” Obeying God's voice is equal to hearing it from Scripture to be blessed. It is memorialized. Nehemiah’s testimony shows that tradition does not help keep people in obedience or on track Neh.8:2, they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses.” Scribes were to copy the writings for the people to have. But they had neglected doing this.V.13-14 “ the heads of the fathers' houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law. And they found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded by Moses.” The people wept because they had not heard the word for so long. Nehemiah’s testimony shows that one cannot obey God without hearing the word. As stated in the New Testament faith comes from hearing the word. The result, Neh. 9:38 “And because of all this, We make a sure covenant, and write it; Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal.” 1 Kings 2:3 “And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses.” ‘ It is written’ is mentioned over 40 times in the books of 1 and 2 nd Kings alone. I King 11:41 “Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?” 2 King 23:3 “to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book.”(same recorded in 2 Chron.34:3) This is repeated in 1 Chron. 16:40 “to do according to all that is written in the Law of the LORD which He commanded Israel.” ‘Written’ is mentioned over 30 times in the book of 1 and 2 nd Chronicles. Ezra 3:4-5 They also kept the Feast of Tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings in the number required by ordinance for each day. To Isaiah the prophet, Isa. 30:8 “Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and note it on a scroll, that it may be for time to come, forever and ever.” To Jeremiah the prophet, Jer. 30:2 “Thus speaks the LORD God of Israel, saying: 'Write in a book for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you. Jer. 36:6 “You go, therefore, and read from the scroll which you have written at my instruction, the words of the LORD. “ Daniel when in captivity realized they had disobeyed, by not reading the scripture. Dan. 9:13 “ As it is written in the Law of Moses” To the prophet Jeremiah (Daniel's contemporary), God said, “So I will bring on that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied concerning all the nations.” God reminds everyone, including Israel by His Word. V.60 “So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that would come upon Babylon, all these words that are written against Babylon”(Jer. 25:13). An angel come to him, “But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. This the first spoken by the prophet of the word described”(Dan.10:21). God did not have to say each time they were to write, as it was already ingrained their religious culture to write when God speaks. The Psalmist tells us in 102:18 “This will be written for the generation to come” This became the reason for writing. Solomon writes in Prov. 22:20-21 “ have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth.” Eccl 12:10 Solomon speaks of himself, “ The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright--words of truth.” Hosea 8:12 to Ephraim “I have written for him the great things of My law.” pt.2 the New Testament |
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