Extra-Biblical Text Is Satan’s Poisoned Bread

Extra-biblical text [tradition or new teachings] is like eating poisoned bread

Matthew 4:4

4 He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

After Jesus was baptized and ready to begin His ministry, Satan came for an attack, to stop Him from doing the will of the Father.

What is interesting is that Jesus said four times, “it is written.” To defeat Satan, He never mentioned or quoted extra-biblical sources or Jewish traditions, but Scripture only.

Matthew 7:24-27

24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”

In Matthew 7, Jesus reinforces the power of Scripture. The rain, the river rising, and the winds are in reference to a destructive force that will come your way to topple you. It is very clear that the meaning of the passages is in reference to spiritual attacks from demonic spirits to make the house fall which represents you from the rock which represents Jesus Christ whom we gave our lives to.

Jesus said that the only way to build our house [our lives] on the rock [Jesus Christ] is by Scripture alone. In 2 Timothy 3:15, it says, 15 and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

The Word of God reveals the true God from all of the false gods of the world. It directs you to the truth, the path that leads to salvation. Jesus said in John 14:6 that He is the way, the truth, and the life…Jesus is the gate that leads to heaven.

The Scriptures gives you faith which is necessary for salvation…Romans 10:17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

The devil will always without fail, introduce to you an alternative source [extra-biblical sources] for your spiritual walk to make you get off course. At first, it might sound biblical but eventually will teach you new ideas about Jesus, salvation, and how to please God that would be in disagreement with the Word of God.

A few examples:

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The Jehovah’s Witnesses extra-biblical sources is called: The Watch Tower Magazine. It teaches you that Jesus is not God, but a created being who is the Archangel Michael. They also teach about Jesus…He is a god, not Yahweh, but a different god.

The Word of God teaches that Jesus is God [John 1:1, John 14:8-11, John 20:28].

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The Mormons extra-biblical sources are called: The Book of Mormon, The Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants. They have 3 books which contradict each other. One says that God is Spirit, while the other says that Elohim is flesh and bones. Mormon’s doctrine teaches that you can become gods and can obtain your own planet.

The Word of God teaches against one becoming a god as that teaching comes from the devil himself [Genesis 3:1-5].

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Catholicism: The Catechism. It teaches about salvation as follows:

The Catechism 846

846 ... He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.

“thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door.” Works based salvation apart from Jesus Christ is taught here. The Catholic Church now becomes your Savior. Jesus said in John 10:9-10, 9 I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

Jesus is the only door, not the Catholic Church, but those who want to be the door are said to be [verse10] thieves whose intentions are only to steal and kill and destroy your faith in Jesus Christ.

The Catholic church also elevates Mary as equal to Jesus. They teach that Mary can hear everyone’s prayer, Mary being sinless, Mary saving you, and Mary is your mediator. 

Tradition will always contradict the Bible. If we have God’s Word why do we need something else as if God is not enough for us? Tradition or extra-biblical sources’ purpose is to draw you away from God’s Word. It is to steer you in a different direction.

All you need is the text that is God-breathed, the Scriptures. Stay away from anything else that wants to take its place.

What Does The Word Tradition Mean In Scripture?: Answering A Catholic

Catholic tradition is unbiblical and is idolatrous

[A Catholic said] “You Protestants have some big problems if you cannot see the difference between Veneration and Adoration. Your understanding is so one dimensional. Because you have a limited view of Divine Revelation; only accepting scripture without tradition. Take a look at your Bible which says, ” Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.”(2 Thes. 3:6) and also, ” So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.”(2 Thes 2:15, RSV)”

The word tradition in those two passages has nothing to do with Catholic theology, that is number 1. Remember, context ascribes to a word the meaning of it which is the key to understanding Holy Scripture.

Let us look at 2 Thes. 3:6, in that passage the keyword is: idle…Paul is saying not to be idle and remember the tradition spoken about that issue. Paul is not referring to a doctrine that is passed down verbally that only the Catholics know but, their traditions has to do with the message of idleness that was already written down which are the Scriptures. In 2 Thes. 3:6, he was referring to this passage:

1 Timothy 5:13

13 At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips† and busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t say.

Now, let’s look at 2 Thes. 2:15

2 Thessalonians 2:15

15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, whether by what we said or what we wrote.

The question to ask is, [what traditions do they, the church must hold to?] Another question to ask, for understanding this passage, [do we know what the Apostles taught?]

The first answer to the question would be that the traditions are the same message as that of Scripture and the second question, the answer is, yes, we do know what they taught. Below are 5 points that clarify what the Apostle Paul meant by traditions.

1. We stand firm in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
2. The Apostles taught [verbally, traditions or written down, our Bible which is the same message] pertaining to Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus said in Matthew 7 [referring to standing firm] that to hear His Word and to do it, a person has built his house [his life] on the rock [saving faith in Jesus Christ] and nothing will bring him down [destroy his faith in Jesus]
4. Paul with the rest of the Apostles will never contradict with the traditions they taught and what has been written down which are the Scriptures.
5. The traditions and what has been penned down [our Bible] are both and the same, the Scriptures since there is only one author, the Holy Spirit and one message about Jesus Christ.

What are the traditions? Basically, some places that the 12 Apostles and Paul visited, they were taught the Word of God but, later some got letters containing the Word of God that was taught to them and some did not. So, both the word tradition and the Word of God were the same message.