Examples of Unbiblical Traditions Passed Down Through Church History

This truth addresses the tendency of human traditions to supplant biblical authority, as seen in the Pharisees' addition of oral laws to the Mosaic code. Paul writes in Romans 8:28 that God works all things for the good of those who love Him, but this does not mean that all human innovations are pleasing to Him. The Reformed tradition, following the principle of sola Scriptura, has sought to root out unbiblical traditions and return to the authority of Scripture alone.

Examples of such traditions include the veneration of saints and the use of icons in worship, which have their roots in medieval Catholicism and were later rejected by the Reformers as unbiblical. The doctrine of transubstantiation, which claims that the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper become the literal body and blood of Christ, is another example of a tradition that has been passed down through history but lacks biblical support.

The gospel connection to this truth is that Christ came to free His people from the bondage of human traditions and to bring them back to the simplicity and purity of the gospel. This truth matters because it reminds believers that their ultimate authority is Scripture, not human tradition or innovation, and that they must constantly be on guard against the tendency to add to or subtract from the Word of God.