What is the Holy Spirit? · Teleios
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Sample text. This study is a placeholder and has not been reviewed yet.
Teleios builds on the Foundations of this topic. If you’re new to it, you may want to start with Foundations.
Is the Bible enough, or do we need church tradition too?
20To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Read the verses around it (Isaiah 8:19-20)
19And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? 20To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
7Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
Read the verses around it (Mark 7:5-13)
5Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? 6He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 10For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 11But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 12And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
11These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Read the verses around it (Acts 17:10-12)
10And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
Our explanation
Isaiah gave Israel a test for every teaching: "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
Jesus warned religious leaders of his day: "in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men."
The Bereans "received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." They tested even the apostle Paul against Scripture.
Our understanding: because the Bible is inspired by God's Spirit, it is the only authority for what we believe. Traditions, creeds and experiences must be tested by it, including what you read in this app. Pick one belief you hold and look for where the Bible teaches it.
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