Should Believers Rely on Scripture Alone or Also on Tradition?
1) Direct answer
Believers must rely on the Bible alone as the final authority. Any “tradition” that adds to, takes from, or stands beside the Word as equal authority is to be rejected. Customs may exist, but they carry no binding power unless they are plainly taught in Scripture.
2) Scriptural explanation
- The Bible says all Scripture is God-breathed and sufficient to thoroughly furnish the man of God (2 Timothy 3:16–17). If it furnishes us completely, nothing else can be required.
- Jesus rebuked those who made “the word of God of none effect” through their tradition (Mark 7:7–9,13).
- We are warned not to add to or take away from God’s Word (Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:5–6; Revelation 22:18–19).
- Even if an angel preached something different, we must not receive it (Galatians 1:8–9).
- “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).
- The Spirit guides into all truth (John 16:13), but Jesus defined truth: “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). The Holy Spirit will only quicken what is written.
- Some point to “traditions” in 2 Thessalonians 2:15 and 1 Corinthians 11:2. Those were the apostles’ own teachings given to the church and now preserved in Scripture. The only traditions we “hold” are the apostolic instructions recorded in the Bible.
3) Simple clarifying logic
Now notice: if Scripture is complete and God-breathed, then putting tradition beside it creates a second authority—and two authorities will soon contradict. That’s how the commandments of men nullify the commandments of God. You see, the Word judges tradition; tradition never judges the Word. If a practice agrees with Scripture, we receive it because it is Scripture. If it is not in the Word, it cannot be binding on the believer.
4) Reinforcing statement
Man lives “by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Stay with the Word. The Bible is the absolute.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Audio Letter to Lee Vayle
64-0500 §13
Brother Lee, over on page forty-eight, insert number eight out to one side. Could you add in there somewhere, or get in there if you haven't over further... I'm just reading down, now. But if you haven't, it might be good to place in here, also, that there--how Jesus' ministry, being a vindicated prophet that was to come. Of course we know that John was a prophet, but not in the sense that this great prophet was that was to come. And the Bible had spoke of this great one coming. And we find out here that four hundr...
Three kinds of believers
63-1124E §13
Now, let us turn in the Scriptures, now, for just a little Scripture reading. Where my words fail, this won't. And then God will bless you for staying just on account of listening to His Word. "Faith cometh by hearing ... hearing the Word of God." Is that right? Now, as I was thinking ... while you're turning to St. John the 6th chapter, beginning with the 60th verse and reading the 71st, inclusive--St. John 6:60 Now, I was thinking as I was looking out the window a little while ago and looking at the setting of th...
God is His own interpreter
64-0205 §16
See, God allotted the Word. That day was to be the manifestation of God, God---Emmanuel---with us, "His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Everlasting Father. And His name shall be called Emmanuel, 'God with us.'" God was in David. God was in Moses. That's God all the way through, manifesting Himself for that age. But this age, "A virgin shall conceive and she'll bring forth a son, and He will be God with us." That's what they crucified Him for: making Himself God, and also for...
Seals 5: The Third Seal
63-0320 §93
What did she do? She said, "Well, I'm glad I met the Messiah." Oh, no! Right into the city she went. She forgot about the water. She said, "Come see a Man who told me the things that I've done. Isn't this the very thing that the Scriptures says the Messiah is going to do? Isn't this exactly that?" And the people could see that same thing, that Jesus Christ said in St. John 14:12 it will happen again. He said it also in Luke when He said, "As it was in the days of Noah..."---how God manifested Himself in a man and t...
The unveiling of God
64-0614M §99
Notice, now, the veil in human flesh, the promised Word to this age must also be veiled. Notice! Sin-loving church members and sinners cannot see it because of the human veil. That's the reason they couldn't see Him. "Why, He's a man. Where did He come from? What fellowship card does He have? What church does He belong to?" (I want to speak on that tonight, what church does he belong to? See?) And so, see, "Now, what church does He belong to? What group? What school did He have? Where did He get his education? Well...