Faith and Hearing

Catholics have long taught that hearing tradition that is not recorded in scripture is just as necessary as the tradition contained in scripture. Yet we should remember that scripture is always a product of the Holy Spirit.

True faith is always from God's word and always agrees with the scriptures; If a person's belief contradicts the scriptures it is not faith in a godly sense. Even if it doesn't contradict scripture, it may not be faith if not in scripture.

Many denominations use the "it doesn't contradict scripture" to affirm their teaching is of faith", but contradiction isn't the only test of faith, going beyond into opinion or fable isn't faith.

Catholics often use the idea their doctrine doesn't contradict scripture even if not in it, so they deem it ok. Yet, being absent from scripture means it really isn't of faith. There can be many made up stories and doctrines that don't contradict scripture. They are still fables.

Romans 10:17 faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Fables aren't of faith.

1Ti 1:4  Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

We see Paul differentiates between faith and fable, even if the fable doesn't contradict scripture.

All scripture is inspired of God whereas not all tradition is from God. Many traditions are simply human theories or inventions.

Salvation is from grace, by faith, which means God's word is the only source. Prophets spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Man is not the source of faith. Nor is man's law.

Faith alone as a doctrine did not originally exclude works in salvation. Faith alone meant to be from God vs. man. It was not used as mental belief, but belief from God's word. Works, if directed by God were a part of faith and not contrary to it, and could be part of salvation. Luther believed works justified when flowing from faith, but it was the faith and not virtue that was recognized by God.

Hebrews 11:7 by faith Noah built an ark to the saving of his household...

Building the ark did not justify Noah to moral law, but justified faith, the works stemmed from God's word. Works are excluded by the scriptures when the context is moral law and natural power to make ourselves righteous,  but works are acceptable in justifying faith. 

Abraham in offering Isaac was following God directed worship. It wasn't of human origin. It wasn't for virtue but faith. He was commanded by God to offer his son. Therefore, it was of faith. True faith always originates in God's word.

Faith in and of itself is a type of righteousness that the saved possess. We are not void of all righteousness, but our righteousness falls short of God's glory.

Catholics chose to make canon law a necessary step towards salvation. This was refuted by Paul in Galations. Paul was not just refuting mosaical law, but all moral law and man directed faith law as a test for salvation. Martin Luther in teaching faith alone did not accept works directed by priests without scriptural support. or being from God.

Catholics believed priests were vested with the authority to demand whatever penance they saw as reasonable and necessary to expiate sins. In Catholic doctrine penance took the place of baptism for those sinning after baptism. They believed their right to levy penance was from God.

Heb 13:17  Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

This could be challenged by Paul in Colossians, where leaders might demand things that really aren't profitable.

Col 2:20  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

Col 2:21  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

Col 2:22  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

Col 2:23  Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Since Paul wrote about the subject it was not an original objection by Luther. Paul had settled the issue, Luther simply brought it back up. The answers were Apostolic. Authority of leaders to impose man derived ordinances wasn't supported by Paul.

Baptists tend to fight all ordinances, even when God given.

Ordinances of human origin were not really acceptable, even those coming from the law of Moses. Luther was correct in realizing leaders did not have the right to demand anything they chose. Our obedience to rulers did not include those making a show of false wisdom.

Catholics were forcing man to subscribe to Canon Law as a test of faith, when true faith might believe less or more than what Canon law held. Christ could accept those who understood the Gospel slightly different than the Catholics dictated. Faith was a product of God's word and not human law. As men grew in knowledge of the word their faith obviously grew, God could accept the weak as well as the strong.

Martin Luther believed in Canon Law, he erred as do all Catholics in believing in law, but refuted penance outside that law.

Martin Luther believed penance directed by priests, such as payment for absolution for those in purgatory, was not of God and not of faith. He believed only God directed works were of faith. To him Canon law only applied to those presently living, those who had died were no longer subject to the laws of earth..

He did not believe that priests had arbitrary authority to bind what they wished.

"They preach only human doctrines who say that as soon as the money clinks into the money chest, the soul flies out of purgatory. "

Many Catholic priests had passed the authority of Matthew 16:18-19 from the Apostle to the presbyter (Themselves), they viewed this authority as arbitrary vs only God directed commands. Faith only meant only God directed repentance to Christ's word, as articulated in Papal decrees and Canon Law. Luther believed many Catholics had over stepped this authority.

The church of christ still believes scripture dictates faith, not later decrees or canon law which seek to articulate scripture, but may not accurately do so. The binding of a man directed faith law was never in God's plan.

Unfortunately, all Catholics were in error, including Luther, the wording of Mathew did not give the apostle arbitrary authority to bind his own judgments.  Nor did it give the church authority to institute a Christian law made up by men.Luther accepted penance directed from priests if done as a test before absolution. It was still a man directed test of faith.

Matthew 16:19

whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven

The original greek is past tense, "shall have been bound", thus the apostles directives had to first be approved in heaven and conveyed by the Holy Spirit. This was binding regardless of the city it was spoken. Heaven was the central location, not Rome, and it was binding any where on earth.

Such as Peter's commandment on baptism in Acts 2:38 was first bound by Christ in Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-16. It was not an arbitrary whim but a previously bound command from God.

If the apostle did not have arbitrary authority, how could a presbyter under the same scripture?

As Moses had waited for God's decisions, so must the Apostles.