An excerpt:
II. APPEAL TO TRADITION
When it comes to a proper understanding of the Word of God, the Holy Spirit is all the believer needs (1 John 2:27). The believer does not need the "church fathers," or the supposed great men of God in the past, or church history, or commentaries, or Bible scholars, or some particular man, etc.. Any appeal otherwise is an appeal to the tradition of men. In Colossians 2:8 Paul warned,Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
We do not need the "teaching of the ages" (the tradition of men) to understand the Word of God. The Holy Spirit is all we need to understand the Word of God. 1 John 2:26-27 says,These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
Do we need to have the "oaring" or the anchor of church tradition to keep us from wandering from the truth? No. We need the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. (1 John 2:20-21)
Found in the context of these verses (1 John 2:20-21, 26-27) are verses about antichrists (1 John 2:18-19). 1 John 4:1-6 says,Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Likewise, 2 John 7 says,For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
What is it to "not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh"? Basically, it is to deny the truth of 2 Peter 1:3 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17, or to deny what is seen in 1 John 2:26-27 - that all you need is Christ, His Word and His Spirit. If someone comes along and says you need the traditions of men to properly understand the Word of God and/or to live this life as we ought - that is antichrist. If someone comes along with empty deceit, swaying you away from following the Word of Christ - that is antichrist. If someone persuades you toward philosophy or pragmatism (basic principles of the world) - that is antichrist.Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. [Why?] For [because] in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2:8-10)
In other words, you don't need philosophy. You don't need the tradition of men. You don't need basic principles that work in this world. You need Christ, and Him alone. Because "in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily". In other words, God is in the flesh in Christ. God, Jesus Christ, has come in the flesh. Believers are complete in Christ and need nothing else for living out this life in godliness, holiness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23; Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:14-16). You don't need psychology, or traditions (handed down teachings other than the Word of God) or "what works" (basic principles of the world), etc.. 2 Peter. 1:2-3 says,. . . as His divine power has given to us all things [we are not lacking anything] that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
The believer has all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Christ (the Word, Revelation 19:13; Hebrews 4:12-13). We don't need anything else. To say we do is to deny Christ has come in the flesh, and is antichrist (against Christ). 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says,All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The Word of God is all you need to make you "complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." When teachers or anyone comes along and says, "You need commentaries or the early church fathers or the understanding of the studies of the supposed men of God of the past, in order to properly understand the Word of God," this is antichrist. Some may refer you to "the historic Christian faith" or "Orthodox Christianity." These terms point to the traditions of men (Colossians 2:8). This appeal is antichrist. What is the true standard for truth? It is the Word of God, not "historic Christianity." Such an appeal to tradition exposes a man to be a false teacher, whose trust is not in God, who is in the flesh (Jesus Christ, John 1:14, Colossians 2:9), but rather in the tradition of men (Colossians 2:8-10; 2 John 7).
