Closing Remarks
---------------
James White
We've covered a lot of ground this evening and I hope if you
came this evening to be challenged to think that that's exactly
what has been accomplished, I know that that would be the best
thing that could possibly happen.
First of all, Mr. Matatics has again asserted that Apostolic
preaching was inspired. He said it in such a way it sounded like
I had denied it. I didn't. He said that this preaching was passed
on to us in a separate way outside of the New Testament, again
asserting, and I believe without every having proven it, that
what is contained in the Apostolic preaching was different that
what was found in the Apostolic writing. Athanasius didn't
believe that. I don't believe that. I don't believe that Mr.
Matatics has proven it either--one of those things he needs to
do. Where did Paul preach to the Thessalonians that Mary was
immaculately conceived? It was preached to all of them. It was
delivered to all of them. Where is the historical evidence? It's
not there.
Mr. Matatics has talked about tradition, but has repeatedly
failed to address the fact that the tradition in the New
Testament that he cites is simply the Gospel. I've shown you the
passages. We've looked at I Thessalonians. We've looked at
Timothy. The tradition that is there is what? I Corinthians 15,
"That which I passed on to you" same technical term
that's used in the passing on of tradition, Gerry knows
that--that Christ died, that he was buried, that he rose again on
the third day and he was seen by the Apostles. That's the
tradition. It's the Gospel. That's what it is.
Now, he said that I misquoted Matthew 15:6. Well, we've got
tapes, I guess. We can check it out. I don't remember having done
so. I don't believe that I did. But the point again that Mr.
Matatics didn't respond to my bringing up Matthew 15:6 was that
all traditions, including those that claim to be divine in
origin, which is what the Jewish traditions claimed to be, had to
be tested by the Word of God. He held those men responsible. In
other words, no one is going to be able to stand up one day and
say, "Well, hey, the Scribes, the Sadducees, the Pharisees,
they taught me that the Korban Rule works and so I can't support
my parents because, you know, they taught it and they said it was
divine. It's their fault. They told me." Is that going to
wash? No. Because God holds man responsible for testing
traditions by Scripture because it is in Scripture that God
speaks, not in the traditions of men, even when they claim they
are divine, and that's exactly what you've got with the Roman
Catholic claim of tradition.
Now I'd like, if you still have your Bibles out, for you to
turn to Psalm 119:89. I would like to invite you this evening, if
you have the opportunity tonight, to read this entire psalm, to
read the whole thing and ask yourself if this is the view of the
Word of God that you have. Psalm 119:89, "Your word, Oh,
Lord, is eternal. It stands firm in the heavens."
Now Mr. Matatics and I have disagreed what the Word is. Mr.
Matatics wants to add to the inspired Scriptures an oral
tradition he claims comes from the Apostles. I don't believe that
it did. I believe that it contains information that is directly
contradictory to what the Apostles preached. But the Psalmist
knew what the Word of God was. He knew that it stood firm in the
heavens. And as I said to Mr. Matatics a few moments ago, he knew
this before the time of the Apostles. He knew this hundreds and
hundreds of years before any man sat on a throne in Rome and
called himself the Vicar of Christ. He knew this before there was
anyone who called themselves a priest in a separate forum from
the laity of the Church. Even Roman Catholic scholars are
admitting there was no primitive priesthood in the form of the
Roman Catholic priesthood today in the early Church. Long before
a man even claimed to be a priest with special ordination within
the Catholic Church, the Psalmist knew what the Word of God was.
The Psalmist does not cite oral traditions. You won't find Psalm
120 being in praise of the oral traditions. You find Psalm 119 in
praise of the written Word of God.
I want you to listen very, very closely to what was said by
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, "In regard to the divine and holy
mysteries of the faith not the least part may be handed on
without the Holy Scriptures. Do not be led astray by winning
words and clever arguments. Even to me, who tell you these
things, do not give ready belief unless you receive from the Holy
Scriptures the proof of the things which I announce. The
salvation in which we believe is not proved from clever reasoning
but from the Holy Scriptures." What does that say? What does
that say? I ask Mr. Matatics, "How do you test
tradition?" I don't believe that you can. Once it's been
defined by the Church, and that's the only way you can find out
what it is is once the Church says. Remember the quote from
Bishop Milner? Tradition doesn't say anything about the
conception of Mary and then a couple of years later well, now
tradition does say something about the conception of Mary. The
only way you're going to find out what's in oral tradition is
once it's made something you've got to believe. How do you test
that? But St. Cyril said, "Even to me who tells you these
things do not give ready belief unless you receive from the Holy
Scriptures the proof of the things which I announce." And so
when I asked for proof of Papal infallibility, proof of the
Immaculate Conception, not just things, well, they may sort of
point that way and they may sort of indicate this. No, proof! He
can't come forth.
Sola scriptura. We both agree, that the Bible is a rule of
faith for the Church. Why? Because it's inspired and infallible.
Okay? To deny sola scriptura requires Mr. Matatics to demonstrate
that this is not unique. All the questions about canon and people
who want to debate me or whatever else are irrelevant to the fact
that here is a rule of faith for the Church. Now, the Mormons
pick up the Book of Mormon and try to put it next to it. We say
no. Jehovah's Witnesses bring the Watchtower over. We say no. Mr.
Matatics wants to bring over oral tradition. He wants to put
something next to it. But Mr. Matatics has completely failed to
demonstrate that first of all, any of the passages that refer to
tradition in the New Testament are referring to some separate
oral tradition that contains data different from what we have in
the New Testament and I've shown you many passages to demonstrate
that that's not the case. He hasn't shown us that and he
certainly hasn't even begun to prove that it's theopneustos,
God-breathed, like this is. Therefore, how can it function as a
rule of faith for the Church? And if it cannot function as a rule
of faith for the Church, sola scriptura is vindicated.
Those are the issues this evening, folks. That's what you've
got to look at. All those other things aside. We want to know who
God is. We want to worship Him in spirit and in truth. This is
true. Why accept someone coming along and saying, "I can't
prove to you that this is theopneustos. I can't tell you that
this is inspired. I can't prove to you that this has actually
come from the Apostles. I can't trace any historical lineage for
it. In fact, for a bunch of the doctrines that come from this,
man, it's just like a pop out of nowhere. But I still want you to
accept it along with." And in point of fact, when you get
right down to interpreting this book, you're going to have to
subjugate this book under tradition. You can't have two ultimate
authorities, folks. If you've got oral tradition, either one's
going to roll over the other or the other way around.
And if you try to engage in a discussion, for example, of
Matthew 16:18, with a Roman Catholic you find out very quickly
how very much oral tradition not only influences but determines
the interpretation of this. That makes oral tradition the highest
authority. This has been replaced, if that's what happens. I
know, the Roman Catholic says, "Oh, no, no, that's not what
happens." That is what happens. I recognize the claim. I'm
not saying that the Church is teaching that oral tradition is
superior to Scripture. Please, that's not what I'm saying. But
functionally, that is exactly what happens. Cling to that which
is inspired. Do as those many quotations I have provided to you
demonstrate. Demand proof from the Holy Scriptures. Sola scriptura. The Scriptures, God-breathed and inspired.
Thank you.
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