July 13, 2011 – Colossians 2 – 3:11

“See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition” 2:8 – Many have used this line to say that Catholics are off base because of all the traditions of the Catholic Church. Many believe they are a manmade way to give power to the people in charge and take power away from God. Is Paul saying that there is not to be any tradition in the Church. Is he saying that there is to be no ceremony, no structure, no tradition. If that is true, then the notion of a non-denominational group or “not religion” gathering for Christ is something that could be persuasive. Then explain 2 Thessalonians 2:15 - Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours. Paul is saying that there are traditions that should be followed and they were laid out by him (an oral statement or by a letter of ours), so he is not saying in 2:8 that there is to be no tradition, no structure. What he is saying is to beware those that want to go against the established tradition, structure, and Church. Beware of teachings that Jesus was not God, there is no Trinity, Salvation by Faith Alone, Bible is the sole authority. There are “seductive philosophy according to human tradition”. These go against the Tradition that Paul was telling them to follow, the tradition that he help establish. It is a God made Tradition, made through the humans used by God as instruments, much like the Bible is the Word of God written by men. There is Tradition that is to be followed and used to Guide us. That is Biblical. Sola Scriptura is not.