Today, we come to search the Book of all books that records significant foundation of our faith. As we study and know the authoritative source of our theology, this SSL will give as reasons to stand in the firm phrase, "Thus saith the Lord".

A. Tradition: Col. 2:8; Mk. 7:1-13

Traditions may led us away from the truth or will draw us closer to God through the reminders learned in the past. The truth maybe mingled with additional false elements and superstitions to the faith.

Reminders from the Pen of Inspiration:

"As the student sacrifices the power to reason and judge for himself, he becomes incapable of discriminating between truth and error, and falls an easy prey to deception.

He is easily led to follow tradition and custom.... The mind that depends upon the judgment of others is certain, sooner or later, to be misled." -- Education, pp. 230, 231.

1. Bible Religion is not made up of Tradition:

Bible religion is not made up of theological systems, creeds, theories, and tradition, for then it would not remain a mystery. The worldly would understand it through their own natural abilities. But religion, Bible religion, has a practical, saving energy, elements proceeding wholly from God--a personal experience of God's power transforming the entire man. {16MR 236.3}

2. Follow not the Tradition of Men:

Many are following the traditions of men; but as the traditions of men are erroneous, and no error has sanctifying power, their souls are not sanctified to God. Yet they hold on to the doctrines of men with firm tenacity, and will not be moved by the testimony of Scripture. They have been educated to believe falsehood, and they use every ingenious method to make it appear that the Bible supports them in their position of error, making falsehood appear to be truth. But the first work to be done by those who would know the truth, is to open the Bible with a determined purpose to conform to the requirements of the word of God, establishing their faith upon "It is written." Make up your mind that your former theories must change if they are not in harmony with the doctrines of the Bible. You are called upon to put forth diligent effort to discover what is truth. This should not be thought a hard requirement; for men are called upon to toil for their temporal and earthly blessings, and it is not to be expected that we shall find the heavenly treasure unless we are willing to dig in the mines of truth, and exercise all our powers of mind and heart to understand. {RH, March 25, 1902 par. 2}

3. Avoid the Dim Light of Tradition to Make the Bible Comprehensible:

The Bible teaches the whole will of God concerning the sons and daughters of Adam. It is the rule of life, teaching us what characters we must form for the future life. We need not the dim light of tradition to make the Scriptures comprehensible. As well might we suppose that the noonday sun needs the glimmering torchlight of earth to increase its glory. The utterances of priest or minister are not needed to save men from error. Those who consult the divine oracle will have light. In the Bible every duty is made plain. Every lesson reveals to us the Father and the Son. The Word is able to make all wise unto salvation. In the Word the science of salvation is plainly revealed. Search the Scriptures; for they are the voice of God speaking to the soul. {ST, October 10, 1906 par. 1}

4. Tradition and Falsehood Cover Up Bible Truth:

All the churches in our land need to call to mind the dealings of God with His ancient people. Ceremonial worship is of no value to them. Truth has long been covered up by tradition and falsehood. When the Lord sends to them His servants with a warning message, let them consider the message, studying their Bibles. {2SAT 332.5}

B. Experience: Gal. 4:15

Our daily experiences with God shape our understanding of how He works in us, through us and for us. But not all experiences are favorable on us. It is sometimes, a test if our experiences is just based on superstitions, feelings or shallow relationship with our Redeemer - a dangerous ground!

1. Our Life should be in Perfect harmony with God's Word:

Christ and His Word are in perfect harmony. Received and obeyed, they open a sure path for the feet of all who are willing to walk in the light as Christ is in the light. If the people of God would appreciate His Word, we should have a heaven in the church here below. Christians would be eager, hungry, to search the Word. They would be anxious for time to compare scripture with scripture, and to meditate upon the Word. They would be more eager for the light of the Word than for the morning paper, magazines, or novels. Their greatest desire would be to eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God. And as a result, their lives would be conformed to the principles and promises of the Word. Its instruction would be to them as the leaves of the tree of life. It would be to them a well of water, springing up unto everlasting life. Refreshing showers of grace would refresh and revive the soul, causing them to forget all toil and weariness. They would be strengthened and encouraged by the words of inspiration. {ST, October 10, 1906 par. 2}

2. God's Principle should be Exemplified and Rule our Lives:

The Lord's philosophy is the rule of the Christian's life. The entire being should be imbued with the life-giving principles of heaven. The busy nothings which consume the time of so many shrink into their proper position before a healthy, sanctifying, Bible piety. {ST, October 10, 1906 par. 4}

C. Culture: 1 John 2:16; Isa. 5:20

Culture can also be good or it can also be bad! In some countries, the culture has been strongly influenced by the Word of God and we can find other countries are compatible with the Bible teachings. Every cultural element must be checked based on the standard set forth in the Scripture - its principles must prevail over other culture and it will never change the Bible.

1. The Bible is the Only Means of Intellectual Culture:

The whole Bible is a revelation of the glory of God in Christ. Received, believed, obeyed, it is the great instrumentality in the transformation of character. And it is the only sure means of intellectual culture. {ST, October 10, 1906 par. 6}

2. Jesus is our True Example: Luke 4:16; John 4:6

During His ministry His intimate acquaintance with the Scriptures testifies to His diligence in their study. And since He gained knowledge as we may gain it, His wonderful power, both mental and spiritual, is a testimony to the value of the Bible as a means of education. {Ed 185.1}

D. Reason:

Let us be God's real people, logical thinkers, not bait hunters. The Bible, you know, without the human channel, is as inactive as though It were but ink and paper. Moreover, the Spirit, too, apart from man, is also inactive: He, too, works through the human agent. Hence, without an inspired interpreter the concealed prophecies and the Spirit that unfolds them are inactive. Moreover, how could it be said of one particular group having the Spirit of Prophecy, when all the sects in Christendom have the Bible? (2TG 24.23)

1. Reason is a gift from God, for it is use to make a right conclusion and leads to the acceptance of the Truth. (2Pet. 1:12; Jn 16:8)

2. Reason makes us wise as we let God leads through His Holy Spirit - God's will (Prov. 9:10)

3. Rational worship not emotional worship is acceptable to God (Rom. 12:1)

Let's be Guided from Inspiration:

a. A struggle to be considered:

We must soon wrestle with the powers of the land, and we have every reason to fear that falsehood will gain the mastery. We shall call upon our churches in the name of the Lord to view this struggle in its true light. It is a contest between the Christianity of the Old and New Testaments and the Christianity of human tradition and corrupt fables. {16MR 236.4}

b. A Diligent Search of the Scripture is absolutely necessary

But the shepherds of the flock, instead of accepting the message, begin to search the Scriptures diligently to find something by which to condemn the serious, searching warnings from God's Word. They refuse to pay any attention to the last messages of warning that are to be given to the world, but seek to resist everything that does not vindicate their church as being what it should be. They use all the argumentative powers of the mind, and reason with the greatest possible positiveness and force from their own conclusions. They refuse to hear or to search the Scriptures for themselves in order to see if there is not light and evidence in God's Word that would lead them to make changes in their doctrinal views so as to be in harmony with God's truth. "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me" [John 5:39]. {2SAT 332.6}

c. The so-called Wise men Nicely woven Sophistries of Truth mix with Error.

Learned men have given lectures in which have been mingled truth and error; but they have unbalanced the minds of those who leaned toward error instead of toward truth. The nicely woven sophistries of the so-called wise men have a charm for a certain class of students; but the impression that these lectures leave upon the mind is that the God of nature is restricted by His own laws. The immutability of nature has been largely dwelt upon, and skeptical theories have been readily adopted by those whose minds chose the atmosphere of doubt, because they were not in harmony with God's holy law, the foundation of His government in heaven and earth. Their natural tendency to evil made it easy for them to choose false paths, and to doubt the reliability of both the Old and the New Testament's records and history. Poisoned with error themselves, they have watched every opportunity to sow the seeds of doubt in other minds. Nature is exalted above the God of nature, and the simplicity of faith is destroyed; for the foundation of faith is made to appear uncertain. Befogged in skepticism, the minds of those who doubt are left to beat on the rocks of infidelity.--The Youth's Instructor, January 31, 1895. {FE 329.1}

E. The Bible: John 5:46

All scriptures are to be studied and believed as God's inspired Word profitable for:

• Doctrine

• Reproof

• Correction

• Instruction in Righteousness

That, we (man of God) may become perfect (Mat. 5:48) thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2Tim. 3:16-17

1. The Bible produces good result

The Bible, and the Bible alone, can produce this good result. It is the wisdom of God and the power of God, and it works with power in the receptive heart. O what heights we might reach if we would conform our wills to the will of God. It is the power of God that we need, wherever we are. The frivolity that cumbers the church makes it weak and indifferent. {ST, October 10, 1906 par. 5}

2. Every Spirit must be tried in the light of the Law and testimony.

The Spirit was not given—nor can it ever be bestowed—to supersede the Bible; for the Scriptures explicitly state that the word of God is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. Says the apostle John, "Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1. And Isaiah declares, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isaiah 8:20. 118 {CCh 92.2}

3. Only Safeguard is in God's inspired written words.

"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isaiah 8:20. The people of God are directed to the Scriptures as their safeguard against the influence of false teachers and the delusive power of spirits of darkness. Satan employs every possible device to prevent men from obtaining a knowledge of the Bible; for its plain utterances reveal his deceptions. At every revival of God's work the prince of evil is aroused to more intense activity; he is now putting forth his utmost efforts for a final struggle against Christ and His followers. The last great delusion is soon to open before us. Antichrist is to perform his marvelous works in our sight. So closely will the counterfeit resemble the true that it will be impossible to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested. {DD 36.2}