The Advent Truth
“Paul said to hold fast to the traditions taught by the apostles.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

Amen. The real question is: How do we know which traditions actually came from the apostles?

The Bible never asks us to blindly accept every claim of divine authority. In fact, it commands the opposite.

“The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” (1 Corinthians 14:32)

In other words, God does not inspire one prophet to contradict another. Truth is harmonious. The same Holy Spirit who inspired Isaiah inspired Paul. The same Spirit who spoke through Peter spoke through John.

That is why Scripture gives us a test:

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.” (1 John 4:1)

Notice that John doesn’t say, “Accept every tradition.” He says, “Test.”

But how?

“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)

That is God’s measuring stick.

Every doctrine.
Every teacher.
Every prophet.
Every tradition.

Must be tested by the Word of God.

This is exactly why the Bereans were commended in Acts 17. Even when an apostle preached to them, they searched the Scriptures daily to verify whether those things were so.

The issue is not whether apostolic teaching is authoritative. Of course it is. The issue is how we identify genuine apostolic teaching from later human traditions.

If a teaching came from God, it will agree with the prophets. It will agree with Christ. It will agree with the apostles. Truth never contradicts truth.

The Bible doesn’t call us to check our brains at the door. It calls us to test all things and hold fast to that which is good.

That is not rebellion.

That is biblical faithfulness.