RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMAN REASON AND SCRIPTURE
When human reason does not go against the Scripture, we can use human reason in whatever.
The word tradition (Human Reason), has to do with those things of the past which are handed down by word of mouth and have come to have the same effect as law. In terms of religion, tradition has to do with the things which religious men in the past have taught and which still have an influence upon the way we live and the things we believe.
Religion is something about God and something about the past, while tradition is something that comes from men that has to do with what God has said, or comes from God.
See Matthew 15:1–2 carefully. Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? According to verse 2, the Pharisees were NOT angry with the disciples because they had disobeyed the word of God, but rather because they had broken the tradition of the elders, but Jesus said that the Pharisees broke the commandments of God for the sake of their tradition (verse 3) What is important to some believers today is about their tradition or better say about their church doctrine. We know that the most important thing to the Pharisees was their tradition and not the Scriptures. See Matthew 15:3-10, Jesus replied, And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, Honor your father and mother and Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death. But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God, he is not to ‘honor his father’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, Listen and understand.
In cases where the Scripture DO NOT say something different than tradition, we may, of course, also obey tradition (Human Reason).
If the Scripture go against human tradition, we must obey the Scripture. But when the traditions do not go against the Scripture, then we can use the tradition.
Example: - According to the Scriptures, Christians should remember the Lord Jesus Christ and His death on the cross by taking part in communion as often as possible. This is also the tradition of most Christian churches.
In situations when the Scriptures DO NOT go against Human Reason, there is no problem in following Reason. That is, when both Human Reason and the Scriptures agree, we may follow Reason as much as Scripture.
May you be blessed in Jesus name.
CHRIST’S DEATH AND US
The Gospel event is Christ’s work that rescues us. Take your stand on it, never turn back and keep trusting in Christ. See Acts of Apostles 15:11, We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are. See Romans 3:28, For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. See also Romans 5:1, it says, Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Read Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.
There are four different ways in which we may look at the meaning of Christ’s death on the cross. See Colossians 2:15, And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Also see Hebrews 2:14–17, Since the children have blood and flesh, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil–and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people.
At the time of Christ, it was the custom to buy and sell slaves like property, so because of Christ’s death on the cross we are redeemed from spiritual slavery.
We should note that there are several words related to the word REDEEM.
The word RANSOM means to REDEEM or to set free by paying a price.
RANSOM also means REDEMPTION or the price that was paid to set someone free.
The word REDEEMER talks about the one who sets the person free by paying the price.
The price of redemption was the blood of Christ. This refers, of course, only to His death. See 1st Peter 1:18–19, For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
Paul writes that Christians had been slaves to sin, but now, Christians have been set free from sin. See Romans 6:17–18, it says, But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Although the Christian is not a slave of sin any more, he must serve a new Master. (Jesus Christ) Believers are not free to behave as they like. Read Titus 2:14, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.
Another way in which we must look at the death of Christ. The New Testament teaches that Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice on the cross. Read Hebrews 9:26, (Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.)
What words did Jesus say just before He died to show that He had done all that was necessary to save us? Read John 19:30, When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
Jesus bore the punishment for sin.
Regardless of who pays the fine, it has been paid. The person who committed the crime now stands before the law as an innocent person. The law cannot now consider him a criminal. So then, if Christ paid the believer’s guilt for sin, should God’s law now accuse them? (NO)
The word JUSTIFIED describes the LEGAL POSITION of the saved before God. Read Romans 3:24 and 28, And are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Also read 1st John 4:19, We love because He first loved us.
If God loved us so much before we love Him, we ought to respond to Him with a deep love for Him and one another.
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