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I once had a friend years ago whose religion was of the denominational persuasion when one compared it to the Lord’s Church of which we read in the New Testament. On a number of occasions I asked him to justify with scripture the things he said he believed. He was never able to do that; but instead of abandoning those beliefs for which there was no scriptural basis, he instead went to his preacher to get some sort of justification for continuing to embrace those falsehoods.
After consulting with this denominational minister, he returned to me with no greater proof than before of these fables that for centuries have reduced the practice of Christianity to the worship of men’s doctrines and commandments.
To say the least, he expressed disappointment that I still would not believe anything that wasn’t clearly stated in scripture. All the while I was surprised that anyone would religiously embrace anything not scripturally proven, or would expect anyone else to do so. Then he offered as the reason for his disappointment in me something that surprised me even more than the fact that he had failed to scripturally prove any of his religious positions.
He said, "I’ve gone through a lot of trouble to get all of this information for you!" It seemed to me that his remark implied that he felt anything someone had gone through a lot of trouble to compose and copy must be worth something in the world of Christianity. It is, if it is Christ that composed it through His Holy Spirit. But nothing not of Biblical origin is honorable as a doctrine of the New Testament Church. As a matter of fact, at Matthew chapter fifteen, Jesus remarked beginning at verse seven that such religious fiction results in vain efforts to worship God on the part of those who teach and embrace those things foreign to truth. The Savior referred to these things as "the doctrines and commandments of men."
We are privileged to enjoy the knowledge that there is indeed a Wonderful Savior Who makes available to us the redemption of the eternal soul of man. However, men have gone through a lot of trouble to compose religious doctrines that have no basis in fact, and which will save no one. It’s much less trouble, and far more profitable, to simply seek and obey the truth as it actually appears in scripture.