SEARCH THE

SCRIPTURES Comparisons of Revealed Teaching with the

Traditions of Denominations

PREPARED BY DANIEL KEERAN, MSW

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Search the Scriptures Comparisons of Revealed Teaching with the Traditions of Denominations

“They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”

Matthew 15:9

Directions: Followers of Jesus desire to follow the Word of God

rather than human rules and traditions. Read the scripture

passages for each numbered set below, then decide which

statement is the Truth of God’s Word and which is false human

tradition. Enter (T) for the Truth of God’s Word and (F) for human

tradition. Remember that other scriptures may also be relevant.

JESUS

1. ( ) Mary is a mediator between God and man.

( ) Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and man.

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:5

2. ( ) Mary remained a perpetual virgin and had no children

other than Jesus.

( ) Jesus had other brothers and sisters, the children of

Mary.

Scripture: Mark 6:3; Matthew 13: 55, 56

3. ( ) Jesus Christ was God in the flesh or God in the form of a

man. As deity, He is to be worshipped. May pray to Jesus.

( ) Jesus was only a man with special wisdom and power. He

had a special relationship to God, but he is not God and

should not be worshipped.

Scripture: Matthew 1:23; John 20:28; Hebrews 1: 6; John 1:1, 14;

Acts 7:59, 60

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THE CHURCH

4. ( ) Jesus’ followers are called Christians.

( ) Jesus’ followers are called Methodists, Catholics,

Lutherans, Pentecostals, etc.

Scripture: Acts 11:26; 1 Peter 4: 16

5. ( ) Christians should assemble regularly together.

( ) A Christian need not meet regularly with other Christians.

Scripture: Hebrews 10:25

6. ( ) There is one church, one body of Christ. Divisions are

sinful.

( ) It is good to have many denominations.

Scripture: Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 1:24; 1 Corinthians 1:10

7. ( ) Women are to be silent in the church assembly and may

not have authority over men.

( ) Women may preach to the church and may be leaders in

the church and have authority over men.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:34-3; 1 Timothy 2: 11, 12;

1 Timothy 3: 1-13

8. ( ) The church can be called the United church, Anglican,

Pentecostal, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Mennonite,

etc.

( ) The church should be referred to as the church of God,

churches of Christ, the body of Christ, the household of faith.

Scripture: Romans 16:16; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 6:10;

1 Corinthians 12: 27

9. ( ) One does not have to be a member of the body of Christ,

the church, in order to be saved.

( ) Jesus bought the church with his own blood. He is the

Saviour of the church and gave himself up for her.

Scripture: Ephesians 5:23-25; Acts 20:28

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CHURCH LEADERS

10. ( ) Saints are a special group of holy ones among God’s

people.

( ) Every follower of Jesus is a saint.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1: 2; 14:3; Romans 1:7

11. ( ) All of God’s people today are a royal priesthood.

( ) Only a special class among God’s people may be called

priests.

Scripture: Revelation 1:6; 1 Peter 2:9

12. ( ) The title “Reverend” belongs only to special church

leaders.

( ) All of God’s people are to be holy or reverend.

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:15, 16

13. ( ) Jesus is the head over everything for the church, and the

church headquarters is therefore in heaven.

( ) The church may have a human head such as a pope,

patriarch, or other appointed individual, and the church

headquarters may be on earth.

Scripture: Ephesians 1:22, 23; Colossians 1:17, 18

14. ( ) The terms bishop (overseer), elder (presbyter) and pastor

(shepherd), refer to one office in the church.

( ) A bishop is higher than a pastor who is higher than an

elder.

Scripture: Titus 1: 5-9; 1 Peter 5: 1-4; Acts 20: 17, 28

15. ( ) A bishop is a ruler over several congregations.

( ) A bishop is one of a plurality of bishops who rule one

congregation. They are served by deacons.

Scripture: Philippians 1:1; Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 3:1-10; Titus 1:5-7

16. ( ) Bishops must not be married.

( ) Bishops must be the husband of one wife.

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3: 2, 4, 5; Titus 1: 6, 7

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17. ( ) Peter alone was given power to bind and loose.

( ) All the apostles had power to bind and loose.

Scripture: Matthew 16: 16-19; Matthew 18: 1, 18

18. ( ) Peter held first place among the apostles and was the

recognized head of the church.

( ) There was a plurality of leaders in the Jerusalem church

including James, Peter and John. James gave the final

judgment at the Jerusalem council. Jesus is the head over

all things for the church.

Scripture: Galatians 2:9; Acts 15: 13-21; Ephesians 1: 22

BAPTISM

19. ( ) Baptism does not save us.

( ) Baptism saves us. It is the pledge to God of a good

conscience. It saves us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:21

20. ( ) We are baptized so that our sins may be forgiven and that

we may receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

( ) We are baptized to show that our sins have already been

forgiven.

Scripture: Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16

21. ( ) He who believes, is saved and should then be baptized.

( ) He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.

Scripture: Mark 16:16

22. ( ) Baptism is a sprinkling or pouring of water.

( ) Baptism is a burial or immersion in water.

Scripture: Colossians 2:12; Romans 6:4

23. ( ) To be forgiven after baptism, one should confess his sins

to a priest who will pray to the Lord.

( ) To be forgiven, a Christian should repent and confess his

sins directly to the Lord.

Scripture: 1 John 1:9; Acts 8:13, 22

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24. ( ) Salvation is obtained by praying to receive Jesus as Lord

and Saviour.

( ) Salvation from sin is obtained by believing the gospel,

plus repentance, plus confessing Jesus as the Christ and

Son of God, plus being immersed into Christ and His death

in order to receive the forgiveness of sin. By baptism one

pledges to keep a good conscience toward God.

Scripture: Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Matthew 10:32, 33; Romans

6:3,4; 1 Peter 3:21

25. ( ) Babies and little children need to be baptized.

( ) Little children are innocent. No one inherits the sins or

guilt of an ancestor. Only older people who have sins of

their own need to be baptized.

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-6, 10, 11; Acts 8:12

26. ( ) After believing the gospel, people should be baptized

immediately.

( ) After believing the gospel, people should wait until the

church can be assembled or until relatives can observe this

special occasion. One should wait for a special day like

Sunday or Easter.

Scripture: Acts 2:41; Acts 8:35-38; Acts 16:32,33; Acts 22:16;

Acts 19:4,5

27. ( ) One does not have to be baptized in order to enter the

body of Christ, the church.

( ) In order to be united with Christ and His body, the church

one must be baptized.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27

28. ( ) In order to enter the kingdom of God one only needs to be

born of the Spirit. Water is not necessary for salvation.

( ) Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot

enter the kingdom of God.

Scripture: John 3:5

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29. ( ) We receive salvation and forgiveness simply by praying

for it and asking Jesus to come into our hearts.

( ) We receive salvation and forgiveness by being baptized

into Jesus’ death so that we may live a new life.

Scripture: Mark 16:16; Romans 6:3, 4; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16

THE COMMUNION

30. ( ) The practice of the early church was to take communion

or the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week.

( ) The communion or Lord’s Supper may be taken quarterly

or annually.

Scripture: Acts 20:7

31. ( ) In the communion or Lord’s Supper it is the real flesh and

blood of Christ that we eat.

( ) In the communion or Lord’s Supper, it is bread and fruit of

the vine (the cup) that we eat and drink.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:25,26; Matthew 26:29

32. ( ) Only the priest may drink the cup in the communion or

Lord’s Supper.

( ) All Christians are to receive both the bread and the fruit of

the vine (the cup).

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:23-28

THE HOLY SPIRIT

33. ( ) Special gifts or manifestations of the Holy Spirit were

given by the laying on of the apostles hands.

( ) Gifts of the Holy Spirit were received through prayer with

any Christians laying on hands.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:6; Romans 1:11; Acts 8:14-18; Acts 19:6

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34. ( ) The baptism of the Holy Spirit was received simply by

praying for it.

( ) The baptism of the Holy Spirit came unexpectedly and

was never prayed for, did not save anyone, nor was it a sign

that the person receiving it was saved.

Scripture: Acts 1:4,5; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 11:13-17; Acts 10:44-48

35. ( ) The gift of tongues was the ability to speak a foreign

language without learning it. This was to be a sign to

unbelievers that the gospel was true.

( ) The gift of tongues was the ability to make ecstatic

sounds, not a real human language but a prayer language

that could be received by human prompting.

Scripture: Acts 2:4-12; 1 Corinthians 14:22

36. ( ) God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This

means His Will has never changed and that He still performs

miracles like those recorded in the Bible.

( ) God’s Will for man has changed. The old Will or

testament has been replaced by the New Testament.

Miracles were for the purpose of confirming the word of God,

the message of salvation. The record of miracles in the Bible

is given so that we might believe in Jesus.

Scripture: Hebrews 8:7, 13; Hebrews 9: 14-18; Mark 16: 20;

Hebrews 2: 3, 4; John 20:30, 31

SUFFICIENCY OF SCRIPTURE

37. ( ) Any additions to or deletions from the Bible are forbidden.

The scriptures are sufficient.

( ) Inspired prophecy and revelations are still being given

and can be added to the New Testament as instruction in

righteousness.

Scripture: Revelation 22: 18, 19

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38. ( ) The tradition of the church is just as true as the Word of

God. The scriptures are not adequate to explain everything a

Christian must believe and do.

( ) The tradition of the church may nullify the Word of God.

The scriptures thoroughly explain what a Christian must

believe and do.

Scripture: Matthew 15:3,6-9; 2 Timothy 3: 16,17

39. ( ) The apostles were given all the truth we need, and this

faith has been delivered once for all.

( ) Additional truths of the faith are still being given and

revealed to special men who God has chosen.

Scripture: Jude 3; John 16:13; 2 Peter 1:3

OLD TESTAMENT RULES

40. ( ) God’s people today must observe the Sabbath day,

Saturday, as a day of worship and rest.

( ) God’s people today worship on the first day of the week.

The Sabbath kept by Jews was a shadow of a reality found

in Christ.

Scripture: Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Colossians 2:16, 17

41. ( ) Christians should not eat pork and certain other meats.

( ) Everything God created is good, and nothing is to be

rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.

Scripture: Colossians 2:16; 1 Timothy 4:3-5

BEFORE AND AFTER MARRIAGE

42. ( ) Divorce should be granted for incompatibility or any other

good reason.

( ) Divorce should not be permitted for any reason.

( ) Divorce for any reason, except for the cause of

fornication, should not be practiced.

Scripture: Matthew 5:31,32; Matthew 19:3-9

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43. ( ) Sex before marriage (a life commitment) is healthy and

may help a couple discover if they will be compatible in

marriage.

( ) Sex is good and honourable but belongs only in marriage.

Sex before marriage (fornication) is condemned.

Scripture: Galatians 5:19-21; Hebrews 13:4

44. ( ) Marriage to the one you love can last through eternity in

heaven.

( ) In heaven no one will be married but will be like the

angels.

Scripture: Mark 12: 24, 25

OTHER RELIGIONS

45. ( ) It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are

sincere.

( ) One may be zealous for God yet still be wrong about what

he believes and not please God.

Scripture: Romans 10:1-3

46. ( ) All world religions are true and teach basically the same

thing. It is not absolutely necessary to believe in Jesus to be

saved.

( ) Unless one believes that Jesus is who He claims to be,

the Word that was God and became flesh, one shall die in

his sins and not see eternal life.

Scripture: John 3:36; John 8:24; Acts 4:12

47. ( ) A person should not try to change his religion but should

die in the religion he was born with.

( ) Both the Jews and the Gentiles had to change their

religion in order to be saved.

Scripture: Romans 10:13-15; 1 Thessalonians 2:16

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48. ( ) People who have not heard the gospel, would not need to

hear and obey it in order to be saved.

( ) Unless someone takes the gospel to those who have not

heard it, they will not be saved.

Scripture: Romans 10:13-15; 1 Thessalonians 2:16

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

49. ( ) Everyone must die once, then face purgatory.

( ) Everyone must die once, then face judgment.

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27

50. ( ) Most people will go to heaven. Only a few really bad

people like Hitler or Judas, will go to hell.

( ) Most people will go to hell. Punishment for not obeying

God’s Word will be never-ending.

Scripture: Revelation 20:11-15; Matthew 7:13, 14;

Matthew 25:45, 46; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10

51. ( ) Hell is only the misfortune and suffering that people

experience in this life. There is no hell after death.

( ) There will be a final judgment of all people and many will

then suffer eternal punishment.

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20: 11-15

52. ( ) After becoming a child of God, a Christian is unable to sin

to the point that he would be lost eternally.

( ) After becoming a child of God, one may be severed from

Christ. The possibility always remains that a Christian may

so sin that he would be lost eternally.

Scripture: Luke 8:13; John 15:1-7; Romans 11:19-22;

Hebrews 4:11; Hebrews 6: 4-6, 12; Hebrews 10: 26, 27;

Hebrews 12:15-17; 2 Peter 2:17-22; 2 Peter 3:17

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53. ( ) There is no forgiveness for sins committed after baptism.

( ) If we repent and confess our sins, God will forgive us

even after we are baptized. But shall we sin knowing this is

true?

Scripture: 1 John 1:9; Acts 8:13,22, Romans 6:1-3

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