Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? Matthew 15:2-3

And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Matthew 15:6

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15:9

Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? Mark 7:5

Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. Mark 7:7-9

Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. Mark 7:13

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Col. 2:8

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. 2 Thes. 3:6

But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 1 Tim. 4:7

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Tim. 4:4

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 2 Peter 1:16

Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. Titus 1:14

Let us look at some myths that are going around today.

Some people say that heaven is just a state of mind and not real. Even a very prominiate religious leader has said this, but what does the Bible say? The first text that comes to my mind is this:

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:2-3

Now this is Christ that said this. Was he just telling you what was in your mind? Was he going to be only in your mind? If anyone knew what heaven was like, it would be Christ but some would prefer to deny this clear statement and let someone take their crown (see Rev. 3:11)

What else does the Bible say about heaven?

And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Luke 10:18

Again, this is Christ speaking. Now was Christ talking about Satan falling out of your mind? No, he was not! He was speaking of the war in heaven mentioned in Isaiah 14:12. He was speaking of the heaven where God the Father abides.

If we look up the word heaven we can find hundreds of references to it. Just a few are here mentioned:

The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. Psalm 11:4

God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Psalm 53:2

Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. Eccles. 5:2

Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? Isaiah 66:1

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 3:17

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Rev. 21:1-2

Some people say that the theory of evolution has merit but what does the Bible say?

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:27

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7

And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. Genesis 2:19

Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. Deut. 32:18

This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Genesis 5:1

Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created. Psalm 148:5

Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? Isaiah 29:16

Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: Isaiah 42:5

Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. Isaiah 43:7

I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. Isaiah 45:12

Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; Isaiah 44:24

For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. Isaiah 45:18

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment. And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken. Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth? Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all. Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof, That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof? Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great? Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth? Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew? Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth? Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are? Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart? Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven, When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together? Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions, When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait? Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat. Job 38:2-41

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Psalm 90:2

The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. Psalm 95:5-6

As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. Eccles. 11:5

The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors. Proverbs 26:10

Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Romans 9:20

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:3

And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? Luke 12:25

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? Matthew 6:27

Who are we, mere mortals, to tell God what He did at creation! We cannot make ourselves one inch taller but we sit in judgment of the One that created us as though we were God. We presume to tell Him how long it took Him to create this world as if we were there!

Some people try to combine creation and evolution and say that it took thousands of years for each creation day. To that I have one question---how long can a plant live without carbon dioxide? If the plants came along even 100 years before any animal what did the plant live off of from the air? Perhaps you could find out by putting a watered plant in an airtight jar. Without an animal of some kind to provide the carbon dioxide the plant will die. So why would someone want to deny a literal week of creation---perhaps someone that wants to deny the seventh day?

Some say that God didn’t make the dirt the same time that He made the rest of creation but rather He used what was already there. Well, is God so limited that He can’t make the dirt in a mature state. He made Adam and Eve as grown up adults. Why not mature dirt?

Some say that the stars were obviously made before the earth because light travels at such a speed that we would not be able to see some of them because their light would not have reached earth yet. But if God made light as He said He did---He certainly can make the light rays from those stars when he made the stars. He was there, we were not. Let’s let God be God.

Some people say that there are other mediators in heaven. But what does the Bible say?

Another myth going around is that the eye of the needle that Christ spoke of was just a very small gate that camels could go through if they just take off their load and crawl through and then put the load back on. But if this were true why were the disciples so amazed? Why did Christ say, "With man it is impossible..."?

And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:24-26

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. Mark 10:25-27

For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Luke 18:25-27

Why would someone make up this fable anyway? To tickle the itching ears of the rich. But the Bible says:

The idea that it is easy to be saved and hard to be lost is another myth. But what does the Bible say:

Can anyone atone for another persons sins? Is goodness transferable in the economy of heaven? Here is what the Bible says about being able to save someone else by our goodness.

Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God. Ezekiel 14:14

Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. Ezekiel 14:20

But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin. 2 Chron. 25:4

But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. Jeremiah 31:30

That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. Ezekiel 18:17

When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Ezekiel 33:13

What about the role of a Bishop? What is his life to be like?

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 1 Tim. 3:2

For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; Titus 1:7

Do these qualifications match what you see?

What about the burial cloths of Jesus? Do we have the real thing sitting in a museum today somewhere? How was Christ wrapped? Was the wrappings all one piece? What does the Bible say?

Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. John 20:6-7