Another answer that has become a standard acceptable form of persuasion is…if a doctrine, whether true or false, has been historically taught as a standard for many years…it has to be right. That type of doctrine can become a traditional doctrine accepted by the authorities of any church and the congregations of those churches. To question a traditional doctrine accepted by the Ministry is to act directly against 2 Thessalonians 2:15:
2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
A traditional belief is believed because the doctrine has been preached over and over, year after year and accepted by a majority of ministers and their congregations. Because a doctrine, whether it be right or wrong, has been accepted by the ministry, all who are taught these doctrines are obligated to believe without question.
To accept this reasoning is a misrepresentation of 2 Thessalonians 2:15. The traditions spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2:15 are the long established and fully proven truth of the Word of God, not the rhetoric of men.
Teaching a false doctrine or a traditional doctrine are scapegoat answers and have become as much a part of the Doctrine of the OTW as Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Sadly, these misused answers have become part of other doctrines which cause questions of doubt in the minds of many students of the word of God.
In the Bible, we are not to agree with doctrines that do not conform to Godly logic and biblical reasoning. To what degree of negligence is a teacher or preacher held responsible? What is the punishment to be given for biblical and spiritually irresponsible teaching a false traditional belief? That judgement is only known to God?
The same responsibility for truth is likewise in the hands of the believer; each student is responsible for researching and establishing whether or not the doctrines taught are true in scope and nature.
Jesus addressed false teaching in John 5:39 and Revelation 2:2. Paul likewise added to Jesus’ lessons in 1Thessalonians 5:21:
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Revelation 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
Preaching a lie is a sin. Consistently believing a lie is a sin. To preach a doctrine without biblical proof is a lie. You can commit a sin by willfully accepting a doctrine just because the preacher or teacher taught it without researching whether it is true or false. Claiming non-responsibility for believing a lie is a sin:
2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2 Thessalonians 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
So, no matter if we are taught a true or false doctrine it is our responsibility to search the scriptures for the truth of what we accept as a doctrine of God. You have to love and know the truth in order to understand the difference between a true or false doctrine.
The Saints Arose 