Then there is that other group. Narrow, they are called. They believe that the foundation was laid by prophets and apostles (Ephesians 2:20) who literally laid down their lives for what they gave us. They believe that to add on to the revelation of the 66 books is prohibited and dangerous (Revelation 22:18-19).

The Old Testament canon, or list of books, ends with the prophet Malachi, written several hundred years before Jesus came. And by the time He came, religious Jews had added countless rules and regs to God's utterances. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day for their add-ons, which he called "the traditions of men."

In the same way, the New Testament ends with Revelation, written in the old age of the last apostle. It was obviously to be the last, as verses at the end also suggest strongly. But through the years, Roman tradition has been added on. Joseph Smith has been added on. Watchtower documents and a whole new Bible have been added on. The Book of Mormon has been added on. And countless visions and dreams have been lifted to the status of God's revelation and foisted upon God's sheep who seem to graze just about anywhere they are led.

It is the contention of Bible believers that writings that in any way contradict the original books must be discarded or clearly labeled as "good reading but not inspired of God." And those books that do say the same thing as the Bible are superfluous and should also be set aside.

What we have in the 66 books is enough. The foundation was laid perfectly. On that solid rock of revelation the church continues to base its life.

We have been told in this generation that we are in basic agreement with Roman teaching and should start re-thinking the Protestant reformation. After all, we only differ on some "later traditions" of Rome. But if you are drinking a juice that is in every respect the same as mine except for some later drops of poison that I have squeezed into your drink, you are about to die. So it is with the poison of human tradition when it is added to God's Word. It did not work for the Pharisees rebuked by Jesus. And the rebuke of God will come upon all those in our time who have defiled the message from heaven, even if, as Jesus said, it is the least of teachings.

Let us beware of tampering with Holy things! Traditions of men make the Word of God lose its power and effect. Traditions of men will kill.

Some examples of Roman add-ons:

• The Word: Jesus is our Mediator alone. Rome: Mary also mediates along with Jesus.
• Jesus: "It is finished," the sacrifice is made, once for all. Rome: Jesus dies on our altars constantly.
• The Word: We are saved by grace through faith. It is the gift of God, not of works. Rome: Any person who believes he is saved by faith alone is anathema.
• The Word: Water (baptism) cannot take away the filth of the flesh (sin). Rome: Even its babies must pass through the water.
• The Word: The Holy Spirit represents Christ to us. Rome: The Pope is our representative (vicar).
• The Word: We can know we have eternal life! Rome: Such presumption is sin.
• The Word: We are to be buried with Him in baptism. Rome: Any amount of water will do.
• The Word: Mary had sons and daughters after Jesus was born. Rome: Mary is ever a virgin.
• The Word: Jesus lives to make intercession for us. Rome: Mary is the intercessor.
• The Word: Only God is omnipresent. Rome: Mary can hear and answer all prayers.
• The Word: For believers, absent from the body means present with the Lord. Rome: There's a major stopping-off place called Purgatory after we die and before we see Jesus.
• The Word: Idolatry is condemned. Rome: It's OK, if the statues are Bible characters, especially Jesus and Mary.
• The Word: Confess your faults to each other and to God. Rome: There's still a priesthood between the people of God and Himself.
• The Word: Marriage is honorable. Most of its main characters were married, including church leaders. Rome: The leaders of the church must refrain from marriage.
• The Word: All foods created by God are good. Rome: Some are not.

You see how it goes? The time would fail me to tell of angels and candles and saints and miracles. Of relics and bingo and collars and tonsures. Of scapulars and rosaries and rituals and masses. These are traditions for which men have instituted crusades, massacred people groups, fought for power, sold out to the Enemy.

Yet, with such horrible fruit, the Roman system continues to proclaim these items as truth. And men keep trusting these traditions, imperiling their eternal souls.

Traditions of men can also be enumerated in great quantity from Islam, Mormonism, the Watchtower Society, and all the rest. All of them seem to start out with a Bible base, but the add-ons of humans and demons have brought many to eternal loss.

I leave you with Paul's words on this matter: "Brothers, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught [by apostles], whether by word or our epistle, and withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us [apostles].

Paul [the apostle]