2 Thessalonians 2:15

The traditions; instructions which the apostle had given them in preaching and by writing. Traditions, in the sense in which the word is used by the apostles, are the doctrines and duties which they preached, and which are recorded in the Bible. These are the traditions and the only traditions which they exhorted their hearers to hold. Hence the reason why all people should have the Bible and study it, that they may understand and follow the traditions which apostles and other inspired men taught. Hence, too, the reason why popes are afraid to have the Bible freely circulated. It points out their character, and describes the wickedness of their doings. It denounces the system of which they are the head, as the "man of sin," "the son of perdition," "the wicked one," "the mystery of iniquity"; "whose coming is after the working of Satan, with signs and lying wonders, in all deceivableness of unrighteousness." If the people are permitted to read it and judge for themselves of its meaning, and are disposed to follow it, they will see that popes and their associates are antichrist, and will treat them accordingly. No wonder they issue bulls against the Bible being circulated in Italy, and that the masses of their people have not been taught to read it. No wonder their priests, even in the United States, often take the Bible away from their people, and sometimes burn it. It denounces their system as false and wicked, and describes those who are deluded by it as believing a lie. Let the Bible circulate, and let all read, believe, and obey it as the word of God, and errors of every description will vanish, will be consumed with the breath of his mouth and destroyed with the brightness of his coming.