God cares much more about maintaining orthodox truth than relying upon "word of mouth" to keep it pure. Mankind is NOTORIOUS for attaching legends, myths, boastings and biases into what actually IS already recorded in Holy Scripture (i.e.; the Apocryphal books) to leave it up to fallible men to keep it all straight orally. Hasn't it ever occurred to you how remarkable it is we have writings that stretch back THOUSANDS of years yet are still just as relevant and effective, touching and insightful, soul wrenching and comforting as they were when they first written? Why is that, you think? Could it possibly be because God is the author - the creator of all that is who knows the thoughts and intents of every heart that ever existed and ever will exist?
The "false" teachers that have popped up over the centuries either didn't bother with sacred Scripture or twisted what was written to fool those who did not take the time to know what it really said. These deceitful workers were disputed BY the Scriptures to prove their contentions WERE false. That is how I know when I hear a false doctrine being espoused - I know what the Word really does say and what it doesn't say. And, rather than depend upon another person's word that something is true or not, I do my own research which entails reading the word, studying past theologians, reading different translations of the verses in question including the Greek or Hebrew words, meditating upon the Word, prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit. That's why we are commended TO study in the first place. My eternal destiny is too precious a thing to entrust to sinful and fallible men. I go to the source and it is NOT a religion or organization of men. What was passed down from one generation to the next of the tenets of the Christian faith are found in the Bible and any group that purports to be the true faith had BETTER have the backing of Holy Scripture.
And which does not negate the importance of teachers, and the many good commentaries we have, but none of them are assuredly infallible,as Scripture is in its teaching, and we should “prove all things, hold fast that is good.” (1Thes. 5:21)
And should and seek to heed, “in necessary things unity; in uncertain things freedom; in everything compassion,” often misattributed to St. Augustine of Hippo, though it exists in different forms, and a similar saying comes from a 16th century German Lutheran theologian Peter Meiderlin (also known as Rupertus Meldenius), who said,
“In a word, let me say: if we keep in necessary things Unity, in unnecessary things Freedom, and in both Charity, our affairs would certainly be in the best condition”.
The “false” teachers that have popped up over the centuries either didn’t bother with sacred Scripture or twisted what was written to fool those who did not take the time to know what it really said. These deceitful workers were disputed BY the Scriptures to prove their contentions WERE false. That is how I know when I hear a false doctrine being espoused - I know what the Word really does say and what it doesn’t say. And, rather than ....
so if what you said above is true, then Justin, Jerome, Augustine, Athanasius, Irenaeus,Origen, Tertullian and Ignatius were all “false” teachers that didn’t bother with Scripture when it comes to baptismal regeneration? you find something in the Scriptures that no one else saw for 16 centuries by praying and thinking the Holy Spirit is leading you to truth? If that is true, He led no one into the truth for 16 centuries, does that make sense to you?
SUCH ARROGANCE IS ASTOUNDING! But the Scriptures says there will come a time when people will reject sound doctrine and believe false teachings.........