* Most Roman Catholics believe that the Bible + church tradition is needed. As the following Catholic quote shows, they think there are successors to the apostles."There is no just ground for denying to the Apostolic teachers of the nineteenth century in which we live a prerogative clearly possessed by those of the first, especially as the Divine Word nowhere intimates that this unerring guidance was to die with the Apostles. On the contrary, as the Apostles transmitted to their successors their power to preach, to baptize, to ordain, to confirm, etc., they must also have handed down to them the no less essential gift of infallibility." (The Faith of Our Fathers, p. 54).Therefore, what Jesus said plus the accumulated dogma of the successors down through the ages equal what one must do.

* Many Protestants believe in the Bible + a miraculous operation of the Holy Spirit. The Bible can't be understood without a working of the Holy Spirit enabling one to understand it. Due to man's depraved inherited sinful nature, it is impossible to just read the Bible and become a Christian.

* Many Pentecostals believe in the Bible + a baptism in the Holy Spirit. Similar to the Protestant idea, but usually joined with a sign of acceptance, namely the speaking in tongues.

* Many Cults believe in the Bible + a latter day revelation or the interpretations of some "prophet". Two examples: 1) The Jehovah's Witness say, " 'The Scripture Studies' are practically the Bible itself...furthermore not only do we find that people cannot see the Divine plan in studying the Bible by itself, but we see also, that if anyone lays the 'Scripture Studies' aside, even after he has used them, after he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for 10 years---if he then lays them aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood the Bible for 10 years, our experience shows that within 2 years he goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had read merely the 'Scripture Studies' with their references, and had not read a page of the Bible, as such, he would be in the light at the end of 2 years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures" (Watchtower Sept. 15, 1910 - page 298). 2) The Mormon founder, Joseph Smith, in 1841 said that the, "Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would be nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book"

* Many denominations believe in the Bible + a clergyman to interpret it for the common man.

Even non-denominational churches of Christ may fall into the trap.

The Truth:
* The power is in the seed (word) of God - Luke 8:11; I Peter 1:23; James 1:18-21
* Scripture is described as sufficient - II Timothy 3:16-17
* Apostles & prophets were indispensable to the message getting out originally - Rom10:14
* Their word was written and the power was transferred from the oral - I Corinthians 14:37; Ephesians 3:1-5; I John 1:1-4; I Cor. 4:6; John 20:30-31
* Individual responsibility of interpretation is required - Acts 17:11
+ All Christians are priests - I Pet. 2:4-5,9
+ Each must be convinced in own mind - Rom. 14:5
+ No one has dominion over another's faith - II Cor. 1:23-24; I Pet. 5:3