Our Traditions...are they Correct?
You make the word of God of none effect
because of your tradition.” These are words of Christ to religious
leaders during His earth walk.
If the religious leaders of Christ
time could invalidate the word of God because of their tradition, my
question is; is it not possible that religious tradition is doing it
today? Do we who think we have it all right, have of all right? When
one considers that the scripture declares that “the letter kills
and the Spirit gives life and our traditional beliefs must harmonize
with the Spirit of Christ, and if they do not they will do what the
verse in Mathew 15:6 states above.
Traditions endure for generations, are
highly revered, and are extremely difficult to admit they may be
wrong and people have difficulty changing them when they are wrong.
There are no forms of error that are more difficult to correct. When
Paul and Stephen declared to their fellow countrymen that God's mercy
and forgiveness extended to the Gentiles, they were stoned. Do we
hold to any traditions that we hold as truth when they are wrong? If
we are...as the religionists tell us...not to question our beliefs and
accept the teachings of the man-appointed seminarian trained
professionals, how will we ever know?
I wonder, do we acknowledge God with
our mouths and honor Him with our lips, but our hearts are removed
far from Him, and our fearing of God is taught by the commandments of
men as Is. 29:13 states?
There are two definitions of tradition given:
ReplyDelete1.)the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way.
2.)a doctrine believed to have divine authority though not in the scriptures, in particular.
Not all tradition is wrong. Paul post cross under grace said in 1 Thes. 2:15
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
As a matter of fact Paul goes on to teach segregation in regard to tradition.
5.And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
Paul links loving God here with withdrawing from those who do not teach the truth that he taught.
Paul don`t sound much like the modern day love preachers who teach that we must go along to get along. This is one of many dozens or so commands that Paul gave to the churches of his day that were under grace. It should clear the air for any honest seeker after grace who have been told that there are no commandments to keep under grace.
Having said that there is such a thing as the traditions of men that make the word of God of none effect. There is nothing wrong with having our traditions as Paul stated above. The problem is in order to have our traditions we have to be disobedient to the commandments of Christ. For He said if ye love me keep my commandments.
As Christ said in Mark 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men. They were more concerned about their traditions then the commandments of God.
In Acts 17:2 it speaks about a tradition that Paul had but it was a good tradition.
And Paul, as his tradition was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.
Paul warns us in Col2:8 not to fall for the traditions of men.
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
All down through history there have been some traditions that have crept into church some good and some bad.
The early reformers, even though God used them to restore some great truths to church, had some traditions with it. As a result some have gotten into the various denominations of our day.
That why it is important to be as the Bereans in Acts 17:11 to check everything with the Scriptures. I check everything with Scriptures whether I hear it from the pulpit, from a book, on internet, or by radio or TV.
I find lots of error in most all the movements of the day, Evangelical movements, Prntecostal movements, Charismatic movements, Grace movements etc. But I am not going to throw the baby out with bathwater as many do. I am not going to seperate my self from everyone and everybody and declare myself to be the only one that is right. But I will stand against error when I see it in either of these movements. I believe we still have some commandments to follow even though I`m living under grace as Paul said in 1 Cor.14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.