Traditionalism

“Adherence to tradition as authority, especially in matters of religion”

As the definition suggests, any tradition can easily be misinterpreted as an edict of the church and may be interpreted as having the same authority as any written law.

It really doesn’t matter how any non-biblical tradition is introduced; once it is established, it is virtually impossible to remove and is one of the most dangerous entities that can be woven into the fiber of the church and Christian worship. We are warned of this through the dialogue of Jesus with the Jews of His day. Matthew 15: 2-3 records that after being questioned by the Pharisees as to why His disciples did not keep the traditions of the elders. Jesus answered, “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition”? In verse 6 of the same chapter, after deriding them for changing the law of honoring father and mother, He says these words; “Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition”.

Yet, even with this warning, most Christian belief systems in place today are still rooted in man’s traditions and ideologies rather than being based upon biblical evidence. Of course this did not happen overnight, but over a period of generations. Now, this is not an attack on any specific denomination or belief, but simply an observation of the obvious and it must be taken into consideration that all of us are affected in one way or another by traditions.

Even in the early apostolic church we find that the Apostles were already dealing with the issues of man interjecting his own precepts into God’s perfect plan of salvation. In the Acts of the Apostles we find where certain Jews came down from Judaea to Antioch, teaching that salvation was not by grace alone but by the works of man, i.e. that man must be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses in order to be saved Acts 15:1.  Keep in mind that at this time, the Apostles did not have the written scriptures which could be used for persuasion or comparison. The only proof they could offer was the testimony that they had walked with Christ and were now presenting their listeners with His great teachings. Ironically it would be these same men who, through the moving of the Holy Spirit, would put pen to parchment to record those things they had heard with their ears, witnessed with their eyes and experienced in their lives. These sacred writs are what we now call the Scriptures of the New Testament.

As we fast forward a few hundred years we find that the Church now had in its possession the “written word” as earlier mentioned. After the reformation, most all the newly constituted “protestant” churches (even though their orders of service may have contained some noticeable nuances) held to the same doctrine of the apostles; that salvation was of and by God’s grace alone, and not by any works of man. However, there were still those who were inching away from these original teachings and much like the early church, were introducing their own idealisms.  Each generation built upon these and flavored them with more and more personal views. New traditions were being born with almost every generation that passed. Taking these things into consideration, we must understand that we are never to accept the words of others as truth without consulting the Holy Scriptures. If so, we are doomed to live in error.

I think it is evidenced that Satan does not brazenly “invade” our churches, taking everyone hostage, but rather calmly steps in or in many cases is invited in, offering enticements that are hard for most to refuse; enticements such as personal praise, power, notoriety, or self worth, to name only a few. He presents humanism in its purest form but one thing he will never promise or even offer and that is the TRUTH.  When put before certain persons, these fascinations are like candy held in the face of the child. It only takes some of the most simple of trappings to move minds away from Jesus Christ and on to self, which is all in his plan. He knows that “I” is the greatest idol in our lives.  Let us not forget the words of Jesus as he tell us, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” Luke 9:23.

Earlier I mentioned some of the errors of our forefathers that grew into traditions over a period of generations, but it is much different today. Deviant church behavior is now being introduced and accepted by the masses with little, if any resistance.  Even in my brief span upon this earth, I have seen many biblically errant seeds that have been sown to become deep rooted traditions within a few short years. Unlike our forefathers, who may have ignorantly misinterpreted the word, men and women today are purposely disregarding and even changing the scriptures to meet their own agendas. Satan is hard at work and is hurrying the process of deceit along at a much faster pace. He knows his time is drawing close to an end. 

Those who may consider themselves to be senior citizens need only look back to their childhood and compare the church then to the church of today. The neo-modern church traditions that have arisen are almost too many to mention, but there are a few that are very noticeable; one of which is the “new” song service in which the congregation barely participates, and has now become the audience; another is the “new” dress code for the clergy. Faded jeans with golf shirt or a button up casual with shirttail always out, and sneakers have become today’s “traditional” dress for the “pastor”, which, in my opinion, shows little respect to his calling (if that is indeed the case), to God who called him or to the worshippers who are gathered. Another is fully accepting anyone into the church with no repentance necessary. And as not to lose any numbers (for that is most important today), we find many churches are now offering both “traditional” and “contemporary” services. But don’t be fooled by the play of words. Traditional as used here is actually to be interpreted as “old timey” or “old fogey” and is only offered in order to appease the older generation and to keep them from wandering away to one of those churches that still only have the “old timey” services.

At these statements the pragmatist will cry: “Alas, it matters not how we may dress or conduct ourselves in the church building as long as we obtain the results we seek!” “Just as long as we can fill the pews and get verbal professions in Christ from those who attend (commitment not required)”.  To this I must reply with a question; “Did it matter to Jesus how His temple was being defiled?”

I have personally spoken with long-time church members, some of whom have been born and raised under a specific church doctrine or order. When “presented” with the traditions and teaching under which they were raised vs. the biblical truth of scripture; not surprisingly, in almost every case their first response was to choose the traditions of their church. This just goes to show what strong influences traditions can have on an individual or groups of individuals.  

Some may venture to say that I am being much too harsh toward the church of today; to which I answer; “I feel that I am actually being very kind”.  If one wants to find what harshness really is, they should read the Bible and take it for what it says and not what some have interpreted it to mean!

Let me say in closing that even though we find The New Testament admonishing us many times to be wary of man’s traditions, we must also keep in mind that not all traditions are in error. There are those traditions, which were established by the Apostles that we are to keep to the best of our ability; as we see Apostle Paul instructing us to keep those that are biblical in origin, which edify the church and glorify our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ;

“Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word (the Apostles gospel and doctrine), or our epistle  (the words they had written regarding those things to which they were eye witnesses) ” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

God bless and always remember; “Let God be true, but every man a liar”

Sam Everett