The word "tradition" comes from two Latin words: "trans,"
(over), and "dare," (to give) and means a giving over, a
delivery; thus, "instruction by word of mouth; an oral
transmission of information, beliefs, or customs from ancestors
to posterity without written records." (Webster)
B. When great reformers like Martin Luther began to challenge the
Catholic Church for Scriptural authority on many of its
practices, a council was convened in 1546, in which was
declared that Tradition should be regarded as divine authority
on equal basis with the Scripture.
1. The Catholic Dictionary on pages 41-42 says, "It is an
article of faith from a decree of the Vatican Council that
Tradition is a source of theological teaching distinct from
Scripture, and that it is infallible. It is therefore to be
received with the same internal assent of Scripture, for it
is the word of God."
2. The Catholic Catechism for Adults on page 11 says, "Do
you have to believe in Tradition? Yes, because it is the
Word of God and has equal authority with the Bible."
a. Thus, every Catholic today is duty-bound to accept
tradition as equal authority with the Bible.
C. What is truly sad is that many of the "Traditions" which were
introduced by the Catholic Church are still believed and
practiced by Protestantism today.
I. THE SCRIPTURES VERSUS HUMAN TRADITIONS.
A. The word "tradition" (Gr. paradosis) is found thirteen times in
the Greek New Testament, but only three times does it carry a
favorable connotation. In all of the other passages it incurs
the disfavor of Christ and the apostles.
1. In the three passages where the term is used favorably it is
plainly evident that the writer was talking about something
which he and other inspired individuals had taught. 1 Cor.
11:2; 2 Thess. 2:15; 3:6
a. It is evident that Paul is not talking about human
traditions which have been handed down by word of
mouth.
2. There was a time when Paul was very strict in following the
traditions of the fathers. Gal. 1:13-14
a. If he had not been so strict in following these
traditions, he, like others, would have accepted Jesus as
the Christ.
b. When he learned the truth, he denounced these
traditions and turned to the Lord.
c. Paul stressed his own authority. Gal. 1:15-17, 11-12
d. He warned in the strongest possible language against
any traditions that men might add. Gal. 1:8-9; Col. 2:8
II. JESUS VERSUS HUMAN TRADITIONS. We can learn much from the life
and teaching of our Lord about how we should view human
traditions.
A. JESUS DISREGARDED THE HUMAN TRADITIONS OF HIS DAY.
1. Plucking heads of grain on the Sabbath. Matt. 12:1-8
a. According to human tradition this was a kind of reaping,
or work, and thus was a violation of the law.
b. Jesus answered their objection by calling their attention
to four principles:
(1) By what David did. Vs. 3-4 The Sabbath law did
not keep one from satisfying his hunger, especially
in an emergency.
(2) By what the priest did. Vs. 5 The Sabbath was the
busiest day of the week for the priest. The apostles
were preforming a greater service than the priests.
(3) By His own Lordship. Vs. 6,8 Since He was God,
he had a right to do anything He wanted on the
Sabbath.
(4) By what Hosea said. Vs. 7 God's law of mercy to
those in service to Him would allow them to so act
on the Sabbath.
c. Notice that Jesus totally disregarded the traditions
which had grown up about the law of God.
(1) Thus, if Jesus were here on earth today, He would
keep the written law but would totally disregard the
traditions which have been handed down from one
generation to another.
2. Healing on the Sabbath. Mark 3:1-5; Luke 13:10-17
a. Again, according to their traditions healing was a type
of work and was therefore wrong to do on the Sabbath.
(1) It seems strange that they never stopped to think
that miraculous healing was of such unusual nature
that anyone who had that power could use it
anytime he wanted.
b. Jesus showed that the Sabbath was not violated when
one pulled a sheep out of a pit, or lead an ox or donkey
to the watering.
(1) Since man was of much more value than animals,
He could do this work for them on the Sabbath.
c. Notice, again, that Jesus totally disregarded the
traditions which the Jews had added to the law.
3. Eating with unwashed hands. Mark 7:1-5
a. The tradition of the elders said that a person must wash
his hands before he eats or he would become defiled.
They meant in a spiritual sense; thus, it was sinful
before God.
b. Jesus showed that their tradition was false. Mark 7:14-23
B. CONSIDER THE MANNER IN WHICH JESUS EXPOSED HUMAN TRADITIONS.
1. "God said...but you say..." Matt. 15:4-5; Mark 7:10-11
a. In this way Jesus drew a clear, sharp contrast between
the teaching of God with the teaching of man.
b. In this case the human tradition was not merely an
addition to the written word, but was a substitution for
what was written.
2. Sometimes people today become offended when a gospel
preacher contrasts their doctrines and practices with the
Bible.
a. The same result occurred back then. Matt. 15:12-14
3. Let's follow the steps of Jesus in exposing certain
traditions of men today.
a. God - Gal. 5:6; Acts 10:35; James 2:24. Man - "One is
saved by faith only."
b. God - Mark 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21. Man - "One is saved and
then he needs to be baptized."
c. God - 1 John 3:4; James 1:13-15; Ezek. 18:20. Man -
"Babies need to be baptized because they are born in
sin." Since babies do not inherit sin from their parents,
and since they cannot commit sin, it follows that babies
are not sinners.
4. Are we not Christ-like when we point out these
contradictions between God and man? Eph. 5:13; Jude 3
C. JESUS STRONGLY CONDEMNED HUMAN TRADITIONS.
1. Makes void the Word of God. Matt. 15:6; Mark 7:13
a. Their human traditions furnished a way for the child to
avoid the responsibility of honoring his parents. Mark
7:10-13
b. In this way the human tradition makes void or useless
the word of God. It keeps the word of God from
accomplishing its purpose in the life of the individual.
c. One can illustrate in many ways how human traditions
do this to the Word of God today.
(1) For example, the Word of God describes baptism as
a burial and resurrection from water. Rom. 6:4
(2) However, human tradition says that sprinkling or
pouring of water will do just as good, thus making
void or useless the Word of God.
2. Rejects the commandments of God. Mark 7:9
a. This is a stronger term than the phrase, "to make void."
(1) This pictures one flatly rejecting the commandment
of God in order to keep his tradition.
(2) The Word of God teaches one to be buried and
raised in baptism, but human tradition teaches him
to be pleased with sprinkling.
(3) The one who is sprinkled rejects that which God
demands.
3. Makes our worship vain. Matt. 15:9; Mark 7:7
a. Thus, Jesus taught that one renders a vain (empty,
worthless) worship when he follows the traditions of
men.
(1) God will not allow His law to be mixed and
contaminated with human traditions.
(2) Following the traditions and doctrines of men will
condemn us. There are many warnings against them
in the N.T. Col. 2:18-22
4. Makes us hypocrites before God. Matt. 15:7-9; Mark 7:6-7
a. It is a hypocritical service because if we truly wanted
to honor God, we would do exactly as He commanded, not
as man taught.
Concl.
A. There are many traditions found in Christianity today that are
not in harmony with the Word of God.
B. Here is a quote from the brotherhood paper, Gospel Minutes,
Vol. 45, No. 13, June 7, 1996)
1. "Dear brother Clem: So many in the church are wanting
change these days that some don't know what to believe.
What do you see in the Bible about lighting candles during
the Lord's Supper to 'get us in the mood'? Or clapping while
we sing...?"
2. Haven't these people learned anything from the Lord? Any
disciple of Jesus would have no problem dealing with such.
C. Let us hold to the written Word of God and reject all the
traditions and doctrines of men.
Chart #1
JESUS DISREGARDED HUMAN TRADITIONS
Plucking heads of grain on the Sabbath. Matt. 12:1-8
Healing on the Sabbath. Mark 3:1-5; Luke 13:10-17
Eating with unwashed hands. Mark 7:1-5
Chart #2
THE MANNER IN WHICH JESUS EXPOSED HUMAN TRADITIONS
"God says...but you say..." Matt. 15:4-5; Mark 5:10-11
People become offended. Matt. 15:12-14
Chart #3
GOD SAYS
Gal. 5:6; Acts 10:35; James 2:24
MAN SAYS
"One is saved by faith only."
GOD SAYS
Mark 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21
MAN SAYS
"One is saved and then he needs to be baptized."
GOD SAYS
1 John 3:4; James 1:13-15; Ezek. 18:20
MAN SAYS
"Babies need to be baptized because they are born in sin."
Chart #4
JESUS STRONGLY CONDEMNED HUMAN TRADITIONS
Makes void the Word of God. Matt. 15:6; Mark 7:13
Rejects the command of God. Mark 7:9
Makes our worship vain. Matt. 15:9
Makes us hypocrites before God. Matt. 15:7-9In the Christian era, the Sabbath has been a point of controversy since at least the fourth century AD, when the Roman Catholic Church assumed the authority to change the day of worship from the seventh day to the first. In the years that followed, thousands of seventh-day Sabbath-keepers were imprisoned or killed for obeying the fourth commandment.
When the Protestant Reformation took place centuries later, those opposed to the abuses and venality of the Catholic Church broke away in an attempt to set things straight. However, they continued to teach a number of corrupted doctrines, including the change to the Sabbath. Today, the vast majority of professing Christians hold the first day as the proper day of worship, even though the Bible is clear and consistent that only the seventh day was blessed, sanctified, and made holy (Genesis 2:3; Exodus 20:11).
Catholic theologians are unashamed of the change that their church made, readily admitting that if one goes by the Bible alone, the seventh day is still the Sabbath. For them, the matter comes down to church leadership having the authority to modify such things. Protestants, on the other hand, are unwilling to concede Papal authority. Instead, they justify Sunday-worship—a tradition of men—by saying they are honoring the day on which Christ rose from the dead.
Does this tradition have merit? It is certainly a widespread assumption, one that seems plausible on the surface and to which few give a second thought. Even so, there is no biblical record, implication, or hint of Godremoving the sanctification and holiness given to the seventh day and transferring it to another day.
Inherent within the assertion that the Sabbath has changed is the idea that the Creator Himself is changeable—that His standard of righteousness changes over time, and He is not serious about what He says. Yet, James 1:17 reminds us that with God "there is no variation or shadow of turning." He does not change—His fundamental character and approach to things are constant. Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, today, and forever," and the next verse says, "Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings" (ESV). God's changelessness is a major defense we have against false teaching. Thus, any doctrine that involves God backtracking on what He said—such as changing the Sabbath command—should be seen for what it truly is: an affront to His perfect, constant nature.
The Sabbath is neither a minor detail nor an obsolete ritual. It was the capstone of the creation week and is a creation of its own (Genesis 2:1-3). Humanity, created on the sixth day, is the pinnacle of God's physical creation, yet He created one more thing—the Sabbath—because physical man is incomplete. The physical creation is complete, yet there is a spiritual creation still taking place. God is creating mankind in His spiritual image (Genesis 1:26), and He has set apart—sanctified—the seventh day of each week to allow us to further this creation through fellowship with Him without being distracted by ordinary labors and pursuits. This does not mean we cannot fellowship with Him at other times—we can and should! But in setting aside the seventh day and making it holy, He has ensured that there will always be a space of time—a recurring memorial—to return our focus to the spiritual work God is doing.
The second curse revolves around the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12). Exodus 21:17 mandates death for any person cursing either of his parents. It is noteworthy that disobedience to parents is usually not secret, but overt, often blatant. The word here, though, is not “disobey” but “dishonor.” Dishonor can be a disguised response to parents. The hypocrite can feign honor to parents, all the while secretly loathing them.
Along this line, Mark 7:1-13, where hypocrisy is a significant theme, becomes instructive. Some scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem traveled north to ask Christ why His disciples do not follow the oral tradition. They are referring to the halakha, which Peter, addressing the apostles at the Jerusalem Council years later, calls “a yoke . . . that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear” (Acts 15:10).
In His response to the Pharisees, Jesus calls His inquisitors hypocrites, honoring God with their lips while their hearts are far from Him. They worship God in vain, He avers, since they have abandoned “the commandment of God [holding in its place] the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8). The sin of the Jewish leadership is hidden—not obvious to the populous, which frequently considered the Pharisees and scribes to be pious. Nevertheless, their sin remains one of grave consequence. Christ concludes in verse 13: “Thus [you make] void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.”
Significant here is the fact that Christ cites the fifth commandment as His example in this discussion (verses 10-12), namely, the tradition that a man is released from the obligation of caring for his aged parents if he dedicates the funds to the Temple. Christ says that doing so is hypocritical and tantamount to dishonoring parents and to violating God's law.
In Colossians 2, Paul warns the churches at Colossae and Laodicea against any philosophy or system of beliefs—specifically mentioning “the tradition of men”—that detracts from Christ's sovereign position and role under the Father (verses 4, 8-9). He points out that the brethren there were already “complete in Him” (verse 10). This does not mean that they had already achieved spiritual perfection or that their salvation was assured, but that they had no need of anything supplementary to what was already available in Christ.
This foundational principle answers a suggested fulfillment of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). That is, some Bible students hold that the Day of Atonement cannot be fulfilled until Satan (the alleged antitype of the azazel goat on whose head sins were laid; Leviticus 16:21) is bound (Revelation 20:1-3). However, if these Colossians were still awaiting Satan's binding before their sins were completely removed from view, how could the apostle write that they were already “complete” in Christ? On the contrary, those who come under Christ's blood are not awaiting the final resolution of their transgressions when Satan is bound; their previous sins have alreadybeen completely taken care of.
Paul continues:
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14)
Notice the definitive wording. There is no hint here—or anywhere else—that God's people are awaiting Satan's binding so their sins can finally be expiated. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and those wages have already been paid in full. Therefore, we are alive in Christ now, and not waiting for an imagined final payment on the debt when Satan is bound.
The phrase “having wiped out the handwriting of requirements” in Colossians 2:14 is often misinterpreted as meaning that God's law has been done away, yet in the Greek sentence structure, it is parallel with “having forgiven you all trespasses.” The “handwriting of requirements” is the written record of violations against God's ordinances. Paul says that this “handwriting”—the record of sins, not the laws—was expunged, reiterating that our sins have been forgiven. Other translations say He “erased,” “blotted out,” or “destroyed” it. The record is completely obliterated, in God's reckoning.
Verse 14 says that Christ has “taken it out of the way.” Strong's Concordance states that the Greek word for “taken,” airo, means “to lift up; by implication, to take up or away; . . . by Hebraism to expiate sin.” It means the same as the Hebrew word used for “bearing” in Leviticus 16:22, nasa' (Strong's #5375).
In addition, airo is in the perfect tense, indicating action completed in the past. The live goat lifts up, carries, and takes away the sins placed on its head by the high priest (Leviticus 16:21-22). In Colossians, Christ is declared to have lifted up, taken away, and expiated the record that was against us—an exact match to what is said about the goat of departure.
Tradition is broader than some admit. A note from a study Bible contains a bit of useful information regarding this word:
Traditions refers to more than customs. In view here is the totality of the apostolic doctrine as it was given to them—all of the teachings, not just what we would think of being the foundational teachings that appear in Hebrews the sixth chapter or things directly pertaining to the great goal in life that gives us the vision of being born in the kingdom of God.
The writer understands that word applies to the whole revelation given through the apostles. "Traditions" reach out to include policies and practices or procedures that the Bible does not specifically speak to. The apostle has the authority to establish them while he is God's apostle.
Notice an application in I Corinthians 11:2. Corinth was a badly divided congregation, at least internally; church members there had all kinds of different ideas. In I Corinthians 1:10, the phrase about being "perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" has to do with the way we see things, with our perspective. He is saying that we should not be divided even in our perspectives. I Corinthians 11:2 reads,
Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
Ordinances is the same word that is translated "traditions" in II Thessalonians 2:15 and II Thessalonians 3:6. Here, the translators have rendered it "ordinances," as if it referred to law. However, consider the issue in I Corinthians 11: the way—the manner—in which Christians should keep the Passover, the procedures that were to be followed. He instructs them to eat at home first before coming to the service. The passage deals with what we would call church-service procedures. "Traditions" includes these matters.
Why is submitting so difficult? There are two basic reasons: education and attitudes. The one occurs because we all want to be free. Everyone wants to have more liberty than he has right now. Liberty is a major theme in the Bible, but we have a problem: We have been mis-educated.
Because of this mis-education, each of us puts a different spin on what it means to be free. Being free does not mean the same thing to every person because the same things are not equally important to everybody. Some people have placed their spin on freedom, because of their circumstances, as a need for more food. Other people want to be free to exercise their sexual passions with a great deal more liberty. Everybody puts a little bit different twist on what he or she would like to be free to do. Why? Peter writes,
. . . knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct [conduct going nowhere] received by tradition from your fathers. . . . (I Peter 1:18)
Tradition is that cultural way, method, or outlook that is imposed on us from birth. The influences of our culture are layered on us like an onion. What layers of culture and therefore, traditions, heaped on us?
The initial layer is impressed on us by the home, the family—or the lack thereof. It begins to set our minds about what is important in life. Then there is a slightly larger segment—the neighborhood. At first, the neighborhood does not have a great deal of influence, but once we begin to expand our lives outside of the home, mother's and dad's influence slowly begin to wane. Our peers in our neighborhood begin to impress upon us a little bit broader cultural layer because we have escaped, as it were, from the home and have now gone out into the neighborhood. We keep layering it out: The city has an impact on us, the state, the region, and then the nation.
Peter said that we have been redeemed from tradition. In the United States, this thing about tradition has become crazy. One of the buzzwords of our time is multiculturalism. We have people in the United States who want to make sure that English is not the official language of the nation because they want to hang on to another culture. It used to be that, when people immigrated to our nation, they strove to conform to the American culture and tradition. They wanted to become full-fledged Americans. So what did they have to do in order to do that? They had to submit to the customs and traditions of their new homeland.
But today there is a powerful drive to get people to do just the opposite, to hold on to the customs and traditions of their former homelands. This process is helping to tear the nation apart! We are slowly being driven toward an absolute confusion of ideas because these cultures cannot agree. We have an environment ready-made for conflict—unless someone submits.
The world is the way it is because Adam and Eve took of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which indicates knowledge from many sources. This was sort of a preview of multiculturalism—knowledge from many sources without the spiritual guidance of God. We have to get God into the picture.
Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. (II Thessalonians 2:15)
God has His traditions too! On the one hand, we have the traditions that God is teaching us through His Word, through His ministers. He has traditions to which He wants His Family to conform. But we have brought traditions with us out of the world. It sets the stage for conflict! The traditions of God and the traditions that we have from the world will not mesh! When we add to this our desire to be free, it makes an interesting mess!
But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. (II Thessalonians 3:6)
The major difference is that His traditions are right and true, and they work! However, because conversion is a process, and because we do not instantly and magically know all of God's traditions, we all bring our former traditions into the church with us. Thus, the church is set up for conflict, which is a major reason why Paul wrote the book of Ephesians. It shows that for there to be unity, both Israelite and Gentile have to submit to Christ because both of their cultures and traditions are wrong!
Again, we have been mis-educated by the traditions of family, society, region, state, and nation. We carry those characteristics with us. Not every one of them is wrong, but they do set us up for conflict with God and with each other. Only the traditions of God are completely right and true and will produce the right things. When there is conflict between the traditions that we have brought in to the church and God's traditions, we have to submit to God because we are not free to do as we please. If we do as we please because we put our own particular spin on what we think liberty is, it will bring us into conflict with God—and that is not nice! It is detrimental to one's spiritual health and one's relationship with God!
The second reason we have trouble is because our attitudes are perverted.
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh [notice what drives human beings: This wicked spirit is motivating the lusts of our flesh], fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. (Ephesians 2:1-3)
There is a spirit characterized by desire—lust—to have it our way. Mis-education combined with negative attitudes equals conflict. Human nature is a package of attitudes dominated by the desire to gratify the self. That is why there is so much conflict (see James 4:1-3).
Our desires—whether it is husband and wife in marriage, or in business, or in politics among nations—keep crashing into one another. Conflict will never end until everyone is keeping the traditions of God. That is why we are in the process of conversion. It is our responsibility to convert over to God's traditions so that we stop crashing into one another. We have to overcome this mis-education and this attitude to gratify the self.
Satan is ultimately the source of both of these. We have to recognize that we are still influenced and that we pick up on his broadcasts. It makes submitting so difficult. The adversary is still working and bringing about conflict. Anywhere Satan goes, conflict erupts. He is a master at producing it.
Liberty without guidelines (like laws, principles, doctrines, policies, or even the example of another person) to which one submits (meaning we as individuals submit through self-control or self-governing) will turn into chaos because of the desire for the power to control. The desire to control is what we would call freedom—liberty. That is why there are so many horrible divorces and re-marriages. Submission, whether accepted willingly or grudgingly, is a necessity. It is better to accept it and do it grudgingly than not to do it at all.
We have to understand, then, that there is authority. It may be God, another human being, a law, a precedent, etc., but there will be an authority. It is an unavoidable fact of life. We face it all the time. Everybody lives under authority, and everybody must submit, even if it is only to the laws of nature—there is hardly a person who will not submit to the law of gravity while standing on the edge of a thousand-foot drop. It is that simple. Thus, because we step away from the cliff and not over it, we have submitted to a law. Why? Because we want to preserve our liberty, our desire to live. We know if we break that law—if we do not submit to it—it will break us to bits at the bottom of the cliff.
Notice that this subject has a broad application. Submission does not involve only relationships with God or relationships with other people. Submission occurs in almost every area of life, even in submitting to things we would call common sense or the laws of nature. Anybody who has the mind of God will be looking for every opportunity to submit because that is, paradoxically, where true freedom lies.
Recall John 8:32, where Jesus says, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Is not His implication that one shall be free only if he submits to the truth? Knowing the truth is not enough; liberty comes to those who submit to the truth. If one is standing on the edge of a thousand-foot drop, common sense and the truth of God say that one should obey the law of gravity—unless one desires to give up his freedom to live. True liberty consists of submitting to truth. It is the liberty God wants us to have.
Tradition in religion is a wonderful thing when it has a firm basis in the truth of God, but it becomes a deceitful and corrupting influence when its foundations are in the shifting sands of human thought. It is especially diabolical when it masquerades as rich and sublime while actually directly contradicting God's Word! This, for instance, is the case with calling the Pope "Holy Father." What blasphemy! Jesus Himself instructs His disciples, "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven" (Matthew 23:9; emphasis ours). No matter how saintly any Pope might seem, he can nevereven in the smallest way be comparable to God the Father!
Truly, "now we see in a mirror, dimly" when it comes to the revelation of God; none of us has God's Word down perfectly. Nevertheless, there is a wide gulf between sincere seeking of God's revealed truth and blatant disregard for the plain teachings of Scripture. Keeping tradition despite God's commandment to the contrary is nothing less than idolatry—exalting human ideas and desires above God's. It is what has become known as humanism, and it is an identifying mark of false religion.
God's true church has and follows the Bible, God's Instruction Book for Christian practice, which is what religion is. It resists outside intrusions of worldly philosophies and measures all new ideas against pure, confirmed, God-breathed Word (II Peter 1:19-21). On the other side, false religions have eaten of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:9, 17; 3:1-11), mixing godly teaching with false, human self-righteousness. It is an extremely simple test but highly effective in exposing false or corrupted faiths.
Jesus says straightforwardly, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent" (John 6:29). God's efforts are engaged in getting us to believe in Jesus, sure, but believing in Jesus is far more than accepting that He died for the forgiveness of our sins—it is believing what He said for our instruction and what He lived as an example to us. It is following Him, imitating Him, obeying Him, and becoming more and more like Him every day!
So, do we really believe Him? Or, are we just treading water, ignorantly or even willfully continuing in the traditions of our parents because we are too lazy, too content, or too fearful to follow the truth? God is seeking men and women to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23), and these are the ones who really believe. Are we among them? Have we examined ourselves "as to whether [we] are in the faith" (II Corinthians 13:5)? Do we really and truly believe?
If there is indeed a "war on Christmas," then let Rome defend it, for it was Rome that co-opted the Bacchanalia of the winter solstice and inserted the unknown birth of the Messiah. Christ-mass is wholly indefensible when one looks beyond the traditions of men and searches the Bible. That really is the bottom line: The citizens of this nation can only disagree on how Christmas should be kept because the nearest thing to a central authority on the issue—a powerful papacy—is long gone. Should Santa Claus be included in the same scene as baby Jesus? Should gifts be exchanged? If so, how many? Where is the line between acceptable and shameful consumerism? Should mistletoe be displayed, or is that too pagan? Is a "traditional Christmas" of today more correct than a "traditional Christmas" of 1905? Or vice versa? In the absence of clear instruction from God, such as exists for His annual holy days, the matter is entirely up to personal interpretation and the changing traditions of an ungrounded culture. Without authentic biblical roots, there is nothing to define and describe how traditions such as Christmas should be observed. Each person has a different "reason for the season." Who is to say that one interpretation of a pagan celebration is "more right" than another? In Matthew 15:3, 6-9, our Savior speaks emphatically on the subject of honoring man's tradition over the Word of God. We humans are creatures of habit, and traditions are not inherently evil. Sin enters the picture, though, when what man wants to do, or what he has always done, is given more credence than God's instructions. Contrary to popular Christian belief, we are not free to worship God in any way we see fit. The story of Cain and Abel teaches us that He does not accept worship that is contrary to His instructions, and the result is disastrous. God has already defined the way He would have man venerate Him: in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). But truth is certainly absent in the celebration of Christmas. The debate over Christmas is probably not going to end anytime soon, and no matter the outcome of the current conflagration, Satan will be the real winner. Although the specific applications may vary, the underlying "reason for the season" is man—not God. If you want to test this, try crusading for the celebrating of God's clearly defined and described holy days. The probable result will be cessation of cultural hostilities just long enough for the warriors to chase you up an evergreen tree and set fire to it. God has already given the answers to how He is to be honored. But this season, with or without the religious veneer, is all about man's insistence on doing things his own way without regard to truth. |
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