Often though we are blind to our own tradition, like worshiping on Sunday, and referring to it as the Sabbath. Worship any day of the week, and Sunday in memory of the resurrection, but it is not the Sabbath, that would contradict the clear and plain meaning of the simple truths of Scripture. And yet there are thousands who do.
Calling our churches, "The Lord's House" that would equate the building where your church gathers with the Temple in Jerusalem. Which is contradictory to Scripture and at the same time totally obscure the fact that according to the plain teaching of Scripture at this point in history it is the believer him-self who is the dwelling place of God.
These are traditions, so are all of our hymns. So are the style of clothes we consider acceptable. And the doctrinal statements we hold dear. Not all traditions are bad. Many have a very important role in our lives, they give structure and reality to Biblical injunctions, such as do not forsake gathering together. But they are still traditions.
The question of tradition has been particularly pressing on my mind as I realize more and more each day that for many who call themselves Christian, they rely more on the human traditions: songs, events, devotionals, and measures of orthodoxy, than they do on the Gospel. Talk about getting rid of Vacation Bible school, or changing Sundayschool, and people get leary. They are afraid we will not do evangelism. When in reality the biblical definition of the Gospel, is a passing reference in our VBS, amid the traditions of crafts and games, and fun songs written last year. Actually proclaiming the 2000 year old message of Christ Crucified, is a minuscule portion of the expense and effort of a VBS.
There are several other areas where I am thinking hard, why do we have one preacher on Sunday? Why do we do communion on the first Sunday of the month? Why is church so academic? All of these are traditions. Wine skins, perhaps? And only worth defending, to the degree that lead us to THE tradition, Christ, crucified for our sins according to the scriptures, buried and raised the third day.
