TRADITIONS

“Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 But he answered and said unto them, why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” Matthew 15:1 (KJV). Generally, tradition can be defined as any long-established action or pattern of behavior that has been handed down from generation to generation. It is not necessarily evil to follow traditions. Tradition can be a blessing or a curse depending on its source. There are two sources of traditions according to the scriptures- from God and from man. There are therefore the traditions of men and the traditions of God. The latter is also known as the commandment of God. Let us begin by speaking on the traditions of men. From the opening scripture we can find out that Jesus was confronted by the Scribes and the Pharisees with the issue of the disciples having broken the tradition of the elders which was the washing of the hands before meals. The scribes and the Pharisees were so entangled to the traditions of their elders or fathers to the extent that they could question Jesus when his disciples breached that tradition. Jesus, on the other hand, made them to realize their deviation from the commandment of God as a result of their traditions. The tradition of men is the direct opposite of the tradition of God. As men give attention to the traditions of men without biblical proofs, the more they go contrary to ways of God. From the Book of Mark 7:9 & 13, Jesus said unto the scribes and the Pharisees that …ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. One of the things that Jesus hated about the Pharisees was that they made the word of God of none effect through their human generated traditions. Whenever a church keeps their own traditions and reject the commandment of God, they are making the word of God of none effect. The New International Version (NIV) renders it that …you nullify the word of God by your traditions that you have handed down. This means that the word of God can be of no effect in a man’s life or in a whole church, if they keep the traditions of men in the rejection of the word of God. This is the reason why Paul took time off to warn the Body of Christ in Colossians 2:8 that we should 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. In essence, the ‘tradition of God’ is Christ. Here, Paul described the traditions of men as vain deceit which is designed after the philosophy of men. Paul, having lost his bearing by the traditions of his fathers in time past and had found the truth, wrote to the Galatians that he profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. Galatians 1:14 (KJV). The verse 13 enlightens us on how Paul beyond measure persecuted the church of God and wasted it because of the traditions of his fathers. Paul actually understood what it means to fight against God by following the traditions of men. By this experience, he went on further to warn the Church about such things. It is very sad that sometimes some believers persecute the church of God by their own tightly-held traditions which have no scriptural basis. However when the true traditions of God are unveiled to the body of Christ by the Scriptures, only a few open up to embrace it and to hold on to it with exceeding zeal. I know that you are among the few who are willing to embrace truth and reject every tradition of men! Amen! What then is the tradition of God? Any practice or action which takes its source from God and is channeled through the rudiments after Christ that is made visible in the word of God is called the tradition of God. Paul said in 1Corinthians 11:2 that “Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.” The word ordinances as used in this scripture also mean traditions. Paul was admonishing the Corinthian church to keep the traditions which he had downloaded from God and handed down to the church. Beloved of God, understand that any ordinance or practice that is birthed from the womb of Christ is acceptable and worthy to be practiced by the church, no matter how it may appear to the people outside. In conclusion, I would like you to read these two verses and pay heed to what the Spirit of God is communicating to you. “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” 2Thessalonians2:15(KJV). “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” 2Thessalonians3:6(KJV). God bless you exceedingly even as you stand fast and hold the ‘traditions of God’, even Christ, and to make him known to all men whilst you withdraw yourself from any tradition of men. Shalom!