When Tradition Trumps Truth

In the Church in Toronto’s current Galatians series we saw that Paul, when he was  Saul the Pharisee, had been a zealous promoter and protector of Jewish traditions. Then he encountered Jesus Christ on the Damascus Road. Thereafter he became Paul, the preacher of Jesus Christ. Paul also sought to guard the gospel against incursions of tradition which would inhibit the believers’ freedom to follow Christ. Tradition is often attractive and comfortable, due to familiarity; but it may be contrary to the Spirit’s current leading in the lives of individual believers and the life of the Church. Let’s pray that all the evangelical churches in Toronto would be freed from any entangling traditions to stand for the truth of the gospel. The following article addresses this issue --- Nigel Tomes

Edited from David Crabb, Aug., 22, 2012 in Ministry Opinion

“I came to Church for Tradition”

As she exited the building, a female visitor told me, "I come to church for tradition, not this," vigorously pointed at her Bible. I’d just finished preaching Jesus' denunciation of the rabbinical teachings that overshadowed and even contradicted God's law (Matt. 9:14-17). I had exhorted Christians to not allow anything, even helpful forms and traditions, replace Christ in their hearts.

I was dumbfounded. I mumbled something vaguely pastoral as she brushed quickly past. Reflecting later, I realized what was so unusual about her statement. This lady said something no evangelical would explicitly affirm, but many nevertheless confirm in their practice. We love our traditions. And (in ways often imperceptible to us) we value them more than God's Word.

The average Christian church runs largely on tradition. Everything from the time we meet, to the shape of our meetings, to the clothes we wear, to the music we use, is guided by tradition. From a purely human perspective, that's a good thing. Traditions provide order and structure that enable us to function well in community. They connect us to our heritage and deepen and strengthen our worship. Indeed, the apostle Paul commended the Corinthian church for holding firmly to the traditions he had taught them (1 Cor. 11:2), and he admonished the Thessalonian church to do the same (2 Thess. 2:15). Christians ought to respect their various ecclesiastical traditions.

Never Confused

But traditions must never be invested with the authority of God's truth. Traditions change with time and culture.  God's Word is eternal, timeless, and unchanging. Blurring the line between the two (tradition and truth) can have devastating results. Jesus denounced the Pharisees for precisely this error.

Healthy tradition flows out of truth and enhances the ministry of the truth. Our tendency to absolutize our traditions hinders the Spirit’s work. Due to mistakenly identifying tradition as truth, "The conscience can be needlessly condemning in areas where there is no biblical issue," John MacArthur says. "In fact, it [conscience] can try to hold you to the very thing the Lord is trying to release you from!" That’s because conscience is based on knowledge; tradition mistaken for truth affects our conscience.

Don’t Equate Tradition with Truth

So how can we guard against elevating tradition to the level of biblical truth?

[1] By recognizing our traditions for what they are— helpful & perhaps even necessary, but man-made nonetheless. Doing so allows us to embrace traditions, while at the same time holding them loosely.

[2] By attending a church that regularly preaches the main themes of the Bible, exalts Christ and his gospel, and conscientiously avoids placing application on the level of scriptural truth.

[3] By embracing the function of tradition as servant, not as master. The newness of the kingdom demands the wineskin of humble flexibility. Our traditions exist to serve the ministry of the gospel, not the other way around.

[4] By faithfully applying God's Word personally and corporately, while recognizing where God's truth ends and our application of it begins, and then relating to other Christians accordingly.

You may not be as explicit as the lady I encountered after that Sunday service, but perhaps you've raised personal preference to the level of truth. Perhaps you’ve begun to filter Scripture through the lens of an ethnic tradition, or simply love a liturgical pattern more than the Savior it was designed to help you worship. Maybe your Christian fellowship has been hindered because other believers don't fit your expectations.

Let us repent of where we’ve loved our forms and traditions more than Christ. And let us measure all things in light of Scripture, remembering that the substance and heart of our faith is Christ, who alone is worthy of our worship.