Traditions

Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition,
Mark 7:13

Traditions are another element destroying Christianity, just as it destroyed Judaism and had to be replaced. Traditions may be spawned from truth, but they almost always eventually replace truth. That was true in Jewish worship and doctrine, and has become true in Christian worship and doctrine. To find out just how dear traditions are to Christians, suggest that they are not truth and are a deviation from truth and you will have a major conflict on your hands.

While Christians may readily see how unneccesary and unscriptural the practices of formal denominations are, they do not see the traditions that are at the core of their own religious practices.

Forms of

communion,
baptism,
worship,
evangelism,
good works, and more

have now become based mostly on traditions with many variations.

“This is just the way it needs to be done”

The ceremony or method now seems to have more meaning than the reality. If it is not done in a certain way, it “doesn’t have as much meaning”

In tradition, outward appearance reigns, and the heart is drawn further and further from the truth and closer and closer to the practice. Traditions demand that we put on our most spiritual of demeanors for we consider the tradition holy in itself.

Scriptures to think about

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? Mt 15:2

And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Mt 15:6

For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well 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. Mr 7:8-13

Col 2:8 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.

(A warning we would do well to seriously consider)

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 1Pe 1:18

Remember, it was Peter who was brought down by traditions in Galatians. Association with tradition focused brethren is not a healthy environment.

Proper tradition

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. (walking in the Spirit) 2Th 3:6

Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances , as I delivered them to you. 1Co 11:2

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. Col 2:8

Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 2Th 2:15

Thoughts to Consider About

Communion

Drink that satisfied thirst and bread that satisfied hunger. The element that Jesus satisfies is missing in a real sense from our communion compared with the first communion. It was part of a meal, and was never meant as a ceremony.

The REAL Lord’s Supper

ye, then, coming together at the same place—it is not to eat the Lord’s supper; 21 for each his own supper doth take before in the eating, and one is hungry, and another is drunk; [the supper was about satisfying natural hunger as well as spirutual] 22 why, have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or the assembly of God do ye despise, and shame those not having? what may I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I do not praise! 23 For I—I received from the Lord that which also I did deliver to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was delivered up, took bread, 24 and having given thanks, he brake, and said, ‘Take ye, eat ye, this is my body, that for you is being broken; this do ye—to the remembrance of me.’ 25 In like manner also the cup after the supping, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; this do ye, as often as ye may drink it —to the remembrance of me’; 26 for as often as ye may eat this bread, and this cup may drink, the death of the Lord ye do shew forth—till he may come; 27 so that whoever may eat this bread or may drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, guilty he shall be of the body and blood of the Lord:
28 and let a man be proving himself, and so of the bread let him eat, and of the cup let him drink; 29 for he who is eating and drinking unworthily, judgment to himself he doth eat and drink—not discerning the body of the Lord. 30 Because of this, among you many are weak and sickly, and sleep do many; 31 for if ourselves we were discerning, we would not be being judged, 32 and being judged by the Lord, we are chastened, that with the world we may not be condemned; 33 so then, my brethren, coming together to eat, for one another wait ye; 34 and if any one is hungry, at home let him eat, that to judgment ye may not come together; and the rest, whenever I may come, I shall arrange. 1Co 11:20-34

53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

The correct words are spoken today, even as we ignore their intent and continue to participate in a ceremonies, instead of realites.

The rightness and danger of traditions was well understood by T. Austin-Sparks. You can read his excellent booklet here