numero 3 on traditions

I've been thinking about the question "what to do if you need to eliminate a tradition from your church" and I've been trying to look around at Scripture to find some clue.

It seems that the basic method of removing a traditions is to just cut it off (see Matt. 15, 2 Kings Chapters 22-23). Stop doing it. I think it relates well to sin in our own personal lives.

For example, say that at some point you realize that you have been ignoring a sin in your life and you become painfully aware of it. And, let's say that this is a very enjoyable sin. When God makes you confront that sin, does he want you to slowly try to cut it out? No! He wants you to claim its death on the cross. He wants you to stop immediately so that He can be magnified in you. He wants you to be more like Him so that more people will see your good deeds.

The same is true of a tradition that needs to go. First, you need to search over those things that seem ingrained and ask if they are still serving their purpose. Do they run counter to Scripture? Are you worshiping God in Spirit and Truth by doing them? If you come to a head and realize that a common practice in your church is not lining up, then you need to chop it off.

But, since this is a whole body of believers and not just yourself, you will probably want to show some grace by explaining to people why that particular thing needs to go. That doesn't mean you should make exceptions and say "but for the time...let's just let it work itself out," it means that you should do a good enough job explaining the problem that the folks in your church want to axe it as much as you.

The second half of my original question was whether or not you should replace the tradition with something else. I think that really depends on what it is. If something in your music tradition needs to go, you'll probably want to have something to replace the void. But, if the tradition is something like singing the doxology after the offering...then you don't necessarily have to have a different song that becomes your traditional hymn, you can just wack it.

So, take time to consider your traditions and those of your church and begin weeding out those that degrade your worship of our awesome God or that run counter to Scripture. Begin taking joy in new traditions that enliven your heart to a better understanding of the greatness of the glory of God, revealed in Christ. Amen?

-joe

p.s. and, since i have been lacking in humor the last few days, watch this sketch from MadTV and think of the topic at hand.

(HT: Justin Taylor)

traditions, continued

Traditions are dealt with several times in the New Testament.

There is a very prominent example of Jesus talking with some Pharisees about the tradition of hand-washing in Matthew 15. It seems that the test that Jesus administers to that custom is whether or not it is a heart thing or a head thing. He also makes sure that it lines up with Scripture, saying that they have cast off the real commandment in favor of a tradition. So, there are at least two things we should keep in mind when figuring out what traditions should stay and which should go.
1. Does it align with the Scripture or counteract Scripture?
2. Is it simply an outward motion or an inward worship of God?

Another very popular place to look for traditions is in 1 Corinthians 11. Now, that is a very difficult passage and I claim nothing on it. I think we would all do well to read Grudem and Piper's Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood and the section that is dedicated specifically to that passage. For my discussion, I'm moving on without touching this one. (Maybe I'll talk about it in a post in the near future.)

Galatians 1 is a very revealing statement on traditions. Paul basically says in v. 14-15 that he was too zealous for the traditions and then Christ snatched him up out of them. Obviously, tradition, at times, to Paul was not a thing to be desired. I think that a reading of Galatians will reveal that those customs Paul is talking of are again the outward showings of a false faith. The test of Jesus stands. Is it against Scripture? Does it glorify God inwardly?

And finally, twice in the second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul warns them not to veer from the traditions that he has passed on to them. So, here, Paul makes it clear that traditions can be good. So, what were those traditions that he was referring to? I think that a quick read of the two letters reveals that Paul is talking about living a life worthy of the calling they received.

We are to maintain the Gospel tradition, telling the Good News and faithfully living in a way that magnifies God and causes us joy. We are to eagerly await His return. We are to diligently work, so that Christ, again, is glorified in our midst. Those are the traditions that we must cling to.

So, looks like Jesus' test stands again. Is anything about the tradition anti-Scripture? Does it magnify Christ in your heart?

Let us begin examining the customs in our own lives and start pulling down our own traditions that we have built up instead of the Gospel. Let us cling to that great tradition. Everything else?...to the axe.

I guess I still have left my original question unanswered. So, I'll continue my thoughts tomorrow, this is quite long enough. For Friday: What should we do if we find we must eliminate a tradition from our church?

-joe

christmas traditions

Sorry that I did not have a post for today. I was busy having fun at my sister's expense. She "didn't realize" that she couldn't park a foot away from a fire hydrant and got my grandma's car towed in Chicago. Now, that proved to be one extremely entertaining evening. (And, for once, it wasn't me making the dumb mistake and having everyone laugh.)

Anyway...

My parents and sisters are heading to Florida this Saturday to spend a week in Orlando. That is probably the closest thing to tradition that my family has regarding the Christmas season. (We spent over half of my childhood X-mases in Florida.) We, sometimes with great joy, have no great attachment to the actual day or week leading up to the 25th.

In recent years (since I first left for college) we have started a few traditions. We drive over to Pulaski (pronounced Pu-lass-kee) in Pulaski (pronounced Pu-lass-kigh) county and look at the town entirely covered in Christmas lights. That's right. The entire town is decorated. It is pretty sweet.

We also go to the Chinese restaurant in town on Christmas Eve (we had to after I convinced my Dad it was that he had to watch "A Christmas Story") and then head over to the Baptist Church (where I now work) for the evening service.

I suppose those are traditions, but they are only recent traditions. Each is probably 5 years old or so.

But even though these are recent things, they are still very ingrained in us to do them. It is strange to me how traditions start and continue on and I wonder at their persistence at times.

I also wish for more tradition...sometimes. Traditions can ground us and make us feel firm, but they can also make us stoic and unchanging.

The same is true of our Christian faith. We all have traditions (old and new) and the Church itself has traditions (old and new). It is up to us to determine the worth of those and to either continue them or let them dissolve. It is often a difficult and trying process to cut out the antiquated or unBiblical traditions, but at times it is very necessary.

And our family must do the same with our traditions. If ever the Chinese joint should close or move out, and another move in, I doubt that we'd go there. We would be too attached to the old restaurant, the people and the food.

What then happens when we toss out a Christian tradition? Do we attempt to replace it or simply keep the void?

I'll let you think for a day and then tell you what I think...

-joe