OUR TRADITIONS

I was sitting in a packed church one evening just looking at the people and the surroundings when the LORD spoke to me, “for all of these people to go to heaven they must believe they have lived their lives in a religious lie. They will have to come to realize their holy men have lied to them all of their lives and they will have to understand their parents also have lied to them.” I bristled in my spirit in astonishment and slid back in my seat. What an obstacle for these mostly older folks to get over to believe they have been lied to all of their lives by people they have counted on for counsel and help and more importantly people they love and people who have told them all of their lives they love them. I cannot imagine this happening in their lives. Sad to say, unless they allow God to open the eyes of their understanding and reject the religious traditions of their youth these folk will probably not spend eternity with the LORD. Thanks be to God He is righteous and looks at our heart. Traditions hold us tight around our heart and often prevent us from seeing the truth about ourselves and the world around us. The best example I can give is what we all see during holidays. Every year 86% of all Americans celebrate Christmas (word not found in the Scriptures) based on a lie. Almost everyone knows the story of Santa Claus is a lie, yet we (every year) continue this lie from one generation to the next. Instead of only talking about the birth of Christ we have a counterfeit story running parallel about some fat man in a red suit driving a sleigh of reindeer around the world in one night giving toys to good boys and girls, people of all ages (a lie), but we yearly continue this myth. With each new generation born we indoctrinate them with traditions and genealogies that only lead them astray from the truth of the word of God all for the sake of stimulating our economy at the end of the year. In 2012 America spent $11.2 billion (in spite of dire economic times) in two days for Christmas, while the poor steal or do without, the homeless wander, and needy go hungry. At the heart of most traditions is greed and selfishness. In the Spring America celebrates Easter (word found once in Acts 12:4, but translated passover) with a bunny rabbit who gives out candy to people, (bad people can get candy) which is a lie like Christmas. Instead of talking about the death, burial, and resurrection (the Gospel) of Jesus Christ we talk about a bunny rabbit that gives candy to people of all ages. Churches today are in the act with face paintings, Easter egg hunts, and so much more. What does this all have to do with the Gospel? Nothing! Now I am not going to go into all of the pagan rituals and religious traditional practices that surround the historical myth of Easter my intent is to lift up the name of Jesus. But, my friend we have “truly” (taking something from the physical realm and projecting it into the spiritual realm) drifted so far from the true meaning of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the great price He paid for my sin and your sin. What does Christmas have to do with the birth of Christ? Nothing, but we continue this American tradition at the demise of the truth about the Gospel. Now many people, including Christians, would say what is the harm in a Christmas tree, decorating our house with lights, and giving presents? Jesus got presents why shouldn’t we? It was not your birthday. Or at Easter what is a wrong with giving away candy in a basket? During these two holidays we have special church productions or programs to get the two timers (those folk who come to church two times a year), but when the truth is mixed with a lie the lie always wins the day. Would it not be best to just tell them the story of Jesus and leave the Christmas lie out? But no we think we have to have something worldly to hook (as if the Gospel message is not good enough) the people; we have a harvest festival in the fall, during Christmas and Easter some special presentations to get the people who would not come normally, well if you have to have something special to get the two timers there something is lacking in your church. Most pastors today are so afraid of offending members (keeping their rice bowls intact) they keep the truth from their people and cover it with song and pageantry. Peter told the Christians in Asia Minor, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” (1 Peter 2:9) Well . . . are we or are we not a peculiar people? Are we or are we not a holy nation? Are we or are we not a royal priesthood? Are we or are we not a chosen generation set apart for the Master’s use? If we practice the traditions of Christmas, Easter, and other religious rituals in any shape or form then we cannot move in the truth of this verse. Traditions in the church are killing the witness and Spirit of the church. Paul ran into this same problem when he visited the Church at Thessalonica. The Church mentioned in Thessalonians like all of the Churches mentioned in the New Testament came face to face and struggled with the religious traditions and rituals of their day. My friend the Gospel message of Jesus Christ is in stark contrast (it is meant to be) with our religious traditions and rituals. The religious traditions and rituals are of the world, worldly in heart and spirit (selfish and fleshly), while the Gospel message of Jesus Christ is of heavens, heavenly in the heart and Spirit of God. John tells us “That which is of the Spirit is Spirit and that which is of the flesh is flesh.” (John 3:6) Today we try mixing the flesh with the Spirit (a Christmas tree at church) while telling ourselves we are sharing the good news, but in reality all we have done was muddy the truth of the word of God. I know this is hard, but the message of the Gospel is hard too. Our message must be either a lie or the truth. Either we believe in God and His word as it was written or we believe the 1,000s of stories, fables, myths, and genealogies the world and most churches believe. We must take a stand for truth and righteousness for the word of God and His traditions. Paul tells the Church at Thessalonica, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15) That means the Church at Thessalonica (like today) was wavering in what they believed. What you believe will take you in the direction you will end up some day and what we believe determines the level of commitment we will have. If you believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny you may not end up with the LORD you may end up with the folks sitting in church, I first mentioned in my article. Not only in Thessalonica, but Paul had this grave concern for the Church corporately in Asia. In 1 Timothy we read, “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies (strong’s #1076, birth, linage, traditions, and practices) which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.” (1 Timothy 1:4) Paul visited the Church at Ephesus about A.D. 63 following his release from his first Roman imprisonment. Soon thereafter he left Timothy in charge of the church and wrote his letter about one year later. Paul’s immediate purpose in writing this letter was to issue an affectionate appeal to Timothy concerning the welfare of the church and gave Timothy instructions for perfecting the organization and safe guarding the Gospel message. Again in Titus Paul on his way to Crete warned the church to maintain church organization, sound doctrine, and holy living by staying away from traditions, foolish questions, and genealogies, “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.” (Titus 3:9) When is the Body of Christ going to stand up and say these fables and stories about Santa Claus and the Easter bunny are downright lies and not participate in them? My friend at the heart of religious tradition is always a lie and deception from the truth. This is why religious tradition in the church and traditions of men in society are so bad. Paul instructed the churches he visited and wrote to, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.”(2 Thessalonians 2:15) Brethren we are to, “stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught.” What traditions is Paul talking about? Well certainly not Christmas, Easter, and religious rituals I am sure. We are to keep the traditions that were delivered to the early church, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3) Did you know you have to die to be a saint? Better to die now to our selfish and self-centered ways than to die later at the Great White Throne Judgment. You will not get out of this life alive. We are to take heed, to keep, to live those traditions that were “delivered unto the saints” so, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” (Ephesians 4:14) and be able to, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16) Unless we grow up in the LORD in all things we will always be tossed to and fro, deceived by every tradition (like Christmas and Easter), myth, fable, etc. The key to spiritual growth is speaking in love; not always saying nice swellings words of flattery, but able to tell the Brethren; look out you are heading off the cliff, wake up you have a ditch in front of you. If not we will not be able to be “fitly joined together,” we will not be able to supply the Body of Christ with the things God has given us to give others. The traditions we keep have great bearing on our spiritual growth and development; are we focused on the traditions found in the word of God or are we keeping things of this world with one hand while trying to hold on to God with the other? We cannot hold both. We must let go of either this world’s traditions or God it is our choice and around Christmas and Easter it is easy to see who has let go of God. Written by David Stahl