Distinguishing Between Traditions and Commandments

By Jeff Curtis

    More and more, the word “traditional” is applied to anything that has been around for a while – with the implication that it is old and outdated, it is of little or no importance, and can be cast aside with impunity. For instance, the phrase “the traditional family” (that is, a family consisting of a father, a mother, and their children) has recently been used in a derogatory fashion. “The traditional family” is under attack by those who advocate for “same-sex marriages” and other deviations from God’s Word (such as “living together” arrangements vs. getting married). However, the arrangement of the “traditional family” is from God and has been around since the early chapters of Genesis. To those who believe the Bible, the important question is not “How long has this arrangement been in existence?” by rather “Is it from heaven or from men?” (Matt.21:25).

    It is bothersome to hear of faithful congregations of the Lord’s church despairingly referred to as “traditional churches,” and what they believe and practice dismissed as “the traditional position.” Those who apply these labels tend to brand everything these churches do as “traditional” – making little distinction between what they do as a matter of faith and what is done as a matter of judgment.

    Lectures sometimes lump together every issue that has plagued the church in the past, indicating that all were just matters of opinion and of no significance. Looking back, some of the conflicts seemed unnecessary, but is it fair to dismiss every question with which the church has struggled? How would the inspired writers have reacted if Christians had so minimized the issues of Judaism and Gnosticism that threatened the early church?

    Let’s agree on this. A man-made tradition is bad when it is bound on others. Let’s also agree that we should not automatically classify any belief or practice as “traditional” simply because we think it creaks with age.

   We noticed earlier that the crucial question regards how to distinguish between the commands of God and the traditions of men. You know the answer to that question, and it’s already been hinted at several times; everything we believe, teach and do must be scrutinized in light of the what the Scriptures teach. The question isn’t “How have we always done it?” The question is certainly not “How would we like to do it?” The question of “What does God teach in His revealed Word?” (Acts 17:11). Let’s borrow Jesus’ phraseology (Matt.21:25); if a doctrine or practice is “from heaven,” it is bound upon every Christian, if it’s “from men,” we must not be guilty of binding it on others.

    In giving this answer, have we settled every dispute regarding what is “traditional” and what is not? Have we answered every question that can be asked? No and no. The purpose has been to plead with Christians to avoid extremes. Let’s not condemn others for not keeping our traditions, as cherished as they may be. At the same time, let’s never dismiss a religious teaching or practice as “traditional” just because it’s been around quite a while. After all, the New Testament has been in existence for centuries. Let us determine to make the teachings of God’s Word our standard for accepting or rejecting any religious teaching or practice.

    Long ago, Joshua gave the people of God this message from Him: “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law of Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you may have success wherever you go” (Josh.1:7). We might think of turning “to the right” as binding that which God has not bound (man-made traditions) and turning “to the left” as loosing what God has bound (His revealed will). Let us set our hearts to avoid either extreme. Let’s determine to “do according to all” the teaching of the New Testament of Jesus.

    We could close on that thought – but Christ wasn’t finished with His discussion. He had at least one more point to make regarding human traditions. This truth isn’t as clear but still important. It requires as much soul-searching as the previous two criteria – perhaps even more.

A Challenge

By Jeff Curtis

When Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth,” this was not only a compliment, but it was also a challenge. Salt has value and has the capacity to be a preservative because is had a distinctive quality. As Christians, we also, need to have a distinctive quality. One way of expressing this quality is to say that we must be different from the world.

Paul stated in Romans 12:2; “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

James said; “…do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

1John 2:15 tells us; “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

If salt had the same composition as meat, it couldn’t preserve the meat. If we are like the world, we have no preserving quality. This doesn’t mean that we are to be odd, but it does mean that we are to be distinctive.

Can people look at us and see that we are Christians – by what we do, by the way we talk, by the topics we discuss, by the way we dress, by the way we meet our difficulties? Being a Christian should affect how we treat our families, how we talk to shopkeepers, how we play our games.

Jesus didn’t say, “You are the salt of the church,” but rather, “You are the salt of the earth.” Polls indicate that most church activities take place in church buildings. We need to be “salt” where other people are: at the store, the schoolroom, in the office. Jesus was the friend of sinners (Matthew 11:19).

What is God Like?

By Jeff Curtis

All the truths evident in Numbers 31 can be related to the single most important subject of the Bible: the person of God. What is God like?

• He identifies Himself with His people.
• He punishes sin. No one can oppose God or His people with impunity.
• He is sovereign, and sometimes we cannot comprehend His ways, even then, we must believe in Him and obey Him.
• He is holy; no one who is unclean can approach Him. When we seek cleansing, we must do so in the way that He has set for us.
• He is gracious and good, worthy of all we can do for Him or give to Him.

Meetings for 2023

March 12-16 – Paul Smithson

June 18-23 (Song service on Friday evening) - Jim Deason

October 22-27 – Jarred Jacobs

Meetings for 2024

March - Heath Rogers

June – Jim Mickells

October – Leland Ping (early part of month)