Traditions of men

shilohsfoal

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There are many traditions of men. Some concerning water. There are some who believe you are unclean if you do not wash with water. And they judge everyone who does not keep their traditions.


Mathew 15:2
Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
 

Josiah

simul justus et peccator
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Traditions can be good, they can be bad.


Tradition (big "T")
is understood as the ancient, universal belief of Christianity. There's a lot of this. Some "Evangelicals" rant against Tradition insisting on "Bible Alone" while ignoring the known reality that the Bible IS Tradition, nowhere get God send a table of content to His Word, what is and is not Bible is a matter of Tradition. Christians decided what is and is not the Bible, by Tradition. And while most "Evangelicals" embrace the Trinity, the Two Natures of Christ and many other doctrines (maybe even the Apostles and Nicene Creeds), those too are Tradition. We know that LOTS of interpretations are possible there (and many were promoted in the Early Church) but TRADITION came around the doctrines we now have. It's also Tradition to worship primarily on Sunday, Tradition to celebrate Christmas and Easter (and when we do), Tradition to read Scripture and have a sermon and sing hymns during worship. There's a lot more Tradition that these "Evangelicals" embrace - while they rile against Tradition.

But there are beliefs, customs and practices that developed (particularly in sub-sets of Christianity, rarely universally) that have been problematic. Luther's call to Reformation centered on some of these, in Luther's case, all unique to one denomination - the Roman Catholic Church; none ancient, none universal). Things such as Papal Infallibility, indulgences, purgatory, the character of the Popes at the time (read about Pope Alexander VI). People are sinful.... and things can need a course correction.

In our time, I think one of our greatest errors is the absurd, radical individualism, especially in Western Christianity. This rejection of the Church, of US, and the substitution that it's all about Jesus and ME. "I feel...." I think...." seems to be all that matters. Little regard for the faith of Christians throughout the ages, the assumption that all others can wrong (and probably are) whereas I can't be - God leads one (and it's ME). Someone flips open their Bible (a product of Christians in Tradition), reads a verse they assume no one else has read before them, and declares that God must agree with their spin or God isn't as smart as they are. This egoism, this self-ism, this individualism has created a lot of division, denominations and cults. I think it's time for Christianity to embrace Tradition, always aware that Tradition can be wrong but more aware that self can be wrong.




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shilohsfoal

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Traditions can be good, they can be bad.


Tradition (big "T")
is understood as the ancient, universal belief of Christianity. There's a lot of this. Some "Evangelicals" rant against Tradition insisting on "Bible Alone" while ignoring the known reality that the Bible IS Tradition, nowhere get God send a table of content to His Word, what is and is not Bible is a matter of Tradition. Christians decided what is and is not the Bible, by Tradition. And while most "Evangelicals" embrace the Trinity, the Two Natures of Christ and many other doctrines (maybe even the Apostles and Nicene Creeds), those too are Tradition. We know that LOTS of interpretations are possible there (and many were promoted in the Early Church) but TRADITION came around the doctrines we now have. It's also Tradition to worship primarily on Sunday, Tradition to celebrate Christmas and Easter (and when we do), Tradition to read Scripture and have a sermon and sing hymns during worship. There's a lot more Tradition that these "Evangelicals" embrace - while they rile against Tradition.

But there are beliefs, customs and practices that developed (particularly in sub-sets of Christianity, rarely universally) that have been problematic. Luther's call to Reformation centered on some of these, in Luther's case, all unique to one denomination - the Roman Catholic Church; none ancient, none universal). Things such as Papal Infallibility, indulgences, purgatory, the character of the Popes at the time (read about Pope Alexander VI). People are sinful.... and things can need a course correction.

In our time, I think one of our greatest errors is the absurd, radical individualism, especially in Western Christianity. This rejection of the Church, of US, and the substitution that it's all about Jesus and ME. "I feel...." I think...." seems to be all that matters. Little regard for the faith of Christians throughout the ages, the assumption that all others can wrong (and probably are) whereas I can't be - God leads one (and it's ME). Someone flips open their Bible (a product of Christians in Tradition), reads a verse they assume no one else has read before them, and declares that God must agree with their spin or God isn't as smart as they are. This egoism, this self-ism, this individualism has created a lot of division, denominations and cults. I think it's time for Christianity to embrace Tradition, always aware that Tradition can be wrong but more aware that self can be wrong.




.
Traditions are very wrong when they are taught by those who hinder someone who is seeking God.
Mathew 23:13

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.


If someone asks how to find God, they say go to our church and wash. That's how.

It's like putting a stumbling block before a blind man. Then he falls.
 
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