Traditions and Examining Scripture

Traditions

II Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6; I Corinthians 11:2 – These are good traditions!
Colossians 2:6-8
Galatians 1:13-14 – Paul was zealous for the old traditions.
Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-13 – Their human traditions contradicted the word of God.
A tradition is just something that’s repeated and handed down. There’s nothing inherently right or wrong with that.
But God’s word itself is the authority, not any tradition.
Not all traditions are bad. Some are great!
What’s wrong is if we develop an attitude that says, “That’s the only way it can be dome.”
It’s impossible to not have traditions.
Acts 15:1; 16:3 – They were saying circumcision was required. It was not required, but Paul had him circumcised later just to allow him more access to teach the Jews.
Galatians 2:1-5 – Titus was the inverse case. Paul refused to circumcise him to make a point to those who were trying to force the issue.
It is wrong to insist on one particular way if there are other God-approved ways of doing something.

I Thessalonians 5:19-22; Acts 17:11 – We must be discerning and examine everything.
When I hear about some new belief or practice:
- What I should not do: just immediately conclude, “Well, that’s wrong because that’s not what I’m used to.”
- What I SHOULD do: open the Bible and study, being humble enough to realize that I may have been relying on assumptions or traditions.
The Pharisees were influential in part because they claimed to have all the answers.
Some traditions to think about:
- Being baptized by the preacher
  - I Peter 3:21
- Ending with a “closing prayer”
  - Mark 14:26
- Putting “church of Christ” on the sign out front
  - Romans 16:16; I Corinthians 1:2; I Thessalonians 1:1
- Is “going forward” in the last three minutes after a sermon the only way to obey God in certain ways?
- What if, instead of us all sitting facing the front, we sat in a circle during assembly?
- What if, instead of passing the Lord’s Supper trays, we walked to the table, and each took some?