Are Traditions Needed?

[Natsumi Lam]

Hi Family,

As I look to the different denominations I see some riddled with traditions that some individuals find necessary to bless or to appease God.

Do we need these traditions?

Are we naive or small minded to place value on traditions?

Do traditions save you?

Are they necessary?

Why do traditions that are contradictory to the Word even allowed to continue?

~Natsumi Lam~

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

I assume this question is asked within the context of Christian tradition. Here's what I'll say about it.

If we get rid of all except that which is necessary, Christianity becomes a whole lot less impactful to me, since there is now no longer a history to go with it except that which is biblical. The historic Church seemingly has no impact, no right to decide it's course and therefore becomes irrelevant. The traditions which Christians have formed and came up over time and were designed to help to give us a place, give us aides in our walk with God. Signing the cross, fasting at certain times, methods of reading the bible, hearing the lives of Saints. All of these speak to the continuation of Christianity and remind us that we are not alone in our Christian walk, but others have come before us and others will come after us.

Would we prefer the next generation forget about our practices and do something totally different? Or would we prefer continuity. These traditions might not save us, like how one act of faith in Christ saves a man, but they form us and help us grow in that faith as a community. We aren't alone as Christians.

To the idea of traditions contradicting scripture, you'll have be specific. What did you have in mind?

 

[Swan7]

Traditions of man Jesus Christ hated because it was religion, a yoke so heavy even they could not uphold, rather than a relationship with God. This is why Jesus' yoke is light.
Jesus Christ is the only One Who saves, none else just like God was and is in the beginning. There's no other god.

Traditions exist because of free will which God allows. Remember that God knows the heart of all and what the focus is in each individual.

May God bless you

 

[Jonaitis]

Traditions are important in the church and I believe they have a place. However, "the supreme judge for deciding all religious controversies and for evaluating all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, human teachings, and individual interpretations, and in whose judgment we are to rest, is nothing but the Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit. In this Scripture our faith finds its final word." (2LBC 1:10). Tradition should be subservient to the written word of God, never against it or above it, nor on the same level of authority with it.

 

[Natsumi Lam]

Traditions are important in the church and I believe they have a place. However, "the supreme judge for deciding all religious controversies and for evaluating all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, human teachings, and individual interpretations, and in whose judgment we are to rest, is nothing but the Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit. In this Scripture our faith finds its final word." (2LBC 1:10). Tradition should be subservient to the written word of God, never against it or above it, nor on the same level of authority with it.

True true it should never contradict the Word.

What do we do with long standing traditions that contradict?

 

[Natsumi Lam]

I assume this question is asked within the context of Christian tradition. Here's what I'll say about it.

If we get rid of all except that which is necessary, Christianity becomes a whole lot less impactful to me, since there is now no longer a history to go with it except that which is biblical. The historic Church seemingly has no impact, no right to decide it's course and therefore becomes irrelevant. The traditions which Christians have formed and came up over time and were designed to help to give us a place, give us aides in our walk with God. Signing the cross, fasting at certain times, methods of reading the bible, hearing the lives of Saints. All of these speak to the continuation of Christianity and remind us that we are not alone in our Christian walk, but others have come before us and others will come after us.

Would we prefer the next generation forget about our practices and do something totally different? Or would we prefer continuity. These traditions might not save us, like how one act of faith in Christ saves a man, but they form us and help us grow in that faith as a community. We aren't alone as Christians.

To the idea of traditions contradicting scripture, you'll have be specific. What did you have in mind?

Do we need traditions to remain in righteous standing with God?

 

[HTacianas]

Hi Family,

As I look to the different denominations I see some riddled with traditions that some individuals find necessary to bless or to appease God.

Do we need these traditions?

Are we naive or small minded to place value on traditions?

Do traditions save you?

Are they necessary?

Why do traditions that are contradictory to the Word even allowed to continue?

~Natsumi Lam~

It depends on what you consider a "tradition". The Nicene Creed is a Tradition. The bible is a Tradition. The official Traditions of the Church are teachings that have come to be accepted dogmatically by the Church to combat heresy.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Hi Family,

As I look to the different denominations I see some riddled with traditions that some individuals find necessary to bless or to appease God.

Do we need these traditions?

Are we naive or small minded to place value on traditions?

Do traditions save you?

Are they necessary?

Why do traditions that are contradictory to the Word even allowed to continue?

~Natsumi Lam~

We all have traditions. Including the tradition of those who vociferously deny they have any tradition. Those are most in danger of being overly influenced by their tradition who deny they live by that tradition.

 

[Natsumi Lam]

Traditions of man Jesus Christ hated because it was religion, a yoke so heavy even they could not uphold, rather than a relationship with God. This is why Jesus' yoke is light.
Jesus Christ is the only One Who saves, none else just like God was and is in the beginning. There's no other god.

Traditions exist because of free will which God allows. Remember that God knows the heart of all and what the focus is in each individual.

May God bless you

Are you saying traditions burden our relationships with Him?

 

[Swan7]

Are you saying traditions burden our relationships with Him?

If they are the priority over God, absolutely. How then can you hear His voice? He must be first in our lives, daily.

 

[Natsumi Lam]

We all have traditions. Including the tradition of those who vociferously deny they have any tradition. Those are most in danger of being overly influenced by their tradition who deny they live by that tradition.

Do those who are overly influenced rest their salvation on traditions?

 

[Tree of Life]

Hi Family,

As I look to the different denominations I see some riddled with traditions that some individuals find necessary to bless or to appease God.

Do we need these traditions?

Are we naive or small minded to place value on traditions?

Do traditions save you?

Are they necessary?

Why do traditions that are contradictory to the Word even allowed to continue?

~Natsumi Lam~

It would help to define what we mean by "traditions", but in brief I will say this:

1. Traditions are unavoidable.
2. Traditions are necessary.
3. Traditions are not infallible.

Let's define traditions as the particular ways that we interpret and apply Scripture to life. Traditions include things like our order of worship on Sunday morning. The Bible tells us to worship together, but it does not tell us for how long, in what order, how many songs, how long the sermon should be, etc. These things are decisions we make that develop into traditions.

Traditions would also include things like how we interpret certain passages of Scripture.

Traditions are unavoidable because we are going to interpret and apply Scripture. And every time we do we participate in some tradition or make a new tradition. Traditions are necessary because we need to apply and interpret Scripture. But traditions are not infallible because we can always get our applications and interpretations wrong.

 

[Natsumi Lam]

If they are the priority over God, absolutely. How then can you hear His voice? He must be first in our lives, daily.

Makes sense. I would agree.

 

[TuxAme]

What do you define as traditions? Scripture itself is considered Tradition in (one of) its written form(s) (and notice the capital t Tradition I used here). This is distinguished from the traditions (little t) which Jesus condemned, being water purification.

 

[Natsumi Lam]

It would help to define what we mean by "traditions", but in brief I will say this:

1. Traditions are unavoidable.
2. Traditions are necessary.
3. Traditions are not infallible.

Let's define traditions as the particular ways that we interpret and apply Scripture to life. Traditions include things like our order of worship on Sunday morning. The Bible tells us to worship together, but it does not tell us for how long, in what order, how many songs, how long the sermon should be, etc. These things are decisions we make that develop into traditions.

Traditions would also include things like how we interpret certain passages of Scripture.

Traditions are unavoidable because we are going to interpret and apply Scripture. And every time we do we participate in some tradition or make a new tradition. Traditions are necessary because we need to apply and interpret Scripture. But traditions are not infallible because we can always get our applications and interpretations wrong.

Are we as humans naively and ultimately bound to create traditions whether we like it or not?

 

[Tree of Life]

What do we do with long standing traditions that contradict?

If any tradition contradicts Scripture then it should be abandoned no matter how prestigious its heritage.

 

[Tree of Life]

Are we as humans naively and ultimately bound to create traditions whether we like it or not?

Yes. But traditions don't have to be bad. Bad traditions are bad. But good traditions are good!

 

[Jonaitis]

True true it should never contradict the Word.

What do we do with long standing traditions that contradict?

 

[chevyontheriver]

Do those who are overly influenced rest their salvation on traditions?

I think in a roundabout way they may. The thing is that traditions need to be scrutinized. Yet those who deny they have any traditions are the least likely to scrutinize the traditions they follow because they deny they follow any traditions. They are thus in the most danger.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Hi Family,

As I look to the different denominations I see some riddled with traditions that some individuals find necessary to bless or to appease God.

Do we need these traditions?

Are we naive or small minded to place value on traditions?

Do traditions save you?

Are they necessary?

Why do traditions that are contradictory to the Word even allowed to continue?

~Natsumi Lam~

Scripture is a tradition, and the result of many traditions.