Recently we had a sermon in church that struck a chord with me, it hit me right in the heart because it touched on a subject that has long been a battle in the church, since the beginning of time I think. Our pastor simply compared two things, tradition against truth. Tradition has been a consistent wedge between God and us since the beginning of time and continues to be today, and as he outlined how tradition had affected him in his own early life and upbringing it brought memories of my early life to the forefront also.
He told how alcohol was never allowed in his home when he grew up, he was raised in a tight strict Kansas bible belt home and there was no doubt that its consumption was wrong and sinful. He was taught that the wine referenced in the bible was actually not wine as we would know it, but grape juice, because there is no way the son of God would defile himself with an alcoholic beverage. When he became a man and a pastor himself, he traveled to the holy lands for the first time to see the place where it all happened. It was then and there that it all became clear to him, there was no way those people were able to keep that wine cool enough from fermenting, that wine was “real” wine.
My home was the same, alcohol was not allowed in ever, we did not drink (at least not in front of family members). It was wrong, same as dancing, cursing, and even having instrumental music in the praise service. You see, there is “A” scripture, Eph. 3:16 that says “singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord”, and because it doesn’t mention anything about instruments we assumed they were not allowed. If you were to mention David and the harp, we would have told you “yeah, but that’s the Old Testament, the old law, we now live under the new law”. Every time there was a marriage class we were happy to use Song of Solomon (Song of Songs) as a platform for how a couple should love one another. And every time we wanted to teach a men’s class for say “potential deacons” they would use the book of proverbs because of its great wisdom. Married women would always use Proverbs 31 as a platform for teaching how a Christian wife should be. But anything that mattered and we would cherry pick our scriptures. I am saying we, because I was right there doing it too, complicit in the problem with everyone else, although I did always wonder, but not enough to buck the system.
So I wonder where these great traditions like “drinking is wrong and un-Christian” came from? Well, probably not too hard to figure out, the bible has 19 examples of people abusing alcohol, but with that there are 145 positive references to consuming alcohol in the bible.
There is some interesting scripture to read here, Proverbs 31:6-7 6 Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine for those who are in anguish! Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.
Now don’t get the wrong idea here folks, I am not trying to suggest we should all go out and start getting lit every night, especially if we are what could be considered in the poverty level, because of course the bible says it’s okay. I am merely saying we need to stop making manmade traditions and stamping them with Gods seal when that could not be farther from the truth. Ask yourself this question, how often do you take communion, and is it because you choose to do so or because it is a tradition. What day of the week is communion to be taken on, is there a day set aside, or is it tradition? These are all questions that I have asked myself, and I found that I was steeped in tradition myself, and I didn’t like it. Our pastor gave a pretty good self check though, he said it is simple, if it is in the bible, it is truth, if it isn’t, it is tradition.
God Bless-JFT
The Pharisees followed the Law and traditions. They thought of the traditions as a fence to keep people away from sin. Although well-meaning at first, these traditions ended up having a life of their own and being adhered to even over the Law in many cases. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their traditions and said they were white-washed sepulchers because of them.
Hmm! Wonder if Jesus would say the same thing to us modern day Pharisees and our traditions?
Hi Larry,
Yep, He was really not fond of their traditions, and I think he would be even more disappointed with us, because we really know better. We have the benefit of thousands of years of history to look back at now, to see what the Pharisee’s did, how they failed, know how Jesus felt about it. We have the texts condensed to the point that we can all carry them around with us all the time, we have tools and resources out the wazoo, yet we still do the same things. I think it is himan nature Larry, us humans just like tradition.
Thanks for sharing.
How interesting it will be on that Great Day when we find out much of what we bent over backwards to accomplish was never part of His design for the Christian walk…
Praying that I would be open to His heart-searching.
Blessings,
ann
Hi Ann,
I agree, I pray that I will be too. I hope that we will always seek the truth over tradition. God Bless-Jim
I love your posts Jim. Thank you! Just always something so real and that we deal with daily.
The first pastor I ever had said something and I wonder if maybe it might apply to this. it was really about what we should and shouldn’t be doing, how he wasn’t going to tell us what we should and shouldn’t do. He said to ask ourselves, “Does it draw me closer to God or draw me away?”
God bless you and yours! Praying school is going good and that your shoulder is healing!
Deb,
Great reply, that was a wise pastor, another way I have heard it posed is “does it glorify God”? That has always been a good self check question for me, much like the WWJD question. Things like drinking “CAN” be very bad for people, but it isn’t right to forbid something just because it can be abused, if that were the case, food would be forbidden. Thanks for your prayers, think I am finally turning a corner with my shoulder, finally easing up a bit. God Bless-Jim
Great points, brother–we all seem to get stuck on, and fret about, the silliest things. Joyce Meyer, whose teaching I really get a lot out of, said, “you’re not supposed to leave your common sense behind, when you walk into church.” Or something closely akin–the Bible is Truth, and there’s a whole lotta “cherry-picking” goin’ on…
I, too, continue to pray for your shoulder, and your family. Have a much-blessed day!!
Caddo,
Exactly, God gave us the gift of “common sense” and He didn’t want it to check it at the door, even at church. The Bible “Is” truth, and teaching that doesn’t align with the scriptures is wrong. Thank you for the prayers Caddo, God Bless-Jim
“Cherry picking” verses from the Bible. I’ve wondered about that many times, too. I tend to embrace the ones that teach me personally though certainly staying true to the rest. I appreciate your passion on this subject, and I agree that it is a common practice in the church.
I always picture a drunken Noah lying naked in a cave, and glad it isn’t me!
P.S. Thanks for the sermons. Just getting into them…
Hi Linda,
I do that too, I think it is easy to find scriptures that speak to us, and there are also some that I just don’t get, we just have to be careful not to base doctrine on what we choose rather that what the Bible says. I am glad you are enjoying the sermons. God Bless-Jim
Joyce Meyer said another thing last year which I really appreciated, because it affirmed my own experience so that I didn’t fret as much as I had in the past–she talked about God giving us “revelation”, or understanding, as we read His Word. And that sometimes it’s a matter of “right timing”, or circumstances–we may have read a particular verse or chapter a million times (not really), and then one day, “Bam!” we “get” it because of His revelation. Prior to hearing this from her, I thought I was just amazingly stupid–or rebellious and in denial about it! Now I “just” walk in His Grace, rest in Him–confident that when He wants me to “get” something, I will–no problem. And that’s my additional two cents….. Bless you BIG, brother Jim!!