A Little Different Today

This week’s devotion is a little different from the norm. This should possibly just go on the message board but this is something that has been on my heart a while and I had a discussion with a friend on this topic just the other night. There is way too much stuff to put into a couple of paragraphs so this is honestly a horrible attempt to address these things. But anyway, here it is. What affects have “tradition” had on the body of Christ? Now, when I say tradition, I’m not talking about singing hymns or not having a praise band. Jesus tells us that we must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). So it is not a matter of style or taste of music. In fact, those who “must have” one or the other in order to engage in worship seemed to have missed the point completely. And may need to take a look at Matthew 5:17-20 to see where their heart rests. When I say “tradition” I mean things that we have always taken for granted; the things that we have never looked into because everybody seems to agree that it is right or it has just always been done this way. I have spent quite a bit of time in the past few weeks studying and learning about church structure and leadership and have come to this conclusion. Biblically structured churches are hard to find. About 5 years ago, I had some pretty stiff issues staring me in the face and in dealing with them I simply relied on what I had been taught or on the beliefs in which I had grown accustomed. I came to find out just how sharp this “double-edged sword” really was. I knew what I had always done and what I always believed, but in my quiet times I was reading some things in the bible that were contradicting my beliefs. So I began to twist these verses and words to conform to my beliefs (this is the reason I referred to the passage in Matthew). But just like the sword that it is, it cut my reason and logic to shreds. My traditions would have me believe things contrary to God’s word. So, I had a choice to make; will the bible be the authority on which I believe or will I trust in my traditions. Hang on, my point is coming. This mindset changes things. I don’t just believe something because my pastor says it, I read it in a book, or a friend feels strongly in a certain direction. We must do as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11). The bible does not always directly address an issue, but never the less; it is to be the only belief system of the church. Back to the original question; what affects have tradition had on the body of Christ? Have we missed something because of our traditions? Here are some questions to think about. I would love to have your thoughts or comments. Please let me know what you think. Nothing will be replied to negatively. First let me just say that Christ is the head of the church and the bible is totally infallible. Now we can view these questions. Should churches be elder led or led by the congregation? Is there a difference between pastors and elders (overseers)? Who should have the final say in spiritual matters of the church? What is the role of the Deacon? Is it a biblical requirement for churches to meet once a week? Are small group meetings biblical? Can a woman pastor a church and be biblical? These are all church structure questions. Here are a few doctrinal questions. Does man have a free-from-god will? Can you lose your salvation? What is the importance of Jesus’ blood? Did Christ descend into hell and what did he do there if he did? Did Christ come to save all or some? Is the future predetermined? What does “election” mean? Does the “gift” in Ephesians 2:8 refer to faith, grace, salvation, or all three or any combination of two? Many of us know what we believe, we just don’t know why? This is the aim of this morning’s devotional. To get you to examine why you believe what you believe. This is a lot to think about at one time and way too much to discuss or answer on this short devotion page. But the awesome thing is that you have all the answers if you will just open up the bible and search for them. Never once, did any of the apostles say believe without a reason. In fact we are to be ready to give an account for the hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15). May I remind you that the bible was written to ordinary folks just like you and me. Some things may be hard to grasp or may require a lot of study, but who said deep truths are found in shallow water. Be good Bereans. Don’t just take my word for it. Look it up. What you find may surprise you! Put your traditions to the test and see if they pass or fail. Pray for the lord to open your heart to His truth and leave your preconceived notions behind. It is an amazing thing to read scripture with this attitude. It will shake the very foundations of your life. Josh Martin