Traditions

• Custom or belief:

a long-established action or pattern of behavior in a community or group of people, often one that has been handed down from generation to generation;

• Body of customs: 

a body of long-established customs and beliefs viewed as a set of precedents;

• Handing down of customs: 

the handing down of patterns of behaviors, practices, and beliefs that are valued by a culture;

• Accepted unwritten Christian doctrines:

…the body of Christian doctrines that are accepted as the teachings of Jesus Christ and the apostles without written evidence.

While many of our traditions seem right and in order, we must examine them to determine if they are in line with the Holy Bible. The Bible is the only complete and true reference we have to conclude if our action pleases The Sovereign God of this universe and His Son, Jesus.

The following scriptures should be prayerfully considered:

Matthew 15 ² Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
³ But he (Jesus) answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
⁶ And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Mark 7 ³ For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
⁵ Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
⁸ For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
⁹ And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
¹³ Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Colossians 2 ⁸ Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. .

2Thessalonians 2 ¹⁵Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
3 ⁶Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

Oswald Chambers, in My Utmost for His Highest, has a devotion entitled,

Deserter or Disciple?

"From that time many of His disciples went back,
and walked no more with Him."  
John 6:66

When God gives a vision by His Spirit through His word of what He wants, and your mind and soul thrill to it, if you do not walk in the light of that vision, you will sink into servitude to a point of view which Our Lord never had.  Disobedience in mind to the heavenly vision will make you a slave to points of view that are alien to Jesus Christ. Do not look at someone else and say -- Well, if he can have those views and prosper, why cannot I?  You have to walk in the light of the vision that has been given to you and not compare yourself with others or judge them, that is between them and God. When you find that a point of view in which you have been delighting clashes with the heavenly vision and you debate, certain things will begin to develop in you -- a sense of property and a sense of personal right, things of which Jesus Christ made nothing. He was always against these things as being the root of everything alien to Himself. "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth."

We are apt to lie back and bask in the memory of the wonderful experience we have had.  If there is one standard in the New Testament revealed by the light of God and you do not come up to it, and do not feel inclined to come up to it, that is the beginning of backsliding, because it means your conscience does not answer to the truth.  You can never be the same after the unveiling of a truth.  That moment marks you for going on as a more true disciple of Jesus Christ or for going back as a deserter.

Following you will find several traditions and customs, together with brief histories on each. I suggest you study them and ask Jesus what He would have you do. He is faithful to answer and direct your steps and actions.

I pray that Jesus will bless you as you are obedient to Him!

Cal

Scrutinize our info about The Origins of Christmas