Matthew 15:1-9 Traditions

Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, "Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?  For God said, ' honor  your father and mother,' and, 'he who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.'  But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,"  he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.  You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you:  'this people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. 'But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'" [Matthew 15:1‭-‬9 NASB]

This is the danger of religion. Are all traditions bad? No. Some traditions are harmless, and some honor God.

Christmas is a tradition that we commonly practice. Skeptics love to point out that Jesus wasn't actually born on December 25th. The date was chosen because of some pagan holiday. Their intent is to discredit Christmas as a holiday. But I say, "So what?" If we choose to celebrate the birth of Jesus on that day, then we have redeemed that day to honor Him.

It's the same with Easter. If we choose to Honor Jesus by celebrating His resurrection, then we have redeemed the day. In each case, tradition doesn't violate the Word of God. Even though Christmas and Easter aren't proscribed in the Bible, neither are they prohibited. We don't celebrate because of commandment, but by conscious choice to follow a tradition, and to honor God.

There are other traditions that are harmful. Their are some traditional churches that teach praying to saints. They make statues, which they bow down to, and pray to Mary, or angels, or whatever saint they prefer. This is in violation of the Commandment, "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me," [Exodus 20:4-5 NASB]

Jesus taught that we should pray like this, "Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name." [Matthew 6:9 NASB] He said, "In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father." [John 16:26-27 NASB]

Jesus taught us that we are to pray directly to the Father in Jesus' name. Any prayers to saints or angels, or any carved image or likeness is idolatry. So, in that case, the tradition of the church invalidates the word of God.

Protestant churches are just as guilty of putting tradition above the word of God. I was raised in a tradition that taught a strict adherence to church law. You will not dance, you will not touch alcohol, you will not attend movie theaters. They became like the church in Galatia to whom Paul wrote, "You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" [Galatians 3:1-3 NASB]. In the same way, they taught grace for salvation, but sanctification required an adherence to their rules.

Other churches have their own traditions. The "once saved, always saved" doctrine flies in the face of  Hebrews 6:4-6, "For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame." [Hebrews 6:4-6 NASB] Some make the argument that if they have fallen away, then they were never truly saved, but Hebrews 6:4-5 is a thorough description of a Christian, leaving no doubt as to the author's intent.

In summary, what I'm saying is this: Examine your traditions from a Biblical perspective. Hold on to those which are good. Be ready to surrender any tradition that violates the word of God.

I left the denomination I was saved in because of a tradition of legalism. Your walk with God - in truth and in Spirit - is more important than any church or tradition. If you can stay in your church and not follow ungodly traditions, then you should stay. If your church would require you to violate the word of God for the sake of tradition, then they are forcing you to choose between tradition and God. I urge you to choose God.