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The bottom line is this: we have
become so caught up in tradition that we have lost sight of what God
designed when He instituted the Church. Converts to The Way sought
each other out and found blessing in meeting to worship together
weekly, just as they had met weekly in the synagogues. As iron
sharpens iron, they sharpened each other to the strengthening of
their faith and the deepening of their understanding and relationship
with God.
In such a growing community it became
beneficial, even necessary, to have elders. These elders were to be
righteous men who “knew their stuff” and could be looked to for
advice, judgment, and a good example. As the Messiah had come, there
was so much to talk about: how does this change things, what we are
in a new covenant? Quickly there were factions, such as the
Judaizers. They wanted (or rather, believed) that the Old Testament
law should be largely maintained. Although acknowledging the
incorporation of the Gentiles into the covenant, a lifetime of
traditional adherence to Old Testament law made them think that the
Gentiles should now have to follow this law as well.
Paul had other idea. By a more
consistent application of the principles of the covenant, he realized
that not only were the Gentiles not to be bound to this law, the Jews
were not to be either. Paul realized that it was not works that
accomplished anything, but faith, hope, and love. All good works,
flow from these. This was the triumph of Liberty in Christ over
Slavery to Tradition.
When we preach tradition as law
without regard to the principle and respect for liberty, we are
dishonest. When we say that a particular way of doing something is
the only allowable way, we deny the truth that God has left us with
principles to live by. There are many implementations of these
principles, and they all become tradition with regular use. The error
comes when we forget that they are traditions. When we examine a
tradition, we ought not grade it against our own; we should examine
it in light of Scripture. Is such and such a style of worship, or
format of liturgy, pleasing to God? What is it really that God is
looking for?
Jesus left us with two commandments:
love God, and love your neighbor as yourself. We derive all other law
from these. “And what does God require of you, but that you do
justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God?”
Israel at the time of Amos had
forgotten what worship was about. They did not show love as they
exploited each other. Their sacrifices, albeit properly administered,
were done without regard to the principle that inspired them. They
missed the mark – and so do we.
We do not always worship as we ought.
We attend church out of tradition and to appease our consciences, not
because we love God and want to worship Him with our fellow
believers. Staying home would be preferable o this strange fire we
bring before God! We sing psalms, not from the heart, but because of
a superstitious notion that God is really looking for us to repeat
someone else's inspired words. True worship come from the heart, and
only by the aid of th Holy Spirit. When we are moved by the Holy
Spirit to praise God and worship Him, we are divinely inspired. It is
not a specific configuration of words that God is looking for: it is
a contrite heart with genuinely love Him and wants to praise Him.
Psalms are useful insofar as we are able to sing them from the heart,
and as examples for how to praise God. Without them we may well be
clueless how to formulate our songs. But if its a mindless repetition
that God looks for, then we have already failed by translating them
into English.
Liberty is a gift from God. We may not
flaunt it, but neither may we outlaw it. It is dishonest to make
lists of rules and restrictions, no matter the perceived benefit, if
it denies the truth of Christian Liberty. Let us not cling blindly to
the traditions we've grown comfortable with. The are desirable, yes,
but we cannot allow them to sever the bonds we ought to share with
other Christians. We all run the race, and we would do well to
remember that even they who lag behind, are still running that race.
Condemnations do nothing to build up the church. Les us all be as
iron sharpening each other, and seek to apply the principle God has
given us to live by.
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