Truth vs. Tradition

There has been a big debate going on for some time now. From my stand point, I have not been debating anyone, but the lingering questions I have tell me that I may have to in the future. Maybe debate is the wrong word, but it'll do for now. What I am referring to is Truth vs Tradition, and is what I have been taught truth that I must follow, or tradition. If it is tradition, is the tradition set in place as a safe guard, is it man rule, or was it based on circumstances that are no longer present?

For at least a year now, I thought about studying a group of topics and compiling it into a larger topic called "Church of God Myth Busters" - primarily for my own use. Then Casey pops up his blog with the first of ten myths he has been thinking about (still waiting for the second episode to come out!). How cool - I do not remember discussing it in depth all though I am sure we hit on a few of them in our discussions.

My reasons for this thought are many. Here are a couple. #1) I need to know for myself so I can train my children correctly, #2) I need to be able to communicate with others - not just my thoughts and reasoning but God's.

Now any time you start questioning, people will get nervous - maybe even judge you. That is part of the problem in my opinion. We tend to believe a set of rules, then we judge everybody else by our rules and condemn them when they won't follow them. This has split fellowships, churches, friends, and sadly enough - families. People who once worshiped together and were the best of friends no long want to even run into one another in public because they can't shake hands or say hello. Then they both hammer a third party and draw a line - "stand with me or against me but this is how you should believe (just like me of course)". How very disturbing. For some intriguing thoughts along the lines of judging, see Casey's blog (in the time that I have been working on this one, Casey has posted two more Myths!)

One of the biggest topics is what is modesty? I do not plan to dive into this too far right now, but my original thoughts took me to Genesis the third chapter. God comes calling for Adam and Eve but they are hiding. They have already sewn fig leaves into an apron (in the Hebrew this is like a belt, or from the waist). God had not told them they were naked but their sin troubled them to the point where they knew right from wrong - they just didn't know how to correct the new problem that they faced. So God made them coats (in the Hebrew this means to cover and it can also be interpreted as being hung from the shoulders). Without dealing with God's standard for modesty, we can see here the God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and His ways higher than our ways (see Isa 55:9). Our human ideas and reasoning will only get us into trouble. Adam and Eve tried to fix sin #1 but were still naked in the eyes of God. We must seek the mind of God for our lives, but keep in mind we can't put it on everyone around us. God has a personal plan for each of us and it does not involve putting our plan on another person.

While I am not opening the door for sin or compromise, I think there needs to be a separation of truth and tradition. If I decide God does not want me to wear the color blue, then I need be aware that others will be wearing blue and that does not affect their spirituality. It is a tradition that God has given me for a reason - or it is something I totally came up with for some strange reason. Often times tradition begins to be presented as a truth and a holier-than-thou attitude pops up. Truth will have obvious (at least to an honest heart) Biblical principle that will apply to Christians worldwide. Traditions must only act as a safeguard to an individual or group based on circumstances they face and should be taught within the context to which they apply.