Traditions are an important part of our lives because they connect us with our families, our history, and the people who have influenced us. Most families have traditions that have been passed down from one generation to another, whether it is gathering around the same table for Thanksgiving, celebrating Christmas in a particular way, or telling the same stories that have become familiar to everyone in the family. Traditions can be wonderful because they remind us of where we came from and help us pass meaningful things on to those who come after us.

Traditions can also become a part of the life of a congregation. Over the years, churches develop ways of doing things that become familiar and comfortable, and many of those traditions can serve a good purpose by bringing people together, encouraging fellowship, and helping a congregation maintain a sense of identity. The danger comes when we allow our traditions to become so important that we no longer examine them in light of God’s Word.

Jesus encountered this very problem during His earthly ministry when He confronted the scribes and Pharisees concerning the traditions they had established. The problem was not simply that they had traditions; the problem was that their traditions had been allowed to take priority over the commands of God. Jesus said, “For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8). Their traditions had become so important that they were willing to set aside what God had commanded in order to maintain what men had established.

That warning still deserves our attention today because it is easy for any of us to become comfortable with the way things have always been done. We may defend something simply because it is familiar, rather than asking whether it is supported by Scripture. There is a significant difference between saying, “This is what we have always done,” and saying, “This is what the Bible teaches.” One is based on history and habit; the other is based upon truth.

Paul warned the Colossians to beware of being taken captive “through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men” (Colossians 2:8). We should appreciate traditions that are good and helpful, but we must never allow them to take the place that belongs only to God’s Word.

Generations will come and go, and many of the traditions we cherish will eventually change, but the truth of God’s Word will remain. Our faith cannot ultimately rest upon what our parents believed, what our grandparents practiced, or what a congregation has always done. Our faith must rest upon Jesus Christ and the eternal truth of His Word. May we cherish the good traditions that help us, while always having the courage to lay aside anything that stands between us and the truth.

By: Justin Odom