Traditions?

Tradition, according to the dictionary, is the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation. The three scriptures below warn us to beware of any traditions of men that are passed down and are not found to be in line with God’s Word:
1. Jesus said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” (Mark 7:9, 13 NKJV)
2. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8 NKJV)
3. Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers. (I Peter 1:18 NKJV)

When we honestly look at traditions, there are a few points that we need to keep in perspective:

1. When scriptures are carefully combed thru, we can confidently conclude that Jesus was not crucified on the traditional observance day of Good Friday:
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:40 NKJV)

2. Also, when scriptures are carefully combed thru, we can confidently conclude that Jesus was not born on the traditional observance date of December 25 and that the wise men (the number we do not know) did not arrive on the day Jesus was born:
Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. (Matthew 2:16 NKJV)

3. Christians have gotten into arguments especially about Christmas and Easter traditions/observances and these arguments have become polarizing. The Lord wants us to be a unified body. Yes, we need to be full of the knowledge of what the Word of God truly says, but as long as our traditions in celebrating holidays are not harmful nor hindering to the gospel message, people have the freedom in Christ to worship The Lord thru these holiday traditions as they choose. If one chooses to remember Wednesday or Thursday as the day Jesus died on the cross, God bless. If another chooses the traditional Good Friday, God bless. If another claims the first century church did or did not celebrate/observe something and so they choose to or not to, so be it. But, respect others who choose to or not to celebrate/observe something.

4. Only those traditions that transgressed against the Word of God did Jesus speak out against:
He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? (Matthew 15:3 NKJV)

5. We are given a certain amount of freedom to celebrate/observe days as we choose:
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. (Romans 14:5 NKJV)

6. One of the few things Jesus asked us to celebrate was from the night before He died:
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19 NKJV)
Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. (Acts 20:7 NKJV)

7. Only the Word of God, passed down to us today in what is known as the ‘Bible’ is our ultimate tradition:
Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. (II Thessalonians 2:15 NKJV)

8. So fellow Christians, what traditions do you esteem and are you fully convinced in your own mind? Do you refrain from causing division because of what you esteem is different from another Christian?