Tradition…

They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Here Paul is talking to Titus about the Jewish people who are saying that Christians must be circumcised before they can be Christians. That old ways and things once thought to be important need to be upheld and brought to the for front.  This isn’t happening today anymore…

We all know that is not true.  All of us, me included get stuck in the way things use to be and want things to be that way always and forever.  But here are some things we need to think about…

The organ was once the instrument of the devil and now a lot of people would say that if you don’t have an organ you are not worshiping.

Many of the hymns Martin Luther wrote were set to tunes of songs sung in taverns. (they were tunes the people knew).

What we know as traditional worship was once the radical new thing that should not be replacing what is tried and true.

Paul tells Titus “To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure. Their very minds and consciences are corrupted.”  Everything is pure to those who believe and have faith in their lives and live in that faith which God has given them, but to those who cling to traditions and ways of old, they are hoping in those things to save them and not faith in God.

Allow God to be who He is and use all things created for the glorifying of His name.  Do not cling to past traditions for salvation, but base your life on past traditions to build a glorious way of life in Jesus.

Gracious creator, help me to know that everything you created is good and can and will be used by you.  Help me to not be stuck in tradition but to use tradition as a foundation for a life based in your faith and grace given to me. Amen.