Tradition or Biblical Truth

Sunday school, Youth groups, formal dress, pews or chairs, Organs, pianos, maybe no instruments. Plural elders, single pastor. Deacons, public invitations. Tithes; pass a plate, or alms box. Sunday night service, RAs GA’s, Awwana. . I could go on, but this is enough. Are these Biblically mandated or are they merely man’s tradition.

I am not here suggesting that these things are good or bad, but simply are they Biblically mandated, or are they man's traditions. Too many times I feel we are willing to stake the farm on things that while maybe good, are still no more than man's traditions. Man’s traditions work now, and then don’t some time later. God’s Word however is as relevant and correct today as it was when it was penned. Again I write this not to debate the merits of the things I mentioned or others, but to just get us thinking about these things and many others that seem as though they come straight from scripture, when in reality they were the simple inventions of man. This may sound trivial, but how many important choices are made based off of tradition vs the Bible. Why do you go to the church you go to? Because you like the traditions it offers or because of the biblical requirements it fulfills? If you have left a fellowship, was your reason based on traditions being violated, or Biblical truth being violated? Traditions are not bad, many are even wonderful. We tend though to blend the line of what is tradition and what is Biblically mandated. Take for example Sunday School. If your church were to cancel it, could one say they are leaving because Biblical truth was violated, or was one of man’s tradition violated. I am not here to make the for or against anything, I am only trying to get us to make a much clearer line between man’s traditions, and God’s word. How foolishly WE too many time squabble over tradition, all the while ignoring and or neglecting His Word. Kind of like the religious leaders of His day isn’t it?