Religious traditions are easily established, and difficult to change because we are creatures of habit. Many who observe religious traditions think of them as authoritative and as binding as a command of God. Scripture speaks of these as the “tradition of the elders” (Matt. 15:2), the “commandments” and “traditions of men” (Mark 7:7-8). Men have continued to establish and propagate traditions as if they were given by God, yet there is a very important Biblical point which we must be clear about: traditions of men are not the command of God.

Because of the traditions of men, the word of God was made “void” (Matt. 15:16) which means “useless, empty.” It was as if God had not given a command. Men laid aside the law of God to follow the tradition (Mark 7:8), rejected God’s law (Mark 7:9), and transgressed God’s law (Matt. 15:3). This made all of these traditions in worship to God “vain” (Matt. 15:9). The same is true about traditions today. When men have created a command it is not authoritative. Man’s traditions which are contrary to God’s word should not be followed. They render our service to God as “vain.”

Paul established some traditions. “I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you” (1 Cor. 11:2). “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us” (2 Thess. 2:16). “We command you brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us” (2 Thess. 3:6). While the same Greek word is used in these passages as was used about the traditions of men, we must see there is a fundamental difference between these two traditions. The tradition Paul was establishing was based on the authority of Christ which he possessed as an apostle. The tradition we are to keep is in accordance with the word of God, not contrary to it. This tradition which we are taught is the command of God through the apostles, and through Jesus Christ.

We must be careful to examine ourselves and our traditions to be certain we have authority for what we believe and practice. If we find the authority written in the New Testament, that is the tradition which we must keep. If it is not found in Scripture, it is a tradition of men which must be abandoned.

- newcaneychurchofchrist.org