When we abandon the truth we stop growing!
Although
we tote our bibles around and our phone app’s we forget what the word says. We
let someone “educated” tell us what we should know. Paul told the church in
Colossi to let the word dwell richly in them (Col. 3:16). That means each one of us should be educated
in the word. We shall know the truth and the truth shall make us free (John
8:31-32). If we abide in Christ word than we are His disciples. Christ says He
is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). In Matt. 28:18-20 He says, that by His
authority in heaven and on earth, that we are to be disciples immersed in Him
and observe His commands. Not to mention that Christ makes it clear He only
claims those who hear the word of God and do it (Luke 8:21; Mark 3:33-35; Matt.
12:48-50). The parable of the sower makes it very clear that if we abandon the
truth we can’t grow (Luke 8:4-8 &11-15; Mark 4:3-8 & 13-20; Matt.
13:3-9 & 18-23). We can’t grow in Christ if we leave His word behind.
Growth without His word is not godly growth it is something dangerously
different.
Oh, That’s Just Tradition
We
see Paul exhort the Christians in Thessalonica to “stand firm and hold to the
traditions they were taught, whether by word or our epistle” (2 Thess. 2:15).
Some act like the word “tradition” is a horrible word. What is so bad about the word “tradition”? Is
it so dangerous to use? Doesn’t any kingdom, nation of people and or culture
have traditions? Than why is it so hard to swallow that Christ’s kingdom has
traditions? Because so many are being taught that traditions are only man made.
Therefore, the bible is a bunch of man maid traditions that are not binding.
The Word simply is not seen as Christ given commandments (Matt. 28:20). If you
make it about man and his culture, than you can do whatever you want. It’s
heart breaking to see Christian colleges, the church, and gospel ministers dive
into the Word from such a perspective. Slowly leading generation after
generation away from the word (Matt. 18:6).
Who’s Culture?
God
has never been a God of man’s cultures (Acts 10:34; Rm. 2:11). It’s not the
tradition but the source that gives them validity. By the way, the traditions
spoken of here by Paul are not of man’s culture, it’s the Word. Biblical
tradition is not a bunch of manmade mumbo jumbo. It is the precepts, ordnances,
and doctrine of Christ (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
You can see this by how those Christians received the traditions. They
receive them “by word or epistle”. Paul only brought the Word of God as he had
received it from Christ, as did all the apostles (1 Cor. 11:23 & 15:3; Acts
2:42, 4:18-20). As Christians our culture, traditions, lifestyles and societies
should be of God (2 Thess. 3:6). Man’s
evil desires tempt him and lead him away (James 1:14-15). Oh, how tempting it
is to man to say the bible is a bunch of manmade traditions and not binding on
us today. When we let the word go, then we can’t up hold it.
His Commands
If
it’s not man’s tradition’s that what is it? It is the word of God (Matt. 28:18
&20, 2 Tim. 3:16, Acts 2:42). That’s all the apostles taught. If they
taught anything different than it would have not been Christ’s commands. You
know if we can grasp the word again and let it dwell in us richly we can love
God (Col. 3:16). We can up hold His commands, which is the love of God (1 John
5:3). Let’s not twist it the other way around. God love’s us so much he wants
us to keep His commands (John 1:17; Heb. 5:8-9).
It's Okay, Walk Away
Paul marveled at such behavior. He marvel at
how soon the Christians in Galati we turning from the word (Gal. 1:6). They
were turning to a perverted version of Christ’s gospel. So He warned them to
not receive any other gospel then what they had received from them, the
apostles (Gal. 1:8). He says twice that if anyone was to preach something
different let him be accursed. Then in Gal 1:10 its maid very clear the
difference in the perverted gospel and the true gospel. The apostles came
preaching and teaching to please God. However, those other guy’s came to please
men. Hmm… are those that are teaching us “new ways” to look at the word trying
to please God? Let’s not be partakers of the perverted word and those who
choose to change it.
Are You Growing or Dying?
Growth
in the word comes from you and I staying active in it. Simply put an inactive
faith is a dead one (James 2:17). So you are either growing in the word or you
are dying without it.
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