Does God allow Man-made Traditions in the Church?

The only standard we have for knowing what God requires is the Bible, God's Word.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." - II Timothy 3:16-17

"In the tradition of the Church, the word of God is principally to be found in the scriptures (the Bible) …. We are to read the scriptures as the book of the Church: as word of God in words of man." - The Teaching of the Catholic Church - A New Catechism of Christian Doctrine, page 14, by Herbert McCabe OP, Imprimatur: Maurice Couve de Murville, Archbishop of Birmingham, 11 February 1985.

Scripture makes it clear that tradition has its place within the church. For example, Paul commands his brethren at Thessalonica to "stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle" (II Thessalonians 2:15). Later in the same letter he commands "that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which ye received of us" (3:6).

However scripture also makes it clear that tradition is not inherently good, but that it may be either pleasing or displeasing to God. For example, Peter writes:

"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation [i.e. behaviour] received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" - 1 Peter 1:18-19

In other words, the Christian is redeemed with the precious blood of Christ from the useless behaviour handed down to him by his father(s). Paul was redeemed from this tradition, as he writes, "being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who .... called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me …." (Galatians 1:14-16). The whole tone of the epistle to the Galatians is preaching against the enforcement of Jewish tradition on Gentile Christians.

It is significant to note that this kind of tradition has its origin with the "fathers", i.e. men. In Colossians 2.8 Paul writes, "beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."

Jesus, of course, also warned of blindly following tradition. When the scribes and Pharisees asked Jesus, "Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?", Jesus replied, "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? .... Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition." (Matthew 15:2-3; 6 & 9. See also Mark 7:1-13). Jesus condemnation is strong, for in Matthew 15:8-9, he goes on to say,

"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth mewith their lips; but their heart is far from me. but in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

The situation is serious, and there is a real possibility that we can be deceived into following the traditions of men rather than the commandments of God. We need to know what is of men, and what is of God, and the only place we find reliable counsel is in the Word of God.

We are to discern whether tradition is of God or of men by measuring tradition against the scriptural standard. We are not to do the reverse, weigh scripture by tradition. That only leads into damnable heresy.

We must diligently search scripture and compare our philosophies, doctrines and traditions with it to establish whether they are of men, and thus vain, or conform to the commandments of God.

"And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few." - Acts 17:10-12

The truth must agree with what is in the Bible. Anything which does not, must be considered as being "after the commandments and doctrines of men" (Colossians 2:22), or "giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (I Timothy 4:1) and must therefore be discarded. Remember, "Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God." (II John 9).

If we do not hold the truth in high esteem and discard what is shown by God's Word to be false, then God himself will cause us to believe a lie.

"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." - II Thessalonians 2:8-12

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." Acts 3:19

"Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." - Acts 17:29-31