Traditions are powerful.  Some people will hold on to a tradition no matter what, even if it puts their souls at risk.  Of course, when it comes down to religion, in most cases, people believe that their traditions have some kind of scriptural basis, but often they do not.

An example of this is found in the celebration of Christmas.  Most people celebrate Christmas as the birthday of Christ.  There are those who believe there is a scriptural basis for this when the Bible does not tell us on what day Christ was born, nor does it ever instruct us to remember His birth.

Along these same lines, people focus on the nativity scene during the Christmas season.  Tradition says that the three wise men were led to the stable and found Jesus there.  The star guides the wise men to Bethlehem and then to the stable where they find Jesus.  Most believe the story transpired just like that, as if it were the gospel truth; however, the Bible reveals the story a little differently.

The Bible does not tell us that there were three wise men.  That is just the figment of man’s imagination.  The Bible simply says that wise men came to Jerusalem from the east (Matthew 2:1).  Furthermore, the Bible does not have the wise men finding Jesus in the stable, but in a house (Matthew 2:11).

All of this leads us to the question, “Should we base our religion on tradition?”  The answer depends on the source of the tradition.  Some traditions may be based on what the Bible teaches, while other traditions are based on man’s opinion.  Paul spoke of traditions that must be followed when he wrote to the Thessalonians.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 (ESV)
¹⁵  So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

I once heard a brother in Christ refer to the teaching that a person can only remarry if his wife was put away for fornication or if his wife dies as the “traditional position.”  He was clearly trying to prejudice the minds of people by referring to that view in such a way, hoping that people would be turned off by the word “traditional.”

Some traditional positions, like the one referred to above, must be held on to because they are based on scripture, not man’s opinion.  It would probably be good at this point to give a definition for the word tradition.  Webster says it means, “the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another…”  Now, there is nothing wrong with traditions that have been handed down by an inspired apostle.  Those traditions are ordained and instituted by God.  Baptizing one for the remission of sins is a traditional position, taught as essential in faithful churches of Christ.  Should we stop teaching that because it is the “traditional position”?  No, because it is a scriptural truth.

Sadly, some get bogged down in the traditions of men.  Many times that tradition can become so strong that some give them equal weight with the scriptures.  Jesus said doing that makes the commandment of God of none effect.

Matthew 15:4-6 (NKJV)
⁴  For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ ⁵  But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”– ⁶  then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

At times those traditions contradict the Word of God; and, so, they are sinful within themselves.  The problem is the tradition has become so ingrained in the thinking of some that they will not give it up no matter how much scripture you give them.  It is not that they stop believing in the scriptures, they just interpret the scriptures in light of their tradition.  That leads to spiritual blindness, which, in turn, leads to the ditch of condemnation.

Matthew 15:14 (KJV)
¹⁴  Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

There are scriptural and non-scriptural traditions.  Religiously, we must be sure to follow only the traditions that have their roots in the Word of God.  If it cannot be found in the gospel, it should be dropped as a religious practice, regardless of how long it has been observed.