Issue 984 – Stuck in the Web – February 15, 2023
This fall, a spider web was on the outside corner of my office window. It got knocked down now and then, but the spider was persistent about rebuilding it.
I don’t know what kind of spider she was, but she isn’t big. That’s fine with me because I’m not a spider fan. I know all the intellectual arguments about the good they do in controlling other insects, but from an emotional perspective, to be honest, spiders give me the creeps big time.
Now and then, I’d see some small fly or other insect trapped in the spider’s web. The victim never escaped, and before long, they ended up as dinner for their hostess. Her web seems to be very efficient.
There’s often a similar web at church. It’s called ritual and tradition. I have nothing against ritual and tradition; they both have their place in making us comfortable. They can both be a dangerous trap for Christians if we’re not careful, though.
We can substitute tradition and ritual for the life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ. We can end up with a powerless shell of near Christianity and never find the power that Christ has. We can trade ritual and tradition for the truth of the gospel. We can sometimes see the church offering all kinds of comforting things but never teaching Christ.
That danger is nothing new. Christ himself confronted it.
And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”‘ (that is, given to God) — then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:5-13
Don’t be content to do something simply because the church has always done it that way. Compare it all to the Scripture. The Bible outweighs all the rules of man combined.
There are undeniable truths in Scripture that must never be compromised, but there is much in many worship services and in the teaching of churches that is not biblical. Most of it is harmless, but some can snare you and keep you from encountering the real Jesus Christ.
For example, just because you’ve been baptized doesn’t mean you are Christian (although baptism is important and commanded by God). Being a Christian comes by giving your life over to His mercy. To quote a pastor friend, “It’s possible to be under the water and not under the blood!”
Some churches teach that forgiveness comes from their priest. Forgiveness comes from God alone. Some churches teach that you must dress a specific way to go to church or say the prayers in a given order to be valid or that worship must happen in a particular order to be “real.” None of these find their basis in Scripture.
I’m not criticizing your faith or your traditions. Chances are good that you know more about them than I do. I’m simply saying each of us needs to examine our traditions and rituals in the light of Scripture. Those that don’t line up with what the Bible teaches need to go.
Examine what you are doing in your faith walk. Do you do it because you’ve always done it that way, or do you do it because Scripture tells you to? Sometimes there can be a big difference.
Until next time, I pray you stay free of the snares and webs that disguise themselves as the faith and keep you from knowing Jesus more.
Be Blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2023 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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