Tradition (Colossians 2:8-15)

[8] See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ… [15] He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Colossians 2:8, 15 ESV)

The Gospel is a truth that flies in the face of all of the religions invented since the Fall. It exposes the futility of all traditional attempts to pay down and eliminate guilt in our own efforts. It reveals the fallacy of all Gnostic attempts to make salvation about the attainment of secret knowledge or spiritual “passwords.”

It simply explains the problem that all humanity has and feels and struggles against and then points out the equally simple truth that God has already provided the solution to the problem, for all who will trust in and surrender to Him.

Even “Christian” tradition and interpretation, in all its forms, is contaminated with tradition and philosophy of men. The Bible frequently speaks out against tradition. (Mark 2:22; Isaiah 29:13,14; Matthew 15:2,3,6; Mark 7:5-13; 1 Peter 2:18,10) Even when it is born out of a truth that a person discovers and applies to their life while following Christ, it can become an empty tradition when simply imitated and taught by others. Subsequent generations of believers could place the importance on the practice as a pursuit of holiness all the time missing the truth that had been applied.