The word tradition comes from the Latin word “tradition” literally “handling over”, the passing of a body of renowned and accepted practices, customs, and beliefs from one generation to the next. The word was originally applied by the early Christians to those central beliefs that were to be handed down through oral instruction.

A tradition often commands respect simply through the authority of long usage. It usually represents the norm, but sometimes hostile to change. Tradition is a growing and cumulative process which only revolutions have attempted to break all connections with the past. There are three major types of traditions: Biblical, religious, and secular.

In the Bible, tradition refers to any kind of teaching, written or spoken, handed from one generation to another. In Mark 7:3, 9, 13 and Colossians 2:8, it refers to the arbitrary interpretations of the Jews. In general it refers to the Christian instructions handed down to another generation (2 Thessalonians 2:15, 3:6), and Peter used it in reference to degenerate Judaism whom he addressed as strangers scattered* in the world.

In religion, tradition refers to the entire process by which normative religious truth are passed on from one generation to another. Tradition is found in all religious communities, whether in oral or written form, its contents embodied in a closed canon or a living organism. Consequently, their own community lives have been molded, consciously or unconsciously, by particular traditions. In any given area, both secular and religious traditions were employed and have corrupted the lives of many people.

In the New Testament, the word for tradition is paradosis used negatively by the Lord Jesus Christ to repudiate both religious and secular traditions being distortion or contradiction of God's law. Biblical tradition refers to traditions that explicate the Gospel and Bible doctrine which the apostles received from the Lord (Romans 1:1-4, 6:7, Philippians 2:5-11, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17, I Timothy 3:16). The apostle Paul repeats this tradition and enjoins the believers of his time to receive and keep it (1 Cor. 11:2, 2 Thess. 2:15, Col. 2:6). This tradition is the heart of the Gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-9).

After the Canon was completed, the early Church fathers (the apostles and leaders) distinguished tradition and Scripture more clearly. Biblical tradition was understood as the Church's moving and interpretive reflection on the original deposit of faith contained in Scripture. All religious and secular traditions were also eliminated and regarded as cultic. The Scripture remained fundamental and the Church alive with its witness, and in practice, the weight of tradition became insignificant.

Outside true Christianity, the ecumenical councils represented the highest authority in defending tradition, and the ever-increasing emphasis upon the papacy as the normative spoke man for apostolic tradition. The apostolic tradition is a separate unwritten code handed down by an apostolic succession of their “infallible papacy”. The Protestants revolt against all apostolic tradition in principle, while allowing it to reappear in practice in some other form. Nominal Christians are easily deceived by various winds of demonic doctrines and traditions of men. Traditions always lead to apostasy.

Martin Luther rejected all apostolic traditions as distortions of the genuine Gospel of salvation found in the Bible alone. Today, many so-called Christian churches retained various rites and customs contrary to the Scripture. In practice, they formed traditions nearly as binding as the Catholics. They formed and established similar sets of authorities and ecumenical councils, confessional creeds, church legislation, church orders, theological teaching, and similar rituals and customs.

The apostate church has cleverly merged fake Christianity with pagan traditions by creating an environment for their gods and goddesses in Christian setting. Nothing can stop tradition from overwhelming modernization, but instead some modernized societies are propagating religious and secular traditionalism. Christianity is not traditional since it calls for continuous change in the life and soul of the believers. The growing and advancing believer will find himself confronted with challenge to change his mental attitude and lifestyle. 

The traditionalist refuses to accept the changes brought about by various factors and issues. Tradition is irrational, unreasonable and always inconsiderate to the welfare of the people. Most fiestas are after the feast of a patron saint of the particular locality. This traditional celebration was brought by the Spaniards who love foods and social gathering. Such celebration is burdensome to the poor families and the source of pride for the rich residents. Fiesta is a waste of time and money, an abomination before the God and a great display of idolatry. Tradition is ignorance of truth. Some of the most ignorant people are highly educated.

The patron is called saint, beatified and canonized by the Pope after having been dead for hundred of years. The saints of the Bible are living believers who put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:1, Philippians 1:1, Colossians 1:2) The saints of fiestas without doubt are faithful Catholics but not necessarily believers. Tradition made them saints and tradition commanded that people to celebrate their feast day.

The Bible did not command that Christians to celebrate birthday or anniversary in honor of any person dead or living. Such celebration is entirely paganistic and contrary to the Scripture. The Bible recorded only two birthdays, both were kings, unbelievers, and extremely evil, Pharaoh (Genesis 40:20) and Herod (Matthew 14:6).

The fiesta is the celebration in honor of the patron saint. A patron is a guardian or protector. For example, the patron saint of our baranggay is the legendary Lorenzo Ruis who has not done anything for the people of this place. What made him the patron of this place? The answer is very simple: tradition. Actually, he was made patron saint of this place only three years ago, few hundred years after his death.

Tradition determines who will be the patron saint of the particular place and how to celebrate such feast. The patron saint is a dead person (who could be in hell) and one who does not know what the people are doing in his honor. The patron saint is a saint by the authority of man, saint in the eyes of men receiving undeserved respect and honor but maybe suffering in hell. That is ridiculous.

The patron saint is an idol, probably a pagan god who adapted a Christian name to deceive the ignorant. The sincere offerings to such patron saint is offering for Satan (1 Corinthians 10:19-20) who is behind all religious icons. These religious idols are not symbols of God but symbols of demons (1 Corinthians 8:4). There is nothing spiritual or biblical about the celebration of fiestas but one hundred percent tradition invented by men.

Tradition is a snare putting people under slavery of ignorance and deception. Tradition operates with superstitions, myths and with the mysterious. Traditional religions are indeed very superstitious in practice. Superstition like tradition is handed down from one generation to another without careful examination or evaluation. Myths are baseless speculation without truth and validity but commonly accepted since by people who respect their tradition. In most cases, acceptance is not the issue but purely ignorance and slavery.

Most of the traditional people refuse to leave their house even though it is on fire. They are stubbornly ignorant of their real state. They are spiritually blind, incapable of realization that Satan is just using them for the advancement of his personal cause. Satan is using religious and secular traditions to enslave people into deep rooted spiritual ignorance.

The only remedy for this spiritual problem is the continuous intake of Bible doctrine. People are using their negative volition dragging themselves into severe spiritual problems; but others are applying their positive volition to reach spiritual maturity. Tradition hinders both mental and the spiritual advancement, depriving the believers with the tremendous blessings from the hands of God. Tradition is chains that severely confine believers into futility and disaster.

JR Cherreguine Bible Doctrine Ministries

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