Who says it is settled?

Often we have a bad habit when it comes to deciding what is truth. We take the route of "settled truth" rather than the more reliable route of self directed investigation and affirmation of what is true. Put another way: "that's already been settled by people who are much smarter than me and it has been accepted as truth for generations therefore it must be true." Of such thinking springs the birth of division, doubt and believing a lie, all serious mistakes that ultimately lead us to the inevitable conclusion of apathy towards truth.

Some would suggest that such an assertion on my part is simply a means of taking a swipe at tradition and traditional Christian doctrines. In part, I suppose that is true. I am convinced that following a path or doctrine simply because it is settled truth is inherently dangerous. I am sure that those who lived under the shadows of mounts Vesuvius and St. Helens would agree, if they were able. Because those volcanoes had not erupted in such a long time was not a certain indication they would never erupt again, yet thousands of people lulled themselves into the deadly assumption that they were safe.

I see Christians all around me who are blindly following the same line of thought in spiritual matters. Instead of seeking the truth that is readily available in the holy writ, they assume that the "settled truth" must be right because it is no longer questioned - it has become a tradition, perhaps even a dogma. Do not misapprehend my point here. Being traditional is not to be equated with being wrong. However, tradition without the support of personally discovered and held truth is deadly.

Some suggest, for instance, that for the church to assemble to engage in spiritual activities is not worship unless there are "5 articles of worship" engaged in the execution of the assembly. That is the traditional, settled truth. It has been that way for generations. However, it isn't commanded, implied or even witnessed in the scripture. There is nothing to suggest it is truth yet millions of Christians will fiercely defend the position, even to the point of dividing the Body of Christ. That is wrong.

Thankfully God saw fit to give us guidance that is clear and understandable in the form of the Bible. Virtually anyone with reasonable literacy can read and understand what God expects of us: not only in the worship arena but in all aspects of our lives. In 2 Peter 1, Peter states without equivocation that we have been given everything that pertains not only to life, but Godliness as well. We do not have to guess, surmise or look for obscure inferences to know what God seeks from His people. The opposite is true: it takes diligent, long term misapplication of the scripture to miss what God is saying. It is for this very reason that we're encouraged to take responsibility for the certainty of our own understanding as Phil. 2:12 states.

Again, tradition is not necessarily wrong. Tradition in the absence of scriptural support is not only wrong, but deadly and will suffice to further deaden our conscience so that even when we see the truth we can't recognize it. Own the Word for yourself: your destiny depends upon it.