Christianity Made Simple
Hold To The Traditions Which Have Been Handed Down
Introduction
A. Hold fast to traditions.
1. In the following Scripture, Paul exhorts Christians to cling to the traditions that have been handed down to them.
"Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle." (2 Thessalonians 2:15)
2. In the following Scripture, Paul charges Timothy to commit to faithful men the things he had heard.
"And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." (2 Timothy 2:2)
3. Timothy passed on the traditions (“my ways”) to the Christians at Corinth.
"For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church." (1 Corinthians 4:17)
4. The traditions of which he speaks are not those conceived by men, but the teachings of Christ.
B. Stability and change.
1. There are many things that have not changed since the beginning of the world:
a. Men and women still fall in love and marry.
b. The four seasons come and go as they always have done.
c. Jesus is the same today as was yesterday and will be tomorrow.
2. There are other things that do change:
a. The people in the world today are not the same people as yesterday, and a new generation is yet to be born in the world of tomorrow.
b. Due to the industrial revolution, the air we breath is not as pure as it was at the beginning.
c. Everyone’s judgment is now nearer than ever before.
3. Some things that are unchanging are a comfort, while other things that change bring distress. Some changes are necessary and good, while others are dangerous and sinful.
C. In the beginning.
1. The church of Christ was founded in A.D. 33 (Acts 2:1-47).
2. These disciples of Jesus came to be called Christians (Acts 11:26).
3. There were four traditions to which the early disciples clung…
I. A Simple Sole Dependence Upon The Word Of God
A. They depended on the word of God for faith, doctrine, and practice (Acts 2:42; 17:11; 1 Corinthians 11:2; 2 Peter 3:2).
"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:15-16)
B. They depended of the word of God to teach the way of salvation (Acts 2:41; 4:4; 8:4, 14; 13:48; 17:11).
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)
II. A Simple Form Of Church Government
A. In determining these roles, we shall be looking at relevant passages in the book of Acts and the epistles.
1. The Head. The human body is often employed to figuratively represent the church (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) and Jesus is the head of this body, the church (Ephesians 1:22-23).
2. Apostles. The apostles were men who had been chosen and named apostles by the Lord (The apostle Paul was the exception to the rule, in that he was not called by Him during His earthly ministry but was called to be an apostle, by Jesus, some time after His resurrection and ascension - Galatians 1:11-24). These men trained under the Lord for about three years, and it is to these men that He entrusted the keys of the kingdom and promised the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth (John 16:13). Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, He commissioned the apostles saying, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you...” (Matthew 28:19-20). In Acts 2:14ff, the apostle Peter, using the keys, opened the door as he commanded the people what they needed to do to be saved (Acts 2:36-39). Following the immersion of 3000 souls, we read, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Thus the apostles began to fulfill the command of Jesus to teach the disciples to obey all that He had commanded (Matthew 28:20). The apostles were, under Jesus, endowed with the greatest measure of authority in the church of Christ.
a. After the death of Judas, the remaining apostles inferred from Psalm 109 that another should take his office. Certain qualifications were stated and only two men were put forward.
b. The requirements necessary to become an apostle make it impossible for anyone to qualify today (Acts 1:15-23).
3. Prophets. These were men who spoke by the inspiration of the Spirit to reveal the will of God (1 Corinthians 12:4,10; Acts 15:32) and to foretell the future (Acts 11:27-28; 21:4,9,10-11). The ability to prophesy was one of many miraculous gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-11) given through the laying on of hands by an apostle (Acts 8:14-19). Therefore, since a gift of the Spirit could only be given in this way, it follows that miraculous spiritual gifts would eventually cease. Paul also speaks about the temporary nature of miraculous gifts in 1 Corinthians 13:8-13.
4. Elders. A prophet named Agabus came from Jerusalem to Antioch and “showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world,” (Acts 11:27-28) and the brethren in Antioch determined to send relief to the brethren in Judea. We note that they sent this relief “to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 11:30). This is the first mention of elders in the New Testament since the establishment of the church in Acts 2. The next occurrence of elders is in Acts 14. Paul and Barnabas came from Derbe to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. It was in these cities that they appointed elders in every church (Acts 14:19-23). Elders were not self-appointed but men appointed by the Holy Spirit, i.e., men who met the qualifications given in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. The work of elders is described in the following passages - Acts 20:28-32; Titus 1:10-16; 1 Peter 5:1-4.
a. I know a lady who is called “my wife” by her husband, “my mother” by her son, “my sister” by her brother, and “my auntie” by her niece. Each of these designations describes the relationship that this lady has with different relatives.
b. Likewise, elders are also called bishops or overseers, and pastors according to the various aspects of their work in relation to the church. For example, they are called overseers or bishops (both words have the same meaning) because they oversee the church of God. That these descriptions apply to the same men is clear when we read Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:17-38). In verse 17 he calls them elders and in verse 28 he calls them overseers or bishops. It should also be noted in this verse that Paul exhorts them to “shepherd the church of God...” The word shepherd comes from the Greek word poimen, which means pastor (Vine’s). See also 1 Peter 5:1-4.
5. Deacons. Paul, writing to the Philippians, said, “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons” (Philippians 1:1). The word deacon means servant, and such were appointed by the church to serve in some capacity. Deacons, like the elders, had to meet certain qualifications (1 Timothy 3:8-13).
6. Evangelists. An evangelist is one who proclaims the good news or gospel of Jesus Christ. Both Philip and Timothy are called evangelists (Acts 21:8; 2 Timothy 4:5).
7. Teachers are men and women who have demonstrated knowledge and understanding in the scriptures, and an ability to teach (Cp. 2 Timothy 2:2; Titus 2:3-5).
B. The church in this century may still appoint elders, deacons, and evangelists when such persons are judged to have the necessary qualifications. However, the appointment of apostles and prophets is no longer possible as there are none today who have the necessary qualifications or gifts.
III. A Simple Form Of Worship
A. The first century Christians worshiped in spirit and truth every first day of the week:
1. To break bread or partake of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:33).
2. To pray (1 Timothy 2:8).
3. To sing (1 Corinthians 14:26a).
4. To give (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).
5. To be edified (1 Corinthians 14:26).
B. This simple style of worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24; Philippians 3:3) would have certainly excluded the following:
1. Worship that was disorderly (1 Corinthians 11:17-18; 14:23).
"Let all things be done decently and in order." (1 Corinthians 14:40)
2. Worship that was disjointed (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Ephesians 4:1-6).
"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 Corinthians 1:10)
3. Worship that was vain (Matthew 6:1-18; 15:1-9).
"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3:3)
4. Worship that was not centered on Jesus (Acts 15:20; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Colossians 2:18).
"For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;" (1 Thessalonians 1:9)
IV. A Simple Sanctified Lifestyle
A. It is God’s will that we be sanctified:
"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:" (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
B. This sanctification involves coming out of the world:
"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," (2 Corinthians 6:17)
C. Sanctification means cleansing ourselves of all sin:
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work" (2 Timothy 2:19-21)
Conclusion
1. There were four traditions to which the first century Christians clung:
a. A simple sole dependence on the word of God.
b. A simple form of church government.
c. A simple form of worship.
d. A simple sanctified lifestyle.
2. Any Christian who desires to simply do the will of God and cling to the traditions which He originally handed down, may do so by simply following the example of the first century Christians.
"What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it." (Deuteronomy 12:32)
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