Truth, according to the Bible is objectively determined and known. Truth is the person of Jesus. Truth is also what He taught - eternal life by knowing and accepting him as Lord.
And truth, in the form of knowledge, has some forms attached to it (e.g. baptism, preaching, fellowshipping, discipleship, avoiding sin, etc.). But unchecked formality grows and morphs into a set of traditions over time. And when this entity encounters the truth of Jesus it offers resistance. The resistance is done to maintain the facade that protects the tradition, and it will refuse to admit that it has abandoned the truth. The Pharisees were a classical, even historical, example of this.
Yet, what happens when no formality (or less formality) becomes the tradition? Does this new entity also not experience the temptation to abandon truth for the sake of maintaining the new and developing traditions?
We have abandoned useless traditions because we are not Pharisees. We say that we are not like those churches or groups that have become pharisaical. And we are obedient (1 Samuel 15:22). But I propose here that this very attitude warrants a hard look at ourselves. The way Paul encouraged the stable believers at Corinth (see 1 Corinthians 10:12-13) - we are to be careful less we too fall into sin. Less we too become Pharisees in our own right.
Therefore, let us ask questions, let us seek a balance, let us seek clarifications, what about justice? Let us admit our sins and faults, let us repent from our sins, let us not hide our public sins but own them, let us ask forgiveness from the ones we have hurt, let us abandon lies,...
Let the Father grow and teach us. Let Jesus disciple and transform us. Let the Holy Spirit lead and guide us. Let the truth of God's word be central to our lives. Let us be humble. Let us not abandon the Lord Jesus. Let the world know Christ.
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