Why Do We believe That?

II Peter 1:10-18

Several years ago, I applied for a job with Dineh Construction in Tse Bonito, New Mexico. The owner, Johnny, liked my qualifications, bu the hired me because he had worked alongside my father almost thirty years before. He was sure he could trust me because of what my dad stood for. He also was sure I would learn what ever was needed to do the job, simply because I was my father’s son. While it was a tremendous compliment, it set high expectations. My own actions would indicate whether I really was the man my father was. Living up to those expectations clearly established that I was like my dad, and I was kept on even after most other employees were laid off. When Johnny retired, he was instrumental in my getting a different job.

As children of God, people have reason to expect certain behavior, just as Johnny did of me. Failure to live up to those expectations would have cast serious doubt on my love for my father. A failure to live up to what is expected of God’s children brings our love for him into question. John 14:23-24 explains, “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.”

By consciously trying to live up to the expectations Johnny had, I clearly demonstrated my closeness to my dad, but in addition, I ensured steady employment. In a similar way, living up to the expectations God has set ensures that we will not turn away, and that we will not be embarrassed when we come into the Lord’s presence. A friend of mine, Cecil Hubbard used to say some of the guys he worked with almost had to back up to the pay window to get their check because they’d done so little. A lot of people will have the same feeling entering heaven.

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (II Peter 1:10-11)

My parents spent a lot of time and effort making sure we knew what was expected of us. They punished us less severely than some other parents, and perhaps the worst was having Dad say, “I’m disappointed in you.” A beating would have been preferred.

Other kids had far harder times because they didn’t know what was expected and so could not be sure what they were doing was acceptable. Many parents are inconsistent, letting behavior slide one time and punishing it severely the next, or getting discouraged with repeated behavior and beginning to ignore it. Some are just capricious, with no real standard other than what appeals to them at the moment. Their children have a hard time determining what is acceptable or not. Consistency is far more important than severity of punishment, but there is a tendency to emphasize severity and neglect consistency, because it is easier.

Just as children need to know exactly what their parents expect, Christians need to know exactly what God expects of them. Not knowing leads to one of three things. It may lead to apathy, because they can‘t do anything right anyway, to fear because they know they are going to be in trouble no matter what they do, or to rebellion because since they are going to be in trouble anyway, they just do something bad enough to make it worthwhile.

Many groups today want to set their own standards. As a result people are confused about what God expects. Romans 14 addresses the general problem, while I Corinthians 4-14 deals with specific examples. Peter is aware of the Christian’s need to know what is required, and that he will not always be there to correct them, although he will as long as he can. As a result, he is putting these things into writing so when he is no longer present, they will have a standard to refer back to. Without a written standard, the message begins to change, just in the old game “gossip,” where a message is whispered to the person next you, and thus passed around the room. The last person then tells what he heard, and it is compared to what was originally said. The message changes as it is passed from person to person, and sometimes the final message is totally different than the original. Only by checking the original can one be sure what was intended.

“Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me. Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.” (II Peter 1:12-15)

Like the message in “gossip,” tradition changes as it is passed along, and the only way to keep it pure is by referring back to the original records. Most non biblical writings about the church were written after 300 A.D., and thus are subject to 300 years of potential changes. It is these traditions that the Catholic bases much of their doctrine on. Protestant traditions have 1300 or more years of potential change, except where they have adopted some prior tradition. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for replacing God’s command with their traditions in Matthew 15:1-9, asking, “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” Mark 7:9 says, “Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”

The reasons for many traditions are forgotten over time, and they become just a ritual. As a teenager, I could not understand why when someone died in a house, the Navajos moved out, and traditional ones tore out the back wall so no one would live there. Younger Navajos could only explain that it was tradition and they had to do it. Only later did I understand that the pathogens causing Bubonic plague, Smallpox, and many other communicable diseases could remain in the dwelling, and by moving out and making it uninhabitable they could prevent the spread of the disease. What had at first seemed quite silly was very logical when considered in the light of it’s intended purpose. They tradition was not just some capricious standard. Our beliefs have a similar historical basis, if we go back to the original teachings.

“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.” (II Peter 1:16-18)

John goes into greater detail as to the basis for their teachings in I John 1:1-5. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."

It is those teachings and experiences that our traditions or beliefs are to be based on, and to which Paul referred when he said, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” in II Thessalonians 2:15. He commanded, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we(the apostles) have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” in Galatians 1:8-9.