Traditions of Men and our Journey Back to our Father in Heaven

Traditions of Men and our Journey Back to our Father in Heaven

Recounting my experiences as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for nearly three decades, I am reminded of the preparation to get back to the kingdom of God and how traditions could potentially threaten that journey. Having lived with grandparents while growing up in the village during the early years of my life, I have come to appreciate most of our cultural practices. However, many of those traditions as a way of life tend to be in conflict with the Gospel of Jesus Christ as I have come to understand them.

Jesus Christ taught that not many would find their way or be prepared to live in the Kingdom of God. He said, ‘enter ye in at the strait gate….because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it’ (Matt. 7:13-14). The Lord also revealed to the prophet Joseph Smith that ‘behold there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men…… (D&C 121:34-35)

The Savior’s parable about the ten virgins and their desire to enter the kingdom of heaven reveals that just believing in God and being virtuous and pure may not be sufficient enough to qualify us for His kingdom. (Matt. 25:1-12) In that parable there were ten pure people who have great desires to enter the kingdom. Five of them were prepared and five were not prepared. The questions is, how can you be clean and pure and yet unprepared?

The Lord, speaking to the prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, said of a people who may be clean yet unprepared,  “…are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God” (D&C 76:79). Being valiant in the testimony of Jesus Christ is fundamental in understanding that one cannot obtain the divine “light of life” (John 8:12) through adherence to the traditions of men. It does not come through just being well intended, it can only come through repentance and living the gospel culture as given by Jesus Christ. Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve, taught that repenting means giving up all of our practices; personal, family, ethnic and national that are contrary to the commandments of God.

He further explained that the gospel culture comes from the Plan of Salvation, the commandments of God, and the teachings of the living prophets. To help members all over the world, the church teaches us to give up any personal or family traditions or practices that are contrary to this gospel culture.

Some of the cultural practices that are called into questions are the patriarchal systems in our homes where the burden of raising the family may be entirely left to the woman. It inhibits family relationship as taught in the proclamation of the family. The issue of bride price also tends to delay marriage where young men take a long time to prepare, which can thereby lead to eventually breaking the law of chastity. In most cases it also affects the relationship between the spouses and their in-laws. There is also the tradition of weddings that appears to be overelaborate and expensive, taking the attention from the sacred nature of the marriage ordinance. Elder Oaks counsels not to make excessive plans for weddings that lead to debt.

When Christ was on the earth, he found a religious group of people known as the Pharisees. They believed in God and they accepted the teachings of the prophets in the Old Testament. They accepted the Ten Commandments and had strict observance of the Sabbath. Yet, Jesus Christ said this about the most devout of the Pharisees: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me…. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matt 15:8-9).

They played down the Lord’s commandments and placed so much emphasis on the commandments of men. With concern, the Saviour taught in the Sermon on the Mount among others that “…..except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt: 5:20).

It is important to note that all the requirements to get back to our Heavenly Father are found in the teachings of Jesus Christ. …”I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12) When the scribes and Pharisees complained that Jesus Christ disciples “…transgressed the traditions of the elders” by omitting the ritual washing… Jesus responded that they transgressed the commandments of God by their traditions (Mathew 15:2-3). In modern Revelation the Lord declared that the wicked one takes the innocent children of God away from light and truth “through disobedience…. And because of the tradition of their fathers.” (D&C 93:39).

The Apostle John said “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent.” (John 17:3). I believe it is important to know God the Eternal Father and Jesus Christ if we expect to live with them in their Kingdom. It would be difficult to know and love the savior if we cannot keep His commandments.

Hear the words of the Apostle John: “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2:3-4). People who accept and live the doctrines of men do not know the living God. Knowing God and Jesus Christ is having a relationship with them by living your life in accordance with Christ’s teachings.

I pray that we may seek to have a relationship by staying away from those traditions that truly detract us from the divine course. As one called as a witness of Jesus Christ, I plead that we will all strive to come to know his laws and ordinances and be partakers thereof. He has provided us with prophets, whom we follow.  We will be doing what is right as we keep to that path of following the prophets daily, I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

References:

  1. Dallin H Oaks, “The Gospel Culture,” Ensign, March, 2012
  2. The family: A proclamation to the World”, Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2010, 129