Tradition!

The riveting opening song In the musical Fiddler on the Roof, sung by none other than the father, Tevye, sets the stage for the dynamics of the story, portraying a culture in which tradition is a mainstay of order and everyday life. Just like that of many other cultures.

Case in point: the distinctive culture with which many of us are somewhat familiar. The Amish. What comes to mind when you think of this singular group that alienates itself from the modern world? Wholesome, decent, pure, yummy food—a throwback to more innocent times? What could be better, right? And yet ...

For all their alluring virtues, something has always bothered me about the Amish way of life. Their aloofness. Their strict standoffishness with the non-Amish, the "English," as they call them. Didn't Jesus command us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all the nations? It's absolutely wonderful to be untainted by the slimier offshoots of modern life—no porn, no clubs with naked bodies gyrating in a frantic effort to entice viewers into greater sexual indulgences. But such isolationism comes at what cost?

Being in the world, rubbing elbows with sinners and sin-laden technology, yet taking the higher moral ground and refraining from indulging in blatant sin, isn't that what Jesus asks of us? He said, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world ... As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world ... and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me" ( John 17:16,18, 23). As wonderful as it would be to hide ourselves away from the sinful world around us, we cannot do that and fulfil Jesus' commandments to us.

However, I put my disquiet on a back burner. Why vilify a lifestyle that smacks of purity? Then Dennis and I watched a documentary about the Amish, their history, their roots, their beliefs. A documentary produced by former Amish, forced to leave their beloved culture for daring to question haw their traditions matched up with Scripture. What we learned floored me. Believe me, I took no pleasure in the validation of my silent disquiet.

Have you ever wondered about the distinctive facial hair on married Amish men? Why they sport beards but no mustaches? Did you know that Amish clothes use no buttons, only pins, to fasten clothing? If you asked most Amish, it is highly probable that they themselves do not know why. Buttons are deemed prideful, as are mustaches, but even many Amish cannot tell you why they think thus.

If you're looking for a biblical reason for these practices, prepare to be disappointed. Instead of being rooted in Bible principles, they stem from Amish history. As it turns out, the soldiers who persecuted them in Europe had mustaches and large decorative buttons on their uniforms. To be different from the people who persecuted their forefathers, they eschew mustaches and buttons. Not because of an edict from God. Not because of a commandment from Jesus. Not because of an admonition from the Apostle Paul. Even their distancing themselves from non-Amish is rooted in their history—they had to distance themselves from others to avoid persecution. This distancing from others took on a life of its own, edging out Biblical mandates to do otherwise.

Why criticize these innocent traditions? After all, they're not hurting anyone with them, are they? But Isaiah the prophet didn't say to judge our actions by tradition. No, he said, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20). In God's eyes, tradition does not cut it as a reason on which to base our lifestyle. Things might look wholesome, attractive, and appealing. But if they are not Scripture based, they are NOT something to emulate!

Poor, poor Amish. Following the commandments of men, and not that of Scripture. So, so much of their lifestyle is worthy of emulation—their backing each other up in hard times, barn raisings, so many good things that are reflective of how old time pioneers had each other's backs ... but good is the little brother of best. Like Paul wrote to the Corinthians, there is much we can do that is good, but we should embrace that which is best (1 Corinthians 13).

Little traditions don't sound like much, but put together ... you end up deviating from truth in more substantial ways. That is why the Amish (like other church denominations) have ended up with a wide spectrum of communities, each with different beliefs. When a family disagrees with the bishop of their community, as we say in Spanish,¿patas para qué son? (Translation: what are feet for?). They leave and start their own Amish community. Why? Because the first to establish a new community get to set the ground rules. That is why we find Amish communities ranging from the Beachy Amish, who are more technology friendly and (this is wonderful!) even have missionary outreaches, to the Swartzentruber Amish, perhaps the strictest of the Old Order Amish. There are no universally set rules because, for the most part, they are man-made, based on tradition rather than Bible principles.

Tradition is good. It defines our culture. It gives meaning to our family gatherings and practices. But the bottom line? Our core beliefs cannot be based on any one man's likes and dislikes. They must be based on the golden foundations found in God's Word. Among the "small" deviations from Biblical principles that have created egregious errors throughout church history is the discipleship movement of the 70s. Yes, respect for the ministry is a biblical principle. Yes, the Lord has ordained ministers to lead the flock. But the discipleship movement ended up requiring a strict hierarchical submission that went beyond the pale of what the Bible teaches.

The end of the ages is upon us. It is imperative that we hang on to biblical truth to avoid falling into error, even as Jesus and the early church fathers warned (1 Corinthians 10:12, 2 Peter 3:17, Ephesians 5:15-17, 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 2 Peter 2:1-3, among other passages).

I encourage you to flip over to our website's Bible Notes and find There Is Only One God. At the request of our pastor, Dennis is currently delivering a series of messages explaining our fundamental beliefs. There are many voices and ministers propagating many, many beliefs, some good, some questionable. We need to make sure that whatever we believe is based on God's Word, that we be not deceived into some kind of wrong movement or sect.

May God bless us as we do our best to adhere to His Word and seek to make Him proud.

"These" (the saints at Berea) "were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11).

"Which things" (following rules and regulations) "have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh" (Colossians 2:23).

"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (Matthew 24:24).