TRADITIONALIST
Loving God Through Ritual And Symbol
Character Traits
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Many rightly fear a form of faith that has no substance so they stress, “Christianity is a relationship, not a religion.”
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We must remember that God invented and sometimes commanded religious practices.
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Religious practices are the way people embody spiritual truths.
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Abraham and Moses expressed their faith by building altars.
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God understands that our reaction to symbols often reveals our hearts’ reaction to him. If we're flippant toward symbols, we're often flippant toward what the symbol represents.
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Peter and John observed regular, set times of prayer.
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Paul willingly underwent the ritual of purification.
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The NT figures made it clear that no one will be saved through religion alone; but they also made it clear, by their example, that Christians can be nourished by certain religious practices.
What Are Our Pitfalls?
Serving God Without Knowing God
Religion can serve faith, but it doesn’t substitute for faith, and it can never replace faith.
Judging Others
Religious practice can powerfully enhance a person’s faith, but it can also destroy corporate faith if itis used to criticize, measure, or divide. Colossians 2:16-17.
Repeating Mechanically
Without attention ritual becomes an empty exercise that fills us with insincerity.
Neglecting Social Obligations
It is not enough for us to cultivate holiness: we must reach out and minister to others. Amos 5:21-24. Jesus says that religion without substance is hypocrisy.
Suggestions for the Road
Ritual
- Find a special way to celebrate the religious holidays, i.e. Good Friday, Easter, Christmas, Pentecost. Place a reminder in your calendar.
- Read Scripture aloud.
- People in church history read Psalms 50, 62, 90, 103, & 140 daily or regularly.
- Read something from Pascal on November 23 the day he had a life-changing experience with God. Read Bonhoeffer on April 9 — the day of his martyrdom. Look up Augustine’s birthday and read him that day.
- Develop your own call to worship and repeat it frequently every month. Write and repeat your own prayers.
- Create an intercessory prayer list.
Symbol
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Symbols help us to preserve a “moral memory” to help us live rightly. Some who have failed sexually can begin wearing a cross to remind them to stay pure. Others could wear a ring during certain periods of prayer to remind them to pray.
Symbols from Christian art that you could place in your home include: anchor [hope]; arrow [martyrdom/pain]; banner [triumph]; circle [eternity]; crown [sovereignty]; lamp [wisdom]; square [earthly existence].
Sacrifice
- Fasting during Lent.
- Give up something permanently or dedicate something to the Lord’s use.
- Give your money sacrificially.
Want to learn even more?
Explore all the different ways people can connect to God and discover the value of each and every path.