“Jesus answered him, Sayest this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?” A good, practical question, is it not? Especially for this parrot age in which we live. People, who do not think for themselves, do not speak for themselves. I remember asking a pastor’s wife once what she believed about a certain text, and her reply was, “Let me ask my husband and see what we believe.” This is what I call “secondhand religion.” To hear, “Polly wants a cracker,” sounds cute, but you can be sure it’s not an original thought with that bird.
Handed down tradition doesn’t mean its true, only that each generation has accepted it as such. There are movements today, as well as in Bible times, where one dare not challenge an individual’s doctrinal beliefs, nor their personal convictions. These puppets have a famous little cliché they use, which sounds profound at first, but is discovered to be shallow upon examination. It goes something like this: “I’ve always believed and done things the same way all my Christian life.” Is it any wonder their lives are boring, as well as they themselves?
It’s a good thing Apollos didn’t have this pathetic philosophy (Acts 18:24-28). Eternal truths never change, but these are few in comparison to man-made rules handed down to us, like the Jews of old, by well meaning folk. Believe what you will about secondary issues, but Paul tells us to make sure we are “…fully persuaded in our own mind.” You’re not to adhere to what your guru tells you, but what God has shown you personally. It’s called the priesthood of all Believers. I find those sure of themselves can go it alone. But the uncertain want those around them to adopt their pattern of life so as to make them feel more secure in their set of beliefs and convictions.
Old dogs can learn new truths, if they don’t let the other aged dogs intimidate them!
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