Perhaps an accurate parabolic metaphor for the established faux-church in the West is to imagine a beginning where a four-walled house was built by God on the apostles teaching, principles and practices. Over the many years, Holy Spirit continued to call His chosen people into that inner house where they were comfortable and could stay in peace.
Soon though, over time, many of these folks decided that the apostles commands and practices just weren't addressing their "times" and "contemporary situations", so they proceeded to tear a hole in one wall and build on a room where about a 1/3 of the people moved into. Several decades go by and this happens again where another hole and another room are created and many of the remaining people in the original room leave to move into the newest room. And this tearing holes and adding new rooms continued on and on to where some even built second and third stories rooms on top of those original first story additions!
This is where we are now. The vast majority of those calling themselves followers of Jesus in the West no longer live in the original room of the apostolic principles, models and commands given to us by our Creator in His Word; rather, most now follow the "additions", meaning the worldly traditions of men, wrongly believing those to be what the Word teaches.
This all sounds a bit dire and gloomy, and no doubt about it, it truly is to a large degree! But, as I understand the Scripture's future forecast, I am not depressed whatsoever because while the People of Messiah in the West are getting the beat-down right now (I know some rapturists/dispensationalists are giddy right now as they watch the evening news or getting their news feed online) and being forced in our day to take three steps back, I see that this is being Providentially done for the further advancement of the Kingdom (and by that I mean here, on Earth, and not in Heaven now or in the future ethereal by-and-by...).
It is my understanding that this current low-point in western Church history -- which needs to emphasized because the Church as a whole is not floundering and flopping around as we are in the West -- has been allowed to happen so that we all can take a breather in order to fix a firm, solid grip on the Battering-ram (ya know, that one smashing Hell's Gate(s), Matthew 16:18), and give us some running room (that's the three steps back) to deliver another crashing blow to that gate (I can see a hinge has broke off and several boards are splintered where one can see through holes to the inside... I'd give it perhaps another 2000 years and it'll likely be over and finished.)
It is my understanding that this current low-point in western Church history -- which needs to emphasized because the Church as a whole is not floundering and flopping around as we are in the West -- has been allowed to happen so that we all can take a breather in order to fix a firm, solid grip on the Battering-ram (ya know, that one smashing Hell's Gate(s), Matthew 16:18), and give us some running room (that's the three steps back) to deliver another crashing blow to that gate (I can see a hinge has broke off and several boards are splintered where one can see through holes to the inside... I'd give it perhaps another 2000 years and it'll likely be over and finished.)
All this to say: Stay in the traditions of Scripture and not the additions of men. Those Scripture traditions are our normative practices, and can be found in the examples, commands, and narratives that are shown in the Word in a positive light and Jesus approved way.
To follow those traditions of God will not be easy in the flesh, but it will be done with Christ and thus it truly will be.
To follow those traditions of God will not be easy in the flesh, but it will be done with Christ and thus it truly will be.
To aid you in your thinking along these lines I recommend you read Timeless Apostolic Traditions by Steve Atkerson.
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