Planting Churches among the City's Poor - Volume 1

356 • P LANTING C HURCHES AMONG THE C ITY ’ S P OOR : V OLUME 1

Traditions (Paradosis) Rev. Dr. Don L. Davis and Rev. Terry G. Cornett

Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you.

~ Deuteronomy 32.7

Strong’s Definition Paradosis . Transmission, i.e. (concretely) a precept; specifically, the Jewish traditionary law Vine’s Explanation Denotes “a tradition,” and hence, by metonymy, (a) “the teachings of the rabbis,” . . .(b) “apostolic teaching,” . . . of instructions concerning the gatherings of believers, of Christian doctrine in general . . . of instructions concerning everyday conduct. I. The concept of tradition in Scripture is rooted in the remembrance, celebration, enactment, and proclamation of the story of God’s promise to redeem and save a people for his own. Every age of Christian testimony has given witness to their deep faith and hope in the salvation promise of the triune God to redeem a people out of the world for his own possession and service. The history of the Judeo-Christian faith is anchored in a hope which is renewed daily, weekly, monthly, and annually in the worship and service of the people of God. This hope is rooted in the work of Jesus of Nazareth, demonstrated in his perfect life, expressed in his death on the Cross, and vindicated by his resurrection from the dead and ascension to the Father’s right hand. Rooted in the his torical journey of God’s people Israel, and made real in the life and service of the Church, tradition involves those acts, behaviors, customs, and practices which articulate, celebrate, enact, retell, defend, and embody the story of God’s salvation in Jesus, those doctrines and practices whereby we sanctify the present by remem bering the past so we can better live in light of the future, our true hope of glory in Christ.