" O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day." Those who are familiar with the Psalms will recognize the opening of Psalm 96. "A new song?" What's wrong with the old songs? Religion often seems enamored with the old and uncomfortable with the new. That certainly got Jesus in trouble. He even spoke of his good news as new wine that couldn't be held by old wineskins. Of course Jesus also said that his coming would not "abolish the law or the prophets," that "not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law." (I've always loved the King James translation that says "one jot or one tittle" will not pass away.)
It seems that faith which is true to the Bible must always wrestle with this tension between old and new. The traditions that we have should not be too easily dismissed simply because they are old. They are, after all, a repository of faithful living that have been handed down to us. But neither are traditions to be followed simply because they are old. That "old time religion" may have been good enough for a lot of our forbears, but that does not insure it is right for this time.
The Church Reformed, Always Being Reformed is the motto of my theological tradition. God, keep me in touch with those traditions that have sustained the faithful over the years. And help me to see where you are making all things new in Christ.
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