Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe. There are many traditions that are passed down from generation to generation.
The something old, something new tradition dates back to Victorian times, and today you will find that many brides try their best to arrange their wedding attire according to these guidelines. Something old is representative of the link between the bride’s family and her past, while something new is representative of a good future with her new family. Something borrowed is customarily meant to be an item shared from a successfully married couple, as a way to pass on a bit of good fortune to the new couple. Something blue represents faithfulness and loyalty, while “A silver sixpence in her shoe” was traditionally meant as a way for the bride to (quite literally) carry good fortune and wealth into the marriage.
There was an old story about a young woman newly married that wanted to learn to cook. Her mother was teaching her how to cook a roast. The Mother cut off the end of the roast. The young woman asked her why? The Mother thought for a moment and said "that is the way Grandma taught me to prepare it". The young women inquired of her Grandmother "Grandma, why do we cut the end off the roast before cooking?" The Grandmother indicated that was the way her mother had taught her. Tracing it generations back, the roast was originally cut because the cook did not have a pan large enough to accommodate it. If we follow tradition for traditions sake but don't know why we do something or if it will be harmful in our walk with God, we can end up living in the past, on the other side of the cross.
We must ensure we do not let old beliefs or traditions get in the way of God's Word. We cannot depend on our own logic, tradition, or experience to formulate beliefs. The Word of God is the basis of our beliefs; otherwise, the result is what Jesus spoke about in Mark 7:13:
“Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition.”
The New Testament is a covenant of grace based on acceptance of what Jesus did. Because of that, there is a huge difference between the way people approached God under the Old Testament and the way we should now approach Him under the New.
The book of Hebrews was written specifically to contrast this and to show us how to approach God through a new and living way.
Hebrews 10:16-23 is a good summary:
“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.”
We must enter boldly into God's presence. Grasp a hold of the promise that has been made to us, not mixing Old with New. It will change your life.
Matthew 9:17 - “Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.”
The New Covenant is like new wine. It is meant to be placed in a new container - you are that new container. In your spirit, when you were born again, you became a totally brand-new creation, created in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:24).
Leave a Reply