Many days of clinging winter and hesitant spring, one could step outside and feel the physical winds of change. The temperature would be warm one day, only to be replaced that evening by a drastically cooler one. The winds often blow from west to east, bringing in a new front, inevitably in stark contrast to the one that has prevailed for a few days (or a few hours). As many places in the country colloquially and sarcastically say, “If you don’t like the weather here, just wait an hour or two.” Sometimes the winds are more subtle and sometimes they are violent. In any case, the wind blows to bring in the change.
The Lord employed man’s universal understanding of meteorological basics to engrain spiritual lessons for all time. Jesus pointed out hypocrisy to Pharisees and Sadducees who could discern the face of the weather but not the signs of the end of Mosaic times (Matthew 16:1-4). Paul warned that Christians not be “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14).
Common speech employs the use of weather patterns to refer to non-physical phenomena. “The winds of change” might refer to a shift in a nation’s electoral mood, an alteration of governmental policy or even the personal modification of one’s religious or philosophical beliefs.
The winds of change affect religious bodies. Those with governing hierarchies often issue statements (of differing titles) claiming an authoritative nature, and these statements claim to make changes as if authorized by God. Whereas formerly a denomination may have stood against a particular practice or belief, these announcements signal a change in dogma.
The church of Christ has not been immune to those seeking change. No longer content with “the old paths” (Jeremiah 6:16), many seek to draw in the crowds by employing the imagination of man in updated worship practices and by mocking biblically-based thinking.
“The only thing that stays the same is change.” Some celebrate, while others lament that truism. There are those who are always seeking something new (Acts 17:21). Others, to the point of extremism, wish to hold on to every personal tradition, no matter how pointless. Is there a middle ground between the two poles?
Some of God’s generic commands allowed room for change. The command to “go” (Matthew 28:18-20) has been carried out on foot and in jet plane. The command to “assemble” (Hebrews 10:25) has taken place in huts to grand halls. “Teaching” (Matthew 28:19) has been done by word of mouth and with the constant technological updating of visual aids. The substance of the teaching, though, must always remain the same. It can never change. Methods and means germane to a particular age’s culture will all pass like the flower and the grass, “but the Word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1:24-25). As God has spoken through His Son in these “last days,” no one can expect God’s will to ever change again before the Lord returns and ruins this transitory earth (Matthew 24:35; 2 Peter 3:10-12).
Some, in an emotionally driven charge to oust all tradition, forget that some traditions are directly from God (2 Thessalonians 2:15). This author once warned one of them, “Be careful of tradition for tradition’s sake; be careful of change for change’s sake.” That seems to be a good balance. In all worship and practice, and in seeking to carry the Gospel to a modern world by every right means available, servants of God absolutely must exercise respect toward the unchanging tenets of His Word (Ephesians 4:4ff.).
