When you read through the Scriptures do you ever see things Jesus commanded and think, “why don’t we do that?” Quite often people will tell you tradition has replaced it, but what tradition of man could ever replace one single word Jesus spoke? Through His blood we are free to worship and serve Him under the wonderful grace He’s given us, but the truth remains He is our Lord… and that means He calls the shots for our lives, our ministries, and the church He calls His bride. So, the next time you find a tradition replacing something Jesus said, dig this Scripture out and read through it. Even if it comes from the top of the church, if it goes against Jesus’ words, you can be sure it’s wrong!
“So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with ‘unclean’ hands?” He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ” ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.” And he said to them: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” Jesus of Nazareth (Mark 7:5-13)
In Christ,
PastorJimKilby @Kilbin8er Jim@JamesKilby.com