Oral Traditions Of The Elders
Or
Written Commandments Of God
Sunday August 30, 2020
Scripture To Consider:
“Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, ‘Why do Your disciples transgress the traditions of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.’”
“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, “Honor your father and your mother”, and, “He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.” But you say, “Whoever says to his father or mother, ‘Whatsoever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God, then he need not honor his father or mother.’” Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your traditions.’”
“Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying; ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” Matthew 15.1-9
Something To Consider:
The traditions of the elders were orally handed down religious rules and restrictive regulations that were added to the written law of God by men. This particular tradition of washing hands was considered a ceremonial washing or cleansing that when taken to the extreme limits, was practiced not only before a meal, but also between every course.
Jesus did not answer their question as to why His disciples transgressed this tradition of the elders. Rather, He targeted one of their foolish and deceiving traditions, while pointing out their own most grievous transgression of God’s written law. Has God ever targeted a tradition in our lives that we have wrongly given more importance than His Word? If so, we too should very much heed these instructional words of Jesus!
Jesus is still asking, “Why do you also transgress the commandment [Word] of God because of your tradition?” There are traditions that have wrongfully been created by men and entire denominations that are for no other reason than to fill the church pews and to fill the church coffers with the manna or money of men, women, and young people.
And what is worse than the creation of man-made or demonic doctrines and traditions is, the doing so at the elimination or rejecting of God’s written commandments! Therefore, the sin that is laid at the doorsteps of those guilty of this transgression is doubly evil, and will be dealt with by God in His time!
Something Else To Consider:
The written Law of Moses in Exodus 20.12, could not be any more clearer of a commandment with a promise. The commandment reads, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.”
But, the religious hypocritical leaders of Jesus’ day created a pious sounding way around honoring a father and or a mother by their falsely fabricating oral traditions of the elders that contradicted the Word of God, which was nothing more than evil excuses for not doing the right thing!
And according to Jesus, they had made the written commandment of God of no effect by their tradition. The same has been done in recent generations and is continuing to be done even in this 21st century generation. The creation by man possibly with the help of demonic influence, of the Once Saved Always Saved false doctrine or tradition has led to many millions being deceived.
This evil and biblically incorrect false tradition has deceived and eternally destroyed more souls than any other false man-made doctrine and or tradition. As asked in earlier lessons, where is it that a tradition, doctrine, or teaching is leading individuals? Does the doctrine or tradition of Once Saved Always Saved lead individuals to a closer walk with Jesus or does it lead more people to a life of complacency and their actual rejecting the commandments of Christ?
Does the following of this teaching lead people to taking up their own cross, an emblem of suffering and shame, and denying one’s self, and following after Jesus and all of His teachings of seeking first the kingdom of God and His holiness, which are to be reflected in our lives? Or does it lead millions to spiritual compromise due to their wrongly believing a lie that all is well with their soul because they have repeated a handful of words that cannot be found in the written Word of God?
Or would it be more biblically accurate to be found looking unto Jesus on a daily basis while attempting to endure to the end as commanded of Jesus? Would it be more advisable to be found standing firm and steadfast upon all of the teachings of Jesus that He commanded us to observe, including our abiding in the Word of God in order to be true disciples of Christ. Orally added traditions have eternal consequences that will be proven devastating in the end!
Something More To Consider:
Also, the falsely and recent tradition of a pre-tribulation rapture theory is another grossly wrong representation of God’s written commandments that has lulled millions of one-time believers in Christ to sleep spiritually speaking. For Jesus revealed in Matthew 24.29; “Immediately after the tribulation of those days…” And from there Jesus described in great detail end time events leading up to His gathering together or rapturing His elect saints both living and dead.
And yet, men continue to teach falsely the oral traditions of so-called religious elders over and above the written commandments of God. How sad and extremely shameful! There is coming an eternal correction that will be initiated by God Himself. We must be very careful to be on the biblically correct side of His final judgment!
The written commandments of God deal with the spirit of a person’s heart. The oral man-made traditions of the elders in every generation deal with the fleshly desire to keep religious looking rules and theories and to avoid the real responsibilities of God’s Word. The biggest problem with following traditions instead of following the written Word of God is, that keeping traditions may lead to false and vain worship according to Jesus.
Jesus called those who changed or neglected the Word of God, hypocrites. And in the end according to Jesus, these very religious appearing leaders were far from being true spiritual leaders. And in the end, they indeed were found to be guilty of worshipping God in vain.
A Few Final Words:
How true is Jesus’ estimation today of those who hold to what they deem to be a higher standard of oral traditions rather than esteeming the written Word of God? Jesus actually declared their open guilt and eternal shame by stating, “And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines [teaching as truth their oral traditions] the commandments of men.”
Oh that men would teach as truth the written and preserved commandments of God rather than the false and deceptive commandments or traditions of men! And if not, there will continue to be millions led astray and eternally damned because of the false and misleading evil teaching of the many false end time fleshly appointed religious leaders. How shameful and so needless!
Placing more importance on the traditions of man produces a hypocritical spirit among leaders and followers, which in turn lead both far from honoring God and His Word. Jesus concluded His lesson of a lifetime on oral traditions of the elders and the written commandments of God, by stating; “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.”
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, keep us far from the hypocritical honoring of man’s traditions over the written and revealed Word of God, which includes the teachings of Jesus. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 