Tradition
For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. Mark 7:3
They held firmly to what was passed on to them. I want to hold firmly to Jesus and never go back there again. I want to loose my grip on tradition and be free to walk with Him, not bound by what others expect of me. No disrespect to them, but all honor to Him.
If we’re not careful, we will get caught up in tradition and religion instead of being free to follow God. When we do this, we stifle His Spirit and live to please man. What’s been handed down to you? Is it from God, does it extend back from Him or is it tradition of man? Laws and rules or grace and freedom? The law isn’t void but we are set free from rituals that bind us because He was the ultimate sacrifice. Now His Spirit abides in believers and He directs them day by day. He is our true daily bread. We don’t do things the way we use to. So when we live by law, traditions, rules, regulations and rituals, not only do we restrict ourselves but His lead. This ought not be.
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Romans 14:23 KJV
But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. NIV
We must be careful to make sure that what we are proclaiming is what we’re living and walking in and out; freedom! Not being deceived and blinded if we are being nothing more than and behaving like a Pharisee. (Law makers, law breakers)
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?” Mark 7:5
In other words, every thing had to be perfect and by design. There was no freedom or faith in it. They were condemned. If they didn’t “do it their way”, what was the consequence? With clenched fist they held tightly and adhered to tradition. If a church is so full of tradition that one isn’t free to step out by what God puts in one’s heart, then it is stifled and stiff. A church and community that is stifling His Spirit, is a church and community that is left unchanged, bound by tradition.
Do we want to see souls changed or structures sustained?????? Which one? Because only one will rule. You can’t please God and man. Then we must get out of our box and narrow minded thinking and approaches. We are running people off and the rest is decaying within. We must answer this question honestly and break every chain of tradition that so easily binds us. we MUST care more about the lost and the souls that are in need more than our 1-2-3 systems that WE’VE put into place... The ones sitting there for years bound by tradition can be just as lost, blind, bound and deceived as the sinner is and don’t even know it. They ain’t livin’ free!!!!!
A church that ain’t free is bound. A church or home bound by tradition, that has kicked out the Holy Spirit’s lead or not yet invited it in, is a spiritually dead/ dry bones church. I want to be a free follower of Christ and be not half free, but free indeed! Christ death was not in vain and it wasn’t done to keep me partially free and partly bound. It wasn’t to get me free enough to partly serve God, just to let the devil keep a hold on me like a dog on a leash. I wasn’t meant to get so far, but then just to realize that I am still held by the sin root of tradition. Roots run deep. Beware! It’s hard to get away from them. You’ll get so far and they’ll (it’ll) give you grief and if you accept it, guilt will come and it’ll give you just enough slack to pull you back in again. Just as any sin will do. It’s a vice. The only way to snatch it up by the root is confession that it’s there, to see you’ve been bound by it, and to give it all to Jesus. To lay it down and to follow Him. He died to break every chain. This is one of the chains that’ll keep you from being free.
They (the law makers/breakers/not free and true followers of Christ) wanted to know WHY His disciples and followers didn’t follow these handed down traditions designed by the forefathers. Why didn’t the disciples follow them if they did?? We see 2 very distinct differences here. 2 very different groups of followers. One who proclaimed something but did something very differently. And one who followed Christ and did what they proclaimed. We see here that we have a choice and the choice is clear: follow God or follow man and the traditions of man, set up by them. But you can’t do both - we see they were divided - on two different sides of the fence. Which one has rule?
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.” Mark 7:6 NIV
Pretty well said. What else could I add to this? Where is your heart? Does it match your lips? Does your walk match your talk? Are you bound by tradition and hard core religion or are you free to follow Christ? The question is simple. The answer is clear. It’s in your walk.
”They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” Mark 7:7-8
Be careful which one you choose and never think you that don’t have a choice. You have a choice and the choice belongs to you either way; whether you don’t or you do! Know the truth. Don’t let your effort be in vain. The power is with-in you. Don’t hold onto tradition, hold onto God. Jesus Christ intercedes for you and His Spirit was given to and abides in you. The very same power that raised Jesus from the dead is with-in you. It was given to you the very day that you decided to follow Him and dedicated your life to Him, to His service. Now you must choose and follow. A true disciple true, or a false follower (Pharisee) bound by the wrong rule? True believers believe what Jesus said and so follow accordingly. These verses are straight from the mouth of the true source of freedom; Jesus Christ. Will you follow the red letters or the legalized lawmaker/breakers. One is bound, one is free.
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28
We serve what we fear.
And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! Mark 7:9
I can’t say it better than Him.
It’s what within that matters!!!
“Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” Mark 7:13
What they say and what God said and set up, is 2 very different things.
“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 7:16
Let us learn from Jesus. Listen and look to what He is trying to show you, you who have spiritual eyes to see and discern, and ears to listen. And so obey. Ask for discernment. Seek wisdom, for He gives liberally to all who ask (James 1:5). Don’t just take it from me, read and search it out for yourselves. He says the more you seek Him, the more you find. When we seek Him with all of our hearts, we find Him.
As Hank Jr. sings, some done went and followed those family traditions. Some of those family traditions will get us in more trouble than we care to be in. We are now part of God’s family. We must learn to follow Jesus and follow His Holy Spirits lead. Not to follow sin, bound by mans rules, or be chained by the spirit of tradition. It’s time we break those ties.
Don’t be a pretender or hypocrite- be a fruitful and a free follower of Christ. Get, be and stay free. In Christ Name I pray, Amen.
