Of Men or God

DEVOTION

THE GOSEL OF MARK

OF MEN OR GOD

Mark 7:5-8

5 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?" 6 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. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'   8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." 

NIV

Well there it is in the words of Christ himself. Whenever we begin to cling to the traditions of men instead of the truth of God we are in fact hypocrites. We might try to look good on the outside, doing all the traditional things we think are spiritual so as to have people think we are good Christians yet that may not have anything to do with the truth. As we have already looked at ways that might be considered tradition rather than truth we should focus on letting go of them. There are some of us who seem to get upset whenever there is a change in either the color of the carpet, walls, or alter area. Some get nervous or upset enough to leave a particular church if the music changes from their perception of traditional worship. Some leave because of the change in worship styles or if a new pastor does not preach in the traditional methods. Some have to find a church which conducts service in the traditional manner in order to feel spiritual, when perhaps they have let go of the commands of God in order to hold on to the traditions of men, thinking traditions are the commands of God. We simply have to be careful not to be like those Pharisees. We have to be watchful that we do not get ensnared by traditional thinking. Just because that is the way we have always done it, does not mean that is a command of God. Sure tradition is comfortable. Anytime we become too comfortable in our ways, it is because it is traditional, everything exactly the same every time. Change is not comfortable for some, maybe for most, and breaking from tradition will, most likely, lead to change. But we should be open to the Spirit of God, who will lead us into all truth. He will even direct us as we worship God in spirit and in truth. Perhaps that is why some in the world think us as hypocrites. Maybe we show them our tradition or tell them traditional religion but live entirely another way. Maybe we do live without traditional religious ways then we should express that freedom in Christ to others as well. It is true that we cannot live as the world does, but we can be free of tradition and worship God as he desires. Let us let go of tradition and simply seek God. Let us not follow men, but God.