A wonderful teacher of God's Word taught us many years ago that the greatest secret in the world today is that the Bible is the revealed Word and Will of God. He said that it's a secret not because God is keeping it to Himself; it's a secret because people have not believed it. He continued, they take out one segment of the Word of God and insert another. But to be logical and consistent, either the entire Bible is the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation or it is not the Word of God anywhere. Today, religion is destroying the integrity of God's Word by replacing truth with tradition.
Jeremiah 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
These broken cisterns are laws and traditions that sincere people have hewed out for themselves — laws and traditions that have taken the place of the Word of God.
A fountain has an unlimited supply of water. When people forsake God Who is a fountain, they hew out cisterns which are man-made and which hold only a limited supply. If it is a one gallon cistern, then only one gallon is the maximum supply that a person can get from it. Furthermore, the scripture says that they are broken cisterns.
No man or woman can really know the will of God without knowing the Word of God. To know God's Will you cannot depend on tradition, what men say, what theologians say, what clergy or anyone else may say; you have to come back to the Word of God.
Religion, with its laws and traditions, has kept well-meaning people in bondage. Now, do you know what a yoke is? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it: 1) a bar or frame that is attached to the heads or necks of two work animals (such as oxen) so that they can pull a plow or heavy load; 2) something that causes people to be treated cruelly and unfairly especially by taking away their freedom. Biblically, the yoke in the Old Testament has an element of authority to which the people were subjected. It was a symbol of service, especially in the political realm. It is a mark or symbol of bondage or servitude that enslaves, subjects, binds, unites, connects, or joins together. God's Will for His people was and is for them to be free.
Leviticus 26:13 I am the Lord your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt that ye should not be their bondman; and I have broken the Bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.
He has not changed, neither has His will changed. The Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers (we can compare them to various religious leaders of today) maintained the authority of the law of Moses, but they regarded outward appearances of paramount importance and based their reputation upon externals.
Luke 11:39 Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
The outward guise of these leaders was compatible with wickedness of heart, says Lukyn A. William who wrote the Pulpit Commentary, published in 1913. And what they were concerned with was how they looked in the public eye. According to Matthew 23:5, they did all their works "to be seen of men." They made sure they were wearing their phylacteries and were heard saying long prayers in public places. They expected adulation and demonstrated pious and religious attitudes while, in their hearts, they were far from God. They lay heavy burdens on the people while leaving spiritual matters undone.
Matthew 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
The same situation is true in our society. The yoke of religious tradition and laws placed on people by the leaders of our religious systems have made it difficult for people to gain spiritual knowledge. The yoke upon an animal makes it hard for that animal to eat. The same is true for sincere, God-seeking individuals. They cannot eat spiritually because of the yoke, therefore they will not receive an accurate knowledge of God. Religion takes away the key to spiritual knowledge and hinders one from knowing the truth. Perhaps you have carried the extraordinary burden of truth sought but not found.
An example of a traditional error taught by certain religions is that one can go to Mary, the mother of Jesus, to get to Jesus or to God. Such a gross falsehood has been taught for many, many years. Now Mary was a chosen vessel of the Lord, as the Bible teaches, and she was a Godly and virtuous woman, but she was as much HUMAN as you and I are human. Therefore, she is as much a member of Adam's family as you and I are—a fallen family. As members of that family, we ALL needed a savior. And as all die, so, Jesus' mother, Mary, also died.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
According to the Scriptures, Mary was subject to death as is the rest of mankind. She is dead and will not hear any of your supplications. She will not be made alive again until after the glorious appearing of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
I Corinthians 15:52-56 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 55Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
By this erroneous teaching, that one can pray to a dead person to get to Christ (as if anyone else is or ever was more compassionate than Jesus Himself), good, unknowing Christians have been held slaves and prisoners by this doctrine and tradition. What they have not been taught is that Jesus Christ has freely availed Himself to mankind.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.I John 4:14-15 14And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Another tradition carried out by well-meaning Christians is that they must give up something for the forty days of "Lent" (the period before Resurrection Sunday) so that they will be in God's good favor. It's usually something that they gave up for a New Year's resolution but did not succeed. They are sacrificing in vain.
Romans 12:1-3 1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
To be continued … ÿ